Our aims and objectives
EDA believes that European citizens who experience depression
have a right to appropriate treatment and effective social
support to improve their well-being, life chances and employment
prospects, wherever they live across the European Union. EDA’s
mission focuses on 3 key areas:
Awareness raising and promoting citizens rights
Our aim is an end to discrimination and promote the full social
inclusion of European citizens who experience depression. We
work with the media, the general public, and other partners to
challenge stigma and promote a better understanding of
depression.
Improving healthcare and treatment
We want to promote access to the highest quality healthcare
across the European Union. We do this by working with scientific
communities, patient groups and healthcare professionals across
Europe, and by sharing best practices amongst our own members.
We encourage the participation of national scientific
communities; promoting continuing education in the area of mood
disorders for European medical practitioners; supporting other
research studies and educational programmes at European level,
and creating a centralised resource for European depression
information.
Policy development
We aim to become a key stakeholder in the European
policymaking process, and a vital link to the daily experience
of European citizens with depression.
The WHO reports that by 2020 depression is set to become the
second biggest health burden after cardiovascular disease, which
is why it needs to be high on the EU’s healthcare agenda. This
year’s European Depression Day will ask policymakers to consider
the impact of depression on the workforce and charge them with
prioritizing depression in all policies and legislation
affecting workers and workplace safety, such as in the future
European Strategy on Health and Safety at Work.