Amid a context of significant political instability, Peru is preparing for the 2026 General Elections while facing multiple pressing challenges. Among them, mental health stands out as one of the most critical crises, while also remaining one of the most overlooked issues on the public agenda.

In this regard, our recent analysis of 36 government platforms reveals a concerning reality: although mental health is beginning to gain visibility in political discourse, it remains far from being a true priority.

KEY FINDINGS FROM OUR ANALYSIS

• Only 20 out of 36 political parties (56%) mention mental health in their government platforms.
• Only 12 political parties (33%) include specific goals or measurable indicators.
• Only 14 political parties (39%) propose measures to reform mental health services.
• Only 4 political parties (11%) address mental health funding.
• Only 12 political parties (33%) consider the social determinants of mental health in their proposals.
• Only 9 political parties (25%) include proposals focused on child and youth mental health.
• And only 5 political parties (14%) incorporate mechanisms for social participation.

These findings reveal a clear trend: mental health is beginning to emerge in political discourse, but it is rarely translated into concrete, measurable, or sustainable commitments.

WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES?

Among the political parties that do include proposals, service reform is the most common focus. However, even in this area, significant limitations remain: few proposals include verifiable targets, making it difficult to hold stakeholders accountable for results.

Even more concerning is what remains absent or is only weakly represented:

• Sustainable financing: only 4 political parties address this issue, despite it being a key enabling condition for any reform.
• Child and youth mental health: it appears in only 1 out of 4 government platforms, despite the disproportionate impact of the mental health crisis on young people.
• Child and youth mental health: it is addressed in only 1 out of 4 government platforms, despite the disproportionate impact of the mental health crisis on young people.
• Social determinants of health: when addressed, they are focused almost exclusively on education, leaving aside key factors such as employment, housing, and climate change.

BEYOND PAPER: THE UNDERLYING CHALLENGE

The inclusion of mental health in policy platforms does not necessarily translate into genuine political commitment. In fact, the analysis shows that:

• Only one-third of political parties propose measurable actions.
• Most proposals lack clear funding mechanisms.
• Intersectoral collaboration remains at an early stage.

This reflects a disconnect between the scale of the challenge and the proposed policy response. Without resources, clear targets, and a comprehensive approach, many of these proposals risk remaining empty promises.

Taken together, these findings show that mental health is beginning to gain a place in Peru’s electoral debate, but it has yet to receive the priority attention that the current crisis demands. This is not merely a technical omission, but a political decision.

In this context, the electoral process represents a key opportunity to demand meaningful change.

This document was developed in March 2026 by the De-Mentes team, under the leadership of Ellen Mayorca Huamán, with the support of Lucero Andaluz Llerena. It also benefited from the contributions of Antonis Kousolis and Divya Sharma, members of the Global Mental Health Action Network.