According to the Pan American Health Organization: Depression continues to occupy the leading position among mental disorders, and is twice as common in women as in men. Between 10 and 15% of women in industrialized countries and between 20 and 40% of women in developing countries suffer from depression during pregnancy or postpartum.

The 194 Member States of the WHO have endorsed the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030, committing to achieve global goals for transforming mental health. Partial progress made in the last decade shows that change is possible. However, change is not happening fast enough, and mental health continues to have a history of unmet needs and neglect where two out of every three dollars of the meager public spending on mental health are allocated to standalone psychiatric hospitals rather than community mental health services, where people receive better care. For decades, mental health has been one of the most neglected areas of public health and received a tiny fraction of the attention and resources it needs and deserves.

Figures provided by the Pan American Health Organization.