Initiated in 1950 as an international society for producing international psychiatric congresses and officially founded in 1961, the World Psychiatric Association [WPA] is an organization of psychiatric societies aimed at advancing psychiatric and mental health education, research, clinical care and public policy.

The members of the WPA are 112 national psychiatric societies representing� more than 150,000 psychiatrists. The societies are clustered into 18 Zones and 5 Regions: the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. Representatives of the societies constitute the WPA General Assembly, the governing body of the organization. The WPA has individual members and there are provisions for affiliation of other associations (eg,those dealing with a particular topic in psychiatry).

• Improve the care and preserve the rights of the mentally ill
• Prevent mental disorders and promote mental health
• Upgrade knowledge, skills and attitudes for psychiatric work
• Promote the highest ethical and quality standards in psychiatric care, teaching and research
• Promote non-discrimination (parity) in health care
• Protect the rights of psychiatrists

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