Call for Papers
2nd Research Carnival on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
Reimagining Wellbeing: Indigenous Knowledge and Approaches and Protection of Humanitarian Workers
Dates: 23-25 September 2026
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Host: Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)
Organised by: RCRC Movement MHPSS Hub, British Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross
In collaboration with: Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)
In partnership with: Protect Humanitarians (Belgium)
1. About the Research Carnival
Following the resounding success of the inaugural event in Copenhagen (2023), the 2nd Research Carnival on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is coming to Nairobi, Kenya, from the 23rd to the 25th of September 2026. The carnival is a dynamic, interdisciplinary gathering designed to share ideas, challenge conventions, and co-create knowledge at the intersection of mental health, culture, and humanitarian action.
The 2026 Carnival aims to deepen the global conversation on MHPSS by shifting its lens to the Global South. Hosted in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross Society and in partnership with the NGO Protect Humanitarians, this edition will explore whose knowledge and experiences shape current MHPSS practice – and whose voices may still be missing. We invite you to join us in Nairobi—to reflect on existing approaches and highlight Indigenous and community-led approaches to wellbeing. A dedicated thematic day organised with Protect Humanitarians will focus on research and practice related to the protection and safety of humanitarian staff and volunteers.
2. Theme: Reimagining Wellbeing
The central theme of the 2026 Research Carnival is a broad and inclusive exploration of how wellbeing is understood and practiced across diverse contexts. We invite contributions that examine MHPSS from multiple angles—whether you are interrogating established systems, highlighting innovative practices, or building bridges between different sectors. One full day of the Carnival will be dedicated to the protection of humanitarian workers and the MHPSS approaches to support them. This thematic day will bring together researchers, practitioners, and humanitarian organisations working on staff care, duty of care, recovery after violence, and the support of frontline workers and their families.
We welcome submissions that reflect the full spectrum of MHPSS scholarship and practice. This includes critical examinations of dominant models, as well as case studies and research on practical integration, contextual applications, and the protection of those who deliver care. By bringing these diverse perspectives together from both researchers and practitioners, the Carnival aims to facilitate a rich dialogue that challenges assumptions, shares learning, and collectively strengthens the evidence base and effectiveness of MHPSS in humanitarian settings.
We encourage contributions from a wide range of academic fields and professional backgrounds, including but not limited to psychology, health sciences, humanitarian practice, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, social work, gender studies, and the arts. We strongly encourage submissions from undergraduates, graduate students, early-career researchers, established academics, clinicians, activists, community leaders, and humanitarian practitioners.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Critiques of dominant epistemologies and practices of wellbeing and MHPSS
- Indigenous approaches to individual and collective wellbeing
- Duty of care and the protection of humanitarian workers
- Recovery and healing after violence affecting humanitarian workers and their families (including justice and legal dimensions)
- Organisational approaches to staff care, safety, and wellbeing in humanitarian settings
- The multi-dimensional nature of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing
- Decolonial frameworks in MHPSS programming
- Best practices for integrating and mainstreaming MHPSS across sectors
- Psychosocial wellbeing in contexts of peace and armed conflict
- Social determinants of mental health and wellbeing
- Climate change and its impacts on mental health and wellbeing
3. Format and Submission Guidelines
The Carnival will be an in-person-only event. The three-day program in Nairobi will feature a mix of panel discussions and interactive workshops.
Submission Formats
You may submit an individual paper, a panel proposal, or a workshop proposal.
- Individual Abstracts: Suitable for sharing research findings, theoretical insights, or case studies. If selected, your paper will be grouped into a session with two other presenters. Each presentation is allotted 20 minutes.
- Panel Proposals: Ideal for groups of researchers or practitioners addressing a specific theme. This submission must include a general overview and individual abstracts for each presenter. Panels are limited to a maximum of three speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than 20 minutes, with the entire panel session not exceeding 90 minutes.
- Workshop Proposals: Designed for experiential, skill-building, or co-creative sessions that actively engage participants. This is a space for “learning by doing.” Workshops should not exceed two hours in duration.
Submission Details:
We aim to make participation in the Research Carnival as inclusive and equitable as possible. A limited number of travel and participation grants may be available for accepted presenters who would otherwise face barriers to attending, with priority given to participants from low- and middle-income countries. Details will be shared with selected participants.
- Language: All submissions and presentations must be in English. Submissions and presentations on the Protection of Humanitarians Section can be done in French as well.
- How to submit: Please send your abstracts using this link: https://survey.rodekors.dk/LinkCollector?key=T46CY3CCS69N
4. Important Dates
- Call for Abstracts Opens: March 23, 2026
- Submission Deadline: April 30, 2026
- Review Period: May 1-15, 2026
- Notification of Acceptance: May 18, 2026
- Presenter Confirmation Deadline: May 22, 2026
- Final Program Published: Mid-June 2026
- Research Carnival Dates: September 23-25, 2026
5. Participation & Logistics
- Registration: Attendance and participation in the Carnival are free of charge.
- Participation: Participants are responsible for their own travel, visa, and accommodation costs. Lunch and refreshments will be provided free of charge for all registered attendees for the duration of the three-day event.
- Venue: To be confirmed
- For any inquiries, please contact: Frida Maria W. Henriksen, frihe@rodekors.dk
This initiative is co-funded by the Directorate-General Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD) of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
