Portugal Treats Migrant Trauma Amid Rising Xenophobia

In Portugal, organizations are working to address the mental health needs of migrants and refugees, a population increasingly vital to the nation’s economy but often burdened by trauma and facing growing xenophobia. The What Health project, funded by the European Union, deploys cultural mediators, many of whom are migrants themselves, to gather data on migrant well-being and connect people with services.

These mediators are crucial in overcoming language barriers and cultural sensitivities that often hinder access to mental healthcare. The project aims to train healthcare professionals to better understand and address the specific needs of migrant populations, particularly those who have experienced violence or displacement.

However, recent political shifts and economic pressures are complicating these efforts. A new healthcare reform requires undocumented migrants to pay upfront for hospital visits, discouraging them from seeking care. The rise of the far-right Chega party and increasingly open anti-immigrant rhetoric are also retraumatizing refugees and eroding trust in support systems.