The comprehensive Mental health action plan 2013–2020 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2013 (1). This marked the start of a renewed global 7-year effort “to promote mental well-being, prevent mental disorders, provide care, enhance recovery, promote human rights and reduce the mortality, morbidity and disability for persons with mental disorders”. The plan takes an evidence-based, multisectoral approach across the life course and follows the principles of universal health coverage, compliance with human rights and empowerment of persons with mental disorders. It presents a set of actions organized around the 4 objectives, each with 6 targets and indicators. A further 8 service development indicators were incorporated in line with data submitted in response to the questionnaire for the Mental health atlas 2014. These will be used to monitor progress in achieving the objectives of the comprehensive mental health action plan through biennial iterations of the Atlas until 2020.