Why MH-COST Exists
Around 70–80% of the Pakistani Bengali community in Karachi face ongoing challenges around citizenship and state recognition, despite many families having lived in Pakistan for three or four generations. Most are under 30, and were born in Pakistan — yet statelessness continues to shape their daily lives.
MH-COST was created to answer a question that had never been properly asked: what does this mean for young people’s mental health? It is the first study of its kind in Pakistan, and one of the largest studies conducted globally with a stateless population.
Meet Our Team
MH-COST is led by Dr Humera Iqbal (UCL) and Tahera Hasan (Imkaan Welfare Organisation), together with a wider team of researchers, clinicians, community researchers, and international advisors.
Our Partners
Delivered in Partnership With
MH-COST is based at University College London and delivered in partnership with Imkaan Welfare Organisation, the first and largest Pakistani organisation working on statelessness. The project is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
Get Involved
Whether you’re a researcher, a community member, or an organisation interested in partnering with us, we’d love to hear from you.