Dr Michelle Funk is the Unit Head of the Policy, Law and Human Rights team at the World Health Organization. She is responsible for cross cutting work related to policy, planning, service development, human rights and legislation across the mental health, brain health and substance use units of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use.

She leads the WHO QualityRights Initiative which builds capacity of stakeholders to understand and promote human rights and recovery approaches, and supports countries to develop services, policies and laws in line with international human rights standards.

Dr Funk, has produced landmark guidance including the mental health policy and service guidance package, the WHO QualityRights modules for training, guidance and transformation in mental health (2019), the WHO guidance and technical packages on rights based community mental health services (2021) and is currently in the process of developing new guidance on mental health policy and action plans and mental health related laws. She has published extensively on these topics in peer review journals.