The objective of the Emerald Project was to improve mental health outcomes by enhancing health system performance. Specifically, the Emerald Project aimed at identifying key health system barriers to, and solutions for, the scaled-up delivery of mental health services in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs), and by doing so, improving mental health outcomes in a fair and efficient way.

Emerald brought together specialised psychiatrists from Europe, Africa and Asia and was centrally coordinated by Prof. Graham Thornicroft of the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London.