The United Nations is calling for a significant strengthening of policies and investments in child and youth mental health. Despite the growing recognition of mental health as a fundamental human right over the past decade, there has yet to be a dedicated UN resolution focusing specifically on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. This gap in policy means that their unique developmental needs remain insufficiently addressed, leading to fragmented approaches and chronic underinvestment.
Globally, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 7 individuals aged 10 to 19 years experience mental health conditions. Alarmingly, many of these cases go unrecognized and untreated. Recent data indicate significant increases in suicide rates among those aged 10 to 24 years in various countries. According to the latest global Mental Health Atlas, only 56 percent of nations have a distinct or integrated mental health policy for children and youth, while fewer than half provide community or school-based mental health services for this demographic.
Urgent Global Action Needed
To tackle this pressing issue, the UN emphasizes the necessity of coordinated, cross-sectoral actions. These must encompass various sectors, including education, health, social protection, and climate initiatives. The aim is to create rights-based, child- and youth-inclusive frameworks that ensure no young person is left behind, particularly in humanitarian or fragile contexts.
Despite the increasing recognition of mental health in UN policy frameworks, children and youth remain largely absent from global commitments and financing priorities. The UN has outlined several critical areas that require immediate attention to enhance child and youth mental health:
– **Elevate and resource** child and youth mental health as a standalone global policy and investment priority. This includes explicit integration into future UN resolutions and human rights frameworks aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
– **Foster a unified inter-agency platform** that includes organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside Member States and civil society partners. This collaboration aims to provide joint technical guidance and enhance accountability mechanisms for mental health initiatives.
– **Encourage Member States** to implement national strategies for child and adolescent mental health, aligning with WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan and the UNICEF-WHO Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being.
Inclusive Strategies for Sustainable Change
The strategies developed should incorporate relevant human rights and disability inclusion guidelines from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). This includes focusing on community-based and rights-based approaches and emphasizing safe and supportive learning environments, as highlighted in the 2023 UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development.
Furthermore, meaningful participation of children and youth in the development, implementation, and evaluation of mental health policies is essential. They should be seen as equal partners rather than mere beneficiaries, building on established UN youth engagement frameworks.
Investment in prevention, promotion, and protection is vital. A comprehensive, whole-of-society approach should link community-based, school-based, and digital services with various sectors, including education, health, and social protection. This holistic strategy aims to meet young people where they are and create supportive environments conducive to their well-being.
Finally, integrating core mental health indicators into broader health, education, and development monitoring systems is crucial. This effort includes household surveys and national information systems to strengthen accountability and visibility of progress across sectors.
The UN’s call to action underlines the urgent need for a collective commitment to prioritize the mental health and well-being of children and youth globally, ensuring that this critical aspect of human rights and development receives the attention it deserves.
