Photo credit UNICEF
The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Well-being, hosted by UNICEF, was born out of the belief that the mental well-being of youth cannot be addressed by one entity alone but needs collective action. It is time for joint action on mental health
The Global Coalition for Youth Mental Well-being, hosted by UNICEF, was born out of the belief that the mental well-being of youth cannot be addressed by one entity alone but needs collective action. It is time for joint action on mental health.
Mental health and psychosocial well-being are fundamental components of a child’s healthy development and future. However, more than 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10–19 is estimated to live with a diagnosed mental disorder globally. Almost 46,000 adolescents die from suicide each year, among the top five causes of death for their age group. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened the situation, making it more than ever urgent to act.
Yet, mental health remains grossly underfunded worldwide and in addition to the incalculable effect on human lives, we pay a high economic price for this neglect – nearly US$390 billion worth of lost human potential that could go towards national economies each year.
What is the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Well-being?
UNICEF, with the support of the Z Zurich Foundation, launched the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Well-being to address the increasing global burden of mental health challenges in youth. Through a three-pillar framework, the coalition aims to strengthen the social and emotional skills and supportive environment for the mental well-being of young people:
What are the objectives of the coalition?
The coalition will engage its members and the wider private sector to address stigma, raise awareness, increase private and public investment for mental health programming and improve business practices related to workplace mental health.
The coalition’s four objectives are:
Which businesses are members of the coalition?
The coalition was launched with the support of the Z Zurich Foundation in April 2022. Since its inception, the coalition has attracted the attention of the private sector and coalition members now include Jo Malone London, Spotify and Z Zurich Insurance Group.
What are the coalition’s highlights so far?
Since its launch at the Zurich Talks Series on Emotional Wellbeing, the coalition convenedbusiness leaders for a round-table discussion on mental health in June 2022 and brought youth mental health to the Goals House audience at the United Nations General Assembly for the first time with a flagship event in September 2022.
What’s next?
The coalition is hosting an affiliated session at the WEF on the topic of ‘Collaborating to Scale Impact on Mental Health.’ The session will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 16:00 – 17:00 in the Ice Village (Eisbahnstrasse, Davos). You can find more information on the session, and UNICEF’s session co-hosts Zurich Insurance Group, via TopLink.
UNICEF welcomes the Business Fights Poverty network to join the event at the WEF. RSVP here.
How can I learn more about the coalition?
Please contact UNICEF’s Victoria Noble, Partnerships and Advocacy Specialist, at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like more information about the coalition – including opportunities to join.
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