“There’s no global resolution exclusively addressing youth mental health”: UN Youth Delegate Veronika Novotná
Depression, loneliness, and suicide rates continue to increase. According to some data, in 2021, suicide was the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15 to 29. As a result, some UN Youth Delegates have called on the UN and other world leaders to make mental health one of their top priorities in the coming years, and perhaps, decades. One of them is Czech UN Youth Delegate Veronika Novotná, who outlined the document she co-wrote that focuses on this salient issue.
So, the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health. First, tell me about the document itself. What is it? What are the main points?
“At the beginning, I’d like to say that mental health and overall well-being are extremely complex issues that affect every aspect of our lives. Of course, where we live, the conditions we’re surrounded by influence the state of our mental health. But over all, it’s something we all encounter in everyday life.
“We wanted to address this issue because even though it is slowly, and I would say finally, becoming part of the international agenda, mental health still receives limited attention. For illustration, only 2% of global health spending is allocated to mental health. On the other hand, mental health conditions are now among the leading causes of disability and disease burden worldwide. Also, the suicide rate is extremely alarming.
“Not looking at the issue through finances, failing to address this issue costs us valuable human potential. And the toll is only expected to grow. Together with youth delegates from around the world, we see this as an urgent crisis that needs to be addressed. So, we developed the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health, in consultation with experts from the World Health Organization, United for Global Mental Health, and the European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations.
“The document outlines five key demands: First, mental health education. Second, increased investment in mental healthcare. Third, addressing mental health in conflict zones and violence-affected areas. Fourth, responding to climate-related distress. Fifth, managing mental health in digital spaces.
“These five key demands are designed to be inclusive of everyone, particularly marginalized and vulnerable communities. The world is extremely connected in this age. We must work together to address these issues and reduce the extreme inequalities that exist between regions. We're calling on world leaders to start prioritizing this issue by investing in it and taking action.”
When you say “start prioritizing,” is that because, as you mentioned off air, there’s no UN resolution on youth mental health? Is that part of the motivation?
“Yes, exactly. There’s currently no global resolution exclusively addressing youth mental health. So we really wanted to kickstart this conversation. We see this as just the beginning of a much broader initiative. We’ve noticed that many UN agencies are now beginning to place mental health higher on the top of their agendas and are starting to collaborate with young people to see the issues we face and explore solutions.”
Why did you choose these five points? Were there more you were thinking about? What was the decision-making process?
“At the beginning, we had many ideas about what needed to be tackled; we need to tackle climate anxiety, the struggles faced by marginalized communities, and so on. But we also wanted to give it some structure. We wanted to cut it down to five categories that we felt were the most essential and could be effectively communicated. The fifth category, titled ‘No One Left Behind,’ focuses specifically on marginalized and vulnerable groups. Overall, we aimed to be as focused as possible.”
And is the reason this hasn’t been addressed more at the transnational or internationally at the UN level because it’s so hard to tackle across borders? Domestic policies can focus on mental health education, for example, but how do you do that globally?
“Yes, I would say there are two levels to this. Domestic governments are responsible for implementing policies, but the international community can support both the creation and implementation of those policies through coordination and collaboration.
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“It’s difficult to tackle this problem on an international level because mental health is a sensitive topic. It touches on budgets, health systems, and cultural stigma, especially in regions where mental health is still heavily stigmatized. So yes, it’s a complex issue we’re trying to de-stigmatize on a global level.”
Some critics might say, “Why focus on mental health when people in conflict zones lack basic necessities like food and water?” How would you respond to that?
“It’s important to say that there are social determinants of mental health. These are aspects like poverty, inadequate housing, lack of access to education, and discrimination. These conditions not only affect physical well-being but also intensify these challenges.
“When it comes to young people in conflict zones, the trauma and instability that young people experience have long-term impacts on their mental and emotional well-being, as well as on the overall health of communities and families. Mental health is part of the broader healthcare agenda, and it should be treated with the same importance as physical health. We shouldn’t divide these two and choose between providing food and addressing mental health. These are interconnected and must be addressed together, especially early on, when interventions can be more effective. It’s much harder to tackle after a longer time.”
So, just to imagine concrete terms; let’s say there’s no access to food or water. That obviously takes priority. But you’re saying the mental health response should follow closely behind? What are some real examples—like not using phones too much, or walking in nature?
“When it comes to conflicts, UNICEF does some really good work when it comes to children in conflict-affected areas and [in 2021] they helped something like 12 million children. When it comes to how to ease mental health challenges, yes, it also has to do with having access to green spaces and nature, especially in areas severely affected by climate change. In schools, we should implement workshops that teach students, and also teachers, how to recognize early signs of distress and how to respond to them with sensitivity.
“We also can’t forget about the mental health of teachers themselves. They need supportive and healthy working conditions, so that they can also support their students and people in general.”
And the UN would recommend that countries implement such programs? That’s where the cooperation comes in?
“Yes, exactly. The UN can provide coordinated recommendations and frameworks that countries can use to develop their own policies. It’s not just about the technical aspects of policy-making, but also about shaping a global narrative, that mental health matters and must be addressed now, because otherwise it will be a huge problem for the rest of us. This is not just a “first-world” issue. It’s a global crisis that is unfolding.”
Let’s talk about climate anxiety. How would you say that could be tackled?
“I would say there are three things. First, to recognize that climate anxiety is a natural response to a real crisis. Also, to train mental health professionals and to destigmatize it. The second step is to involve young people in decision-making at all levels. We want to be part of both developing and implementing solutions, because the future impacts us directly. The third step is to give young people access to quality education on climate change, invest in research, and improve access to nature and green spaces because this also helps to relieve this anxiety.
And how has the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health been received so far?
“It’s been signed by 30 UN youth delegates worldwide. We launched the initiative during the ECOSOC Youth Forum in April at the EU delegation in New York. It has also been endorsed by the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. We’re also getting endorsements from organizations that were involved in its development, and we’re reaching out to other public figures to raise awareness about this issue.”
The Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health is a collective statement from young people worldwide, urging global leaders, organizations, and civil society to prioritize mental health in all policy and funding decisions. Developed by UN Youth Delegates and youth leaders, this initiative outlines five priorities aimed at enhancing youth mental health globally. The two co-initiators of the document are Former United Nations Youth Delegate of Luxembourg to the 79th General Assembly Georg Poensgen and United Nations Youth Delegate of Czechia Veronika Novotná.
