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Each year 20 per cent of the world's young people experience a mental health condition. The United Nations reported these findings in a new publication launched to coincide with International Youth Day 2014, which shone a spotlight on the importance of mental health.
“The United Nations wants to help lift the veil that keeps young people locked in a chamber of isolation and silence,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message for the Day, stressing that mental-health should be talked about in the same way as overall health.
He noted that lack of access to mental health services, stigma, shame, and irrational fears leave people with mental health conditions “more vulnerable to poverty, violence and social exclusion, and negatively impacting society as a whole.”
Following opening remarks, young artists explored a variety of interactive and informative ways to draw awareness to mental health issues. In addition, panellists shared their experiences with mental health conditions and the impact that speaking out and seeking support has had on their lives.
The event also saw the launch of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs publication Mental Health Matters: the Social Inclusion of youth with mental health conditions. It reports that one-fifth of the young people around the world experience a mental health condition, the risks of which especially great during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
As Governments consider the 17 proposed sustainable development goals, the concerns of young people should be at the heart of each goal and its implementation. Attention to their education, employment and overall health will be central in shaping the final outcomes of this new development agenda.
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