UN General Assembly Puts Mental Health in the Spotlight

For the first time, the UN General Assembly placed mental health at the centre of its agenda on Thursday, with Member States set to adopt a political declaration to strengthen global action.

The meeting also addressed noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) — including cancer, cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases — which remain the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Experts stressed that mental and physical health are deeply connected, requiring integrated approaches to care.

“This is the first time we can report that more than one billion people are living with a mental health condition,” said Dr. Devora Kestel, interim Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at WHO. Yet, she noted, only nine per cent of people with depression and 40 per cent of those with psychosis receive support. High costs, poor access, and stigma remain major barriers.

The declaration aims to expand funding, share knowledge and push for services at community level, with a focus on child and youth mental health, suicide prevention, and ensuring affordable care. It also calls for tackling shared risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, poor diets, inactivity and air pollution.

“We have heard much about the importance of mental health in recent years. Now we need commitment,” Dr. Kestel said, urging leaders to adopt policies that guarantee access to treatment and amplify the voices of people with lived experience.

While not a “magic document,” the UN declaration is expected to set a new course, placing mental health and NCDs firmly on the global agenda and showing that accessible and fair treatment is possible everywhere.

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