8.4 million people are admitted to psychiatric institutions every year. Around the world, outdated laws and systems continue to rely on coercion and institutionalisation instead of recovery, dignity and community support. Hear from people who have lived this experience, sharing what dignity, care and community mean to them, and their vision for rights-based, community-centred mental health care. Please note: AI Generated footage was used in this video to illustrate these real stories.

After 19 years underground, Kazakh miner Ivan Katolik stresses vigilance, mentorship and worker-led safety to prevent accidents in dangerous mines.

Suicide is a major public health challenge, claiming the lives of more than 720 000 people every year. Each life lost has profound social, emotional, and economic consequences, deeply affecting families, friends, workplaces, and entire communities around the world. World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) marks the final year of its three-year theme, Changing the Narrative on Suicide, with a simple call to action: Start the Conversation. Talking openly about suicide can break the silence and misunderstanding, encourage empathy and support, and make it easier for people to seek help.

A devastating youth mental health crisis is sweeping the globe, with an estimated 15% of adolescents living with a diagnosed mental disorder. Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders stand as the primary drivers of illness and disability among young people today. This vulnerability is heavily compounded by negative early environments. To combat this trend, international experts urge countries to invest heavily in school- and community-based programmes that actively build resilience, dismantle stigma, and guarantee early access to rights-based care. Learn more about mental health and wellbeing.

Preventive, lifestyle-based, and people-centered approaches are essential to saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and strengthening public health systems worldwide. To advance holistic well-being, the General Assembly designated 15 April as International Wellness Day, promoting education and inclusive wellness practices. The 2030 Agenda highlights health as central to sustainable development. Goal 3 seeks healthy lives for all. The goal also addresses challenges such as major diseases, access to essential medicines, mental health, universal health coverage and reducing health inequities.

UNESCO’s Horizontes programme reimagines rural secondary education in Peru, helping adolescents like Anaís complete their studies, build socioemotional skills, and build brighter futures.

Gen Z icons TOMORROW X TOGETHER and BIGHIT MUSIC partnered with UNICEF to promote youth mental well-being, contributing $1.4M and mobilizing fans worldwide to reduce stigma and support young people’s emotional health.

Dr. Yacoub Aden Abdi’s relentless advocacy transformed mental health from a neglected issue into a national health priority in Somaliland.

Find out more in

Global Issues:
Mental Health and Wellbeing

In rural southern Hebron, a UNFPA-supported mobile safe space brings essential health, protection, and psychosocial services to isolated women who face severe barriers to care, and safety amidst the deepening crisis in the West Bank.