Advocacy Roadmap: On the road to the
2025 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health
UN High-Level Meeting: “Equity and Integration: Transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and mental health”
Mental Health is at the core of the 4th High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in 2025. This is a rare occasion of mental health included at the core of a UNGA high-level meeting. Overall, this agenda is an urgent opportunity to secure new progressive commitments to deliver high quality, rights-based, cost-efficient, integrated person-centred mental health services, across primary, secondary, tertiary and community-based prevention and care.
Our convening and coordination work for the High-Level Meeting.
2024 May
1st WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement (Online)
Leading to the WHO framework for meaningful engagement of people living with noncommunicable diseases, and mental health and neurological conditions
2024 June
International Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (Washington DC, USA)
Meeting report with clear policy messages and proposed actions on NCDs and Mental Health financing.
Read our reporting back from the event.
2024 December
2nd WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement (Online)
Convening individuals living with NCDs, mental health, and neurological conditions. Event website.
WHO DG's progress report to UN Secretary General (Online)
Submitted - Set out the key issues related to the HLM for the WHO, made recommendations, to inform the "zero draft" of the political declaration
Monthly Thematic Briefings start (New York, USA)
Thematic dialogue series for the permanent missions in New York, ran by WHO and the UN Foundation
“Investing in NCDs and Mental Health to achieve Universal Health Coverage”
President of the UN General Assembly appoints 2 Co-Facilitators (Online)
Co-Facilitators are coordinating the negotiations
Representatives from Luxembourg and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were appointed.
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2025 January
High-Level Meeting Modalities Resolution (Online)
Sets out name, dates, length, agenda and other key details for the HLM
Read the draft resolution and our reaction on LinkedIn.
WHO Technical Elements Paper to guide negotiations (Online)
Led by the WHO Office at the UN, for the 2 Co-Facilitators
Monthly Thematic Briefing for member states (New York, USA)
Jan 22nd: “Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of NCDs and promotion of mental health”
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2025 February
WHO Executive Board Meeting (Geneva, Switzerland)
[Important Influencing Opportunity] Feb 3rd-7th: Sets the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered
Global NCD Alliance Forum (Kigali, Rwanda)
Feb 13th-15th: Global gathering of civil society organisations focused on NCDs.
Read our key takeaways from the Forum.
The Kigali Youth Declaration for addressing NCDs and Mental Health.
UN Secretary-General submits report to the UN General Assembly (Online)
The report informs the "zero draft" of the political declaration.
It is available online: “Progress on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being”
Read the response from our Global Taskforce.
Monthly Thematic Briefing for member states (New York, USA)
Feb 25th: “Co-morbidities & the primary health care approach”
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2025 March
High-Level Meeting Modalities Resolution agreed on March 6th (Online)
It can be accessed on the UN website
Monthly Thematic Briefing for member states (New York, USA)
March 25th: “Social, Economic, and Commercial Determinants & Fiscal Measures”
NCD Alliance Briefing Meeting for member states (New York, USA)
March 26th: “Priorities for NCDs and Mental Health”
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2025 April
Global Disability Summit (Berlin, Germany)
Apr 2nd-3rd - Call to Action on Independent Living, Deinstitutionalization and Community Inclusion of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities
WHO Multistakeholder Hearing Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health for Young Professionals (Virtual)
Apr 15th: GCM pre-conference event, focusing on amplifying youth voices, fostering intergenerational dialogue, and mobilizing partnerships for action.
2nd general meeting of the Global Coordination Mechanism (GCM) on NCDs and 3rd WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement (Virtual)
[Direct Influencing Opportunity] Apr 23rd-25th: Fostering a united and inclusive approach to tackling NCDs, with key messages for the HLM and direct discussions between civil society and member states
Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit (Doha, Qatar)
Note: Postponed to September 30th-October 1st 2025
Global Mental Health Action Network Advocacy Workshop (New York, USA)
Apr 28th: An important gathering for our influencing community of members and partners
Monthly Thematic Briefing for member states (New York, USA)
April 30th: “Environmental risk factors for NCDs and Mental Health”
2025 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development & 4th PrepCom for FFD4 (New York, USA)
Apr 28th - May 1st: Youth mental health as a human right part of the conversations
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2025 May
High-Level Meeting Multi-Stakeholder Hearing (New York, USA)
[Direct Influencing Opportunity] May 2nd: Opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to the ongoing preparatory process for the HLM
Global Mental Health Action Network Advocacy Workshop (Geneva, Switzerland)
May 19th: An important gathering for our influencing community of members and partners
World Health Assembly (Geneva, Switzerland)
[Important Influencing Opportunity] May 19th-27th: The decision-making body of WHO
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2025 June
Further negotiations on declaration (Online)
To inform the final political declaration
G7 Summit (Canada)
June 15th-17th: Health is part of the conversations, important for aligning messages
4th International Conference on Financing for Development (Seville, Spain)
June 30th - July 1st: Opportunity to push for reform of mental health financing.
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2025 July
HLM Political Declaration Zero Draft (Online)
Intended to serve as a starting point for the intergovernmental deliberations this year
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (New York)
July 14th-23rd: With a spotlight on SDG3, incl. the mental health indicator on suicide prevention
Further negotiations on declaration (Online)
On the text of the final political declaration
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2025 September
Global Week of Action on NCDs
Sep 17-24th: With the theme: “Time to Lead”
UN High-Level Meeting (New York, USA)
Sep 25th: “High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being”
Recommended links:
World Health Organization, On the Road to 2025.
World Health Organization, How to get involved and consultation opportunities.
United for Global Mental Health, Reporting back: the International Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for NCDs & Mental Health.
If you are interested in following this work, please first ensure you are a member of the Global Mental Health Action Network by signing up here, and email the Secretariat at admin@gmhan.org.