Written by Shoukat Ali Baloch. There is no good and bad COP. However, focusing on mental health, I have observed during multilateral negotiations and party meetings, lobbyings and also personal meetings with delegates from the parties, that mental health was on their agenda and they were discussing it broadly to address the integration of mental health stressors at the grassroots level. 

The G20 Brazil is over and the presidency was delivered to South Africa… No concept better  represents the essence of our work than Ubuntu—“I am because we are.” This philosophy of interconnectedness and mutual care defines the work of a group dedicated to initially advocate for the Mantra and the prioritisation of the investment of Children and Adolescents Mental health, and later, collectively building the #ChildrenInG20

By Don Zane Muwanguzi, Team lead/founder Awesome Minds Speaks 

On World Mental Health Day (10th October 2024), the Generational Perspective Dialogue organised by Awesome Mind Speaks brought together youth, policymakers, mental health professionals, and community leaders, to tackle the pressing mental health challenges faced by Uganda's young people.

We stand at a critical juncture in history. More than half of the world’s children live in G20 countries, yet their rights, mental health, and well-being remain severely underrepresented in global policy agendas. Amid rising inequalities, the climate crisis, and slow progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the mental health of future generations is at risk.

Mental health issues among postpartum women in low to middle-income countries represents a silent epidemic that negatively impacts a range of health outcomes. The period following childbirth is fraught with physical, emotional, and psychological changes, which is further exacerbated by limited access to healthcare, lack of mental health awareness, and mental health stigma.

On Monday July 29th, a regional coalition was launched with various stakeholders from other Caribbean territories, to advocate for the decolonization of laws against suicide in Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, St. Lucia and in Grenada. This refers to the process of revising or abolishing colonial-era laws that sought to criminalize suicide and suicide attempts. Inherited from European colonial powers, these laws reflect outdated views that treat suicide as a criminal act rather than as a mental health issue.

In June the Global Mental Health Action Network Communications Working Group hosted a knowledge exchange session sponsored by Pinterest on developing case studies to tell impactful stories and support advocacy efforts and donor communications.

The Global Mental Health community has been slow to respond to the underserved needs of the LGBTQI+ community. Through the new LGBTQI+ Working Group, Co-Chairs aspire to increase coordination, knowledge-sharing, and capacity building, or else efforts will remain fragmented. It is imperative to amplify our collective voice, pool resources, and stand united in our commitment to LGBTQI+ mental health and equality.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst Caribbean youth between the ages of 15 and 25. In 2017, almost one in seven adolescent students in Trinidad and Tobago had attempted suicide. In the rest of the population, the rate of suicide attempts in the Caribbean has been steadily increasing. Survivors of suicide and self-harm require support and mental health services.

The WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health, launched in 2019, advances policies, advocacy and human rights, to rapidly scale-up quality interventions and services for people with mental, neurological and substance use conditions.