For UNICEF, investing in child and youth mental health is essential not just for individual well-being but for the strength and resilience of entire communities. Yet, millions of young people face mental health challenges without adequate support, which can cause long-term harm and threaten their futures. UNICEF works with partners to respond to the acute mental health needs of children and caregivers, prevent these challenges, and promote overall child mental well-being.
The Prevalence of Mental Health Challenges
Statistics indicate that 1 in 7 young people is likely to struggle with mental health issues. Experiences such as living through conflicts, disasters, poverty, or the death of loved ones can have a devastating impact on children’s well-being, compromising their social, emotional, and cognitive development.
For children in crisis, UNICEF provides safe spaces and activities designed to help them and their families re-establish a sense of safety, strengthen social connections, regain a sense of control, and develop hope for the future. From Afghanistan to Ukraine, Myanmar to Sudan, UNICEF is reaching children in need of psychosocial support through health facilities, mobile clinics, schools, informal learning centers, and child-friendly spaces.
Strengthening Systems for Mental Health Care
UNICEF collaborates with governments and partners to bolster health, protection, and education systems, enhancing their capacity to address children’s mental health needs. This includes establishing effective child protection information systems for better case management and referrals to healthcare providers, counselors, social workers, and other frontline workers.
Moreover, UNICEF engages with parents and caregivers, equipping them to provide nurturing environments while also addressing their own mental health needs. Programs focus on fostering strong peer relationships and empowering young people with skills to discuss their emotions openly.
In 2023, UNICEF reached 34.7 million children and caregivers with mental health and psychosocial support services—a 37% increase from 2022—across 130 countries.
Promising Initiatives from Around the World
With its partners, UNICEF continues to innovate and implement effective strategies to support youth mental health. Here are some impactful examples:
Supporting Refugees in Armenia
In Armenia, UNICEF has focused on aiding ethnic Armenian families traumatized by their forced displacement from the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Psychosocial support programs incorporate music and art therapy, while educational sessions for parents and caregivers help them better communicate with their children and process their own feelings. Participants have reported learning valuable skills to cope and find strength amidst their challenges.
Socio-emotional Learning for Adolescents in Nepal
In Nepal, many mental health issues among children and adolescents often go unrecognized and untreated. UNICEF and partners are working with the government to train health workers in identifying these issues, improve access to support services through a new referral system, and educate young people on how to care for their mental health.
A key component of UNICEF’s programming in Nepal involves creating enabling learning environments by embedding mental health literacy and social-emotional skills into school curricula. This approach has already shown positive results in schools across Nepal’s Karnali province, introducing students to tools like the feelings chart. “We teach them techniques for managing stress,” says Dipa Pulami, a facilitator. “They have found it very effective and can practice at home.”
Srijana, a student at Shree Sarada Secondary School, shares her experience: “Before, I was constantly afraid… Now, I first try to identify a problem. If it’s something I can’t address myself, I reach out to a teacher, a friend, a nurse. It’s a big change, and I see the change in my friends as well.”
Mental Health Support for Pregnant Mothers in Belize
Recognizing the often-overlooked mental health needs of pregnant women, Belize has integrated mental health support into standard antenatal care at all primary health facilities. Health care workers are now trained to conduct routine mental health assessments and refer women and adolescent girls to additional support services.
This initiative is especially crucial for adolescent girls, given the stigma surrounding teen pregnancy and the high suicide risk among teenage mothers. Following a successful initial rollout, the government of Belize has decided to scale the program nationwide.
Connecting Youth Through Digital Music Platforms
UNICEF has partnered with Spotify to support the mental health of young people through music and other audio content via a new channel called Our Minds Matter. This collaboration leverages Spotify’s extensive user bas
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