Youth at the Heart of Global Health 

This year’s High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health at the United Nations arrives at a critical juncture. Around the world, young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, one that demands urgent attention, bold policy and above all, meaningful inclusion. The decisions made in these global forums will shape the future. And yet, too often, the very people who will inherit that future are left out of the conversation. 

This meeting must not be a standalone moment—it must be a continuation of last year’s Summit of the Future, where APCO had the privilege to participate. We walked away from that experience with a profound understanding of the power of having young people at the table, not just as observers, but as contributors, challengers and co-creators. That summit showed us what’s possible when youth voices are not only heard, but respected. 

A Generation in Crisis

The mental health statistics are staggering. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is now the leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents. Additionally, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that suicide ranks as the fourth leading cause of death for young people aged 15–29. These aren’t just numbers, they’re a reflection of lives lived under immense pressure, often without adequate support. 

The causes of this mental health crisis are multifaceted: climate anxiety, economic instability, social isolation, digital overload, systemic injustice and more. But the solutions must begin with inclusion. Young people understand the urgency because they live it., their insights are not peripheral, they are essential. 

Young people are not passive subjects of policy; they are agents of legitimacy in the international system. Historically, we know that multilateralism derives its strength not from procedure alone, but from the consent and trust of those it governs.   

If youth remain excluded, institutions risk perpetuating a model of governance that is technocratic but hollow, capable of producing declarations, yet incapable of inspiring collective ownership. In so, the inclusion of young voices is not about symbolism, it is about ensuring that the next generation regards multilateral institutions as guardians of global public goods. Without that legitimacy, even the most carefully negotiated frameworks risk erosion before they can deliver results.  

Youth as Architects of Multilateralism

In a world grappling with polarization and fragmentation, the revival of multilateralism is more than a diplomatic ideal, it’s a survival strategy. Young people are uniquely equipped to lead this charge, they are globally connected, digitally fluent and deeply committed to justice and sustainability.  

According to the World Bank Group, from climate activism to peacebuilding, youth-led movements have already reshaped global discourse. For example, at just 15, Greta Thunberg sparked a global climate movement with her “Fridays for Future” school strike. What began as a solitary protest outside the Swedish Parliament evolved into an international grassroots effort, mobilizing millions of young people across continents to demand urgent and bold climate action from policymakers.  

Following the tragic mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, students organized March for Our Lives, one of the largest youth protests for gun reform in American history. Across South Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen and more, youth are driving peacebuilding strategies, demonstrating how when they are given the proper tools and platforms, they are crucial leaders for strengthening social cohesion. 

The reality is, young people are not waiting to be invited into global governance because they are already shaping it. Their impact is often achieved despite systemic exclusion, not because of institutional support. This is not just a missed opportunity; it’s a structural failure. 

Inclusion Is Not Optional, It’s Imperative

It is ethically indefensible and strategically shortsighted to make decisions that will shape the next 50 years without the input of those who will live through them. Whether we’re discussing mental health, climate resilience or global peace, youth must be present, not as symbolic participants, but as equal stakeholders. 

This means more than inviting young people to speak, it means empowering them to lead. It means funding youth-led initiatives, creating permanent seats for youth representatives in global institutions and trusting young people with real influence across all sectors.  

Last year’s Summit of the Future was a glimpse of what that could look like. It was a space where youth voices weren’t just welcomed, they were central. That experience reaffirmed what many of us already knew: when young people are at the table, the conversation changes. It becomes more honest, more urgent, more visionary and most importantly, more actionable. 

What distinguishes the moment we live in is the necessity for intergenerational renewal. When youth contribute to shaping norms, those norms gain resilience. Inclusion, then, is not merely a moral stance, it’s a safeguard of multilateral endurance.  The architecture of international cooperation can no longer be built for youth; it must be built with them. 

Mental Health Must Stay on the Global Agenda

Mental health is not a niche issue; it’s a universal one. It intersects with education, employment, gender equity and human rights. And for young people, it is often the invisible thread that determines whether they thrive or merely survive. 

The UN’s High-Level Meeting must treat mental health as a core priority, and it must be framed through the lens of youth. What does mental health support look like in schools, in refugee camps, in digital spaces? How do we dismantle stigma, expand access and build systems of care that are culturally competent and youth-informed? 

Elevating mental health on the multilateral stage is also a test of whether the UN can translate normative commitments into operational change. Declarations are important, but they must be followed by measurable commitments, otherwise, global health governance risks being perceived as performative.  

These are not rhetorical questions—they are policy imperatives and young people must help answer them. 

A Call to Action

This is a pivotal moment. The decisions made at the UN and in adjacent forums around the UN General Assembly High Level Week will shape funding priorities, national strategies and global norms. If youth are excluded, the outcomes will be incomplete at best, and harmful at worst. 

Let this meeting be a continuation, not just of last year’s Summit of the Future, but of a growing movement to center youth in global governance. Let mental health be treated with the gravity it deserves. Let multilateralism be reborn through the energy and insight of youth. Let youth join your advisory boards, strategy sessions and leadership. 

Because if we truly believe in peace, prosperity and progress, we must start by believing in young people.