Globally, mental health disorders pose a significant burden among young people. According to the UNICEF report in 2019, one in seven individuals in this age group experiences mental health disorders, accounting for 13% of the global burden of diseases (Adolescent Mental Health, 2019). Depression, anxiety, and suicide rank among the top six causes of disability-adjusted life years among youth aged 10-24 years (Vos et al., 2020). Being, an international mental health initiative hosted by Grand Challenges Canada (GCC), advocates for rights-based, culturally appropriate care, empowering young individuals to drive their mental health journey within supportive communities. Prioritizing prevention and promotion over reactivity, Being leverages community-based, locally driven innovation for sustainable impact.
In this project we adopted the relational wellbeing approach to understand young people’s mental health in Tanzania and Ghana, two among 13 priority countries in LMICs. Through desk review of existing mental health data as well as grey literature we were able to identify the burden of mental health issues in Tanzania and Ghana. Furthermore, the project brought together stakeholder from different backgrounds including young people and members from vulnerable and marginalized groups to prioritize key mental health issues, drivers and solutions for prevention and promotion.
Findings from this initiative will be disseminated through local and international platforms, facilitating knowledge exchange and fostering collaborative efforts towards improved mental health outcomes among young people in LMICs. Furthermore, these findings will inform different stakeholders on priority issues and potential funding areas, building momentum in driving the mental health agenda forward.