First Lady Urges Global Mental Health Focus

First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, made a compelling call for global attention to mental health during her participation in a side event at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Highlighting Ukraine’s initiatives, she shared insights from the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How Are You?”, launched in response to the ongoing stress and challenges faced by Ukrainians due to Russia’s aggression.

Zelenska emphasized the program’s success in bringing psychological support closer to the people, with over 120,000 Ukrainian family doctors now trained through WHO courses and more than 300 resilience centers in operation. Schools have also adopted “Lessons of Happiness” to help children understand their emotions. The First Lady noted a significant societal shift with only 22% of Ukrainians now reluctant to seek psychological help, down from 46% in 2022.

Addressing the international community, Zelenska stressed that mental health should be a global priority, akin to poverty alleviation, combating climate change, and managing economic challenges. She reminded attendees of the resolution initiated with the Netherlands at the 77th World Health Assembly, advocating for mental health as a key priority in emergencies. “This is not a luxury. It is a condition for survival and the future of every nation,” Zelenska concluded, urging nations to integrate mental health into everyday life and care.