2 March 2026 – Last month, UN DESA launched the World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive, youth-informed mental health policies. Another report, World Population Highlights 2026: Youth, is now being released, homing in on the latest youth population trends around the world, homing in on the latest youth population trends, helping policymakers use population foresight to address the needs of young people everywhere and to ensure that demographic change supports equitable and sustainable development.
The first report was launched by UN DESA’s Division for Inclusive Social Development during the 64th session of the Commission for Social Development, convening Member States, UN entities, civil society partners and dozens of young people to examine the social factors shaping youth mental health and well-being. Its release aligns with a growing global concern over young people’s mental health, as youth face intersecting challenges such as poverty and inequality, barriers to education and decent work, digital harms, conflict, social exclusion, and climate-related stress.
In her keynote address at the launch event, Bjørg Sandkjær, ASG for Policy Coordination of UN DESA, underscored that “addressing youth mental health requires confronting inequality itself through coordinated, equitable, and inclusive social policies that expand opportunity, reduce exclusion, and strengthen solidarity.” She emphasized that the report’s findings should inform intergovernmental processes, including the Commission for Social Development, and support the implementation of the World Programme of Action for Youth, alongside broader efforts to realize the commitments included in the Doha Political Declaration adopted during the Second World Summit for Social Development.
The World Youth Report adopts a youth-informed social determinants approach, examining how education, work, family dynamics, poverty, digital environments, societal attitudes, and climate change shape mental health outcomes. Presenting the findings, Masumi Ono, Chief of the Social Inclusion and Participation Branch of UN DESA, highlighted that inequalities in opportunities are closely linked to disparities in mental health and well-being; stigma and discrimination continue to limit access to care, education, and work; and preventive, community-based, and youth-responsive approaches are essential to closing mental health gaps.
A central feature of the report – and the launch – was the emphasis on youth lived experiences. UN Youth Delegates Jorina Kaminski of Switzerland and Cevor Tikerpuu of Finland shared their insights.
“Being young means having options; It means having a whole life ahead of you. But today, being young also means not being sure whether the world will allow you to have a future in it. This growing uncertainty is what drives mental health problems experienced by so many young people today. Structural inequalities are the root causes of distress among youth, and prevention is key in addressing those structural problems like discrimination, poverty or unequal access to education,” Jorina said during her presentation.
Cevor added that, “Growing up in poverty taught me that mental health reflects the conditions of our physical environment. The World Youth Report underlines this. Young people are faced with global crises such as climate change, wars and rising inequalities. Preventive, inclusive social policies are essential to addressing the root causes why young people are losing hope, trust in societies and meaning in their life. An ideal world is not where every person is in therapy, but rather where the physical environment nurtures our mental well-being.”
Through video interventions, youth advocates Vanessa Dorcas, an anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) and anti-child marriage activist, and Brian Diang’a, an esports athlete and youth mental health advocate, shared reflections illustrating how youth are also key actors in shaping solutions when provided with safe spaces, resources, and meaningful participation opportunities.
The event also featured an overview of the global youth consultation process, including Expert Group Meetings, online surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews, presented by Katie Acheson, who worked with Gemma Wood, both from Numbers and People Synergy (NAPS). Through partnerships with youth-led and youth-serving organizations, including the Major Group on Children and Youth, the consultations gathered perspectives from thousands of young people across all regions, ensuring that the Report reflects lived realities and youth-informed policy priorities.
UN DESA also released more data and analysis putting a spotlight on the global youth population. The report, World Population Highlights 2026: Youth, illustrates youth population trends that offer critical insights into how societies are evolving. Produced by UN DESA’s Population Division, the report provides an essential evidence base for building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable futures for all.
The report seeks to provide governments, youth advocates and civil society with information on key population trends regarding global youth, including expected changes in the size and geographical distribution of this age group along with some of the core aspects of youth well-being. These findings aim to help policymakers and other key actors use population foresight to address the needs of young people everywhere and to ensure that demographic change supports equitable and sustainable development.
Youth priorities and concerns will also be addressed at the ECOSOC Youth Forum from 14 to 16 April 2026. The Forum serves as a platform for young people to exchange ideas, showcase innovative solutions, and strengthen youth engagement in accelerating progress on the SDGs.
For more information:
World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being
World Population Highlights 2026: Youth
ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026
