Sustainable development goals and mental health: learnings from the contribution of the FundaMentalSDG global initiative.

N Votruba,G Thornicroft

doi:10.1017/gmh.2016.20

Abstract

In September 2015, mental health was included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this historic step, the United Nations (UN) acknowledged the burden of disease of mental illness, and defined mental health as a priority for global development for the next 15 years. On the road to this achievement, many individuals and organisations have played a role in contributing to the inclusion of mental health in the SDGs, one of which is the global initiative called FundaMentalSDG. This group has urged the UN to include mental health in the new development goals, targets and indicators.

Highlights

In September 2015, mental health was included in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
On the road to this achievement, many individuals and organisations have played a role in contributing to the inclusion of mental health in the SDGs, one of which is the global initiative called FundaMentalSDG
For the past 15 years, from the inception of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to their target year of 2015, the situation for mental health has been bleak in global development

Summary

Introduction

In September 2015, mental health was included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The draft set of 17 goals had been developed with little consultation of public and it included only one minor reference to mental health; civil society organisations, NGOs and academia had been largely ignored by the UN in this process.

Results

Conclusion