New York, USA – September 2025 – The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly #UNGA80 marked a historic turning point, with mental health taking centre stage on the official UN agenda for the first time. The eMental Health International Collaborative was privileged to be part of this pivotal session, which launched a major global initiative aimed at integrating and scaling up mental health support in crisis-affected regions worldwide.
The launch of the Greentree Acceleration Plan represents a bold new step to embed mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) within global crisis response systems. With over 300 million people currently in need of humanitarian assistance and an estimated 66 million individuals experiencing mental health conditions in these settings, this plan aims to address a critical global gap.
Global Collaboration and Investment
The initiative, which will initially focus on countries like Chad and Lebanon, emerged from a UN-led convening that brought together key partners, including UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNHCR, and influential advocates like The Hon. Julia Gillard AC, Chair of the Wellcome Trust. eMHIC is an integral part of this collaborative, committed to transforming crisis response.
The Wellcome Trust has pledged £10 million (approx. US$13 million) in catalytic funding to support the Plan’s implementation. This investment is designed to remove systemic barriers, scale proven interventions, and ensure that mental health support reaches both affected populations and the often-overlooked frontline humanitarian workers.
Building Brain Capital and Integrated Health
eMHIC’s involvement at UNGA 80 extended into high-level discussions on systemic, cross-sector innovation:
- The Brain Economy Action Forum: On the sidelines of UNGA80, eMHIC was invited to this Forum, jointly organised by the McKinsey Health Institute and the World Economic Forum. As a Pathfinder organisation, eMHIC joined global leaders to explore practical ways all sectors can work together to build brain capital globally.
- “No Health Without Mental Health”: eMHIC was also invited to a pivotal session jointly organised by the World Health Organization, United for Global Mental Health, and the Wellcome Trust, reinforcing the core message that mental health care is fundamental to overall global health equity.
This high-level engagement at UNGA 80 underscores a significant global commitment to not only acknowledge the immense mental health toll of humanitarian crises but also to drive concrete, funded action and systemic change.
