#HowRUFeeling| AUC, UN Women, UNICEF, IPPF and UNFPA launch Mental Health Campaign

The African Union Commission (AUC)- Youth Division in collaboration with UN Women, UNICEF, IPPF, and UNFPA is launching a Continental Mental Health Campaign which aims to capitalize on the following 3 “As” - Awareness, Advocacy and Action to raise the awareness and knowledge of Africa’s youth on mental health and mobilize public support to change the status quo around mental health in Africa and normalize mental health conversations on the continent.

Africans are more likely to believe in supernatural causes of mental issues, as well as a general lack of willpower, rather than environmental causes. Moreover, only 15 out of 55 Member States have a plan or strategy in place on mental health for adolescents and children. Despite overwhelmingly poor determinants of health in Africa, there is a culture of silence around mental health issues. Mental health issues further perpetuate existing vulnerabilities of young women, youth leaving disabilities amongst others. Today, young women are three times more likely than men to experience common mental health problems. Young women and girls from disadvantaged groups face the greatest risks, and those who have more than one risk factor bear a particularly complex set of challenges. At the same time, the mental health of young women has slipped down the policy agenda.

AUC together with UN partners and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is thus launching a month-long Mental Health Campaign to raise awareness on mental health issues including as a result of key gender inequality issues in Africa; mobilize efforts in support of mental health; provide an opportunity for duty-bearers, and policymakers working on mental health issues to exchange information on ongoing initiatives, their experiences, and lessons learnt to make mental health policies and services responsive to the needs of African youth.

The campaign will include a series of activities like ‘Let’s hear from you - Survey’, ‘#HowRUFeeling - TikTok Video’, publication such as infographics and video, Egumeni session and Twitter chats aiming to impact youth advocates, policy makers, duty-bearers, African youth including youth partners and media.

TELL US…. #HowRUFeeling

Concept note