In these workshops, however, men usually start by drawing soccer jerseys or their favorite teams, the doctor said. Soon, those drawings become conversations about everyday anxieties, showing how sport can open doors that traditional discussions about mental health often can’t.
“In the countryside absolutely no one wins alone“said Dr. Al Nahari. “Players depend on an entire ecosystem (defenders, midfielders, coaches, doctors and fans in the stands), all with important roles. When we address youth mental health, we need exactly the same ecosystem..”
Speaking alongside UN Under-Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, Dr Al Nahari highlighted how sport can improve mental health outcomes for young people and reduce stigma.
On Friday, just two days before the men’s World Cup final across the river from Midtown Manhattan in New Jersey, the UN Youth Office will host young leaders, policymakers, civil society, athletes and more to Celebrate football as a catalyst for youth mental health.
The event is part of the Youth Bureau’s flagship initiative on Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, which aims to move the conversation beyond clinical responses.
Youth fights
In February, a UN report found that One in seven people between 10 and 19 years old has a mental health problem.75 percent of adult mental health conditions were already present by the mid-20s, and depression among adolescents and young adults has increased in recent years.
It noted that young people’s mental health is strongly determined by a wide range of inequalities and social determinants (including education, employment, family dynamics, poverty, technology and social attitudes) that require cross-sector policies to address.
“Young people are navigating a very complex world with very unpredictable changes in terms of digital disruption, economic uncertainty, the consequences of armed conflict, displacement and social isolation,” Paullier said.
As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends interventions that foster resilience, improve alternatives to risk behaviors, integrate multiple delivery methods, and promote supportive social environments.
One of these interventions is the participation of young people in sports..
mind game
The same report found that Playing team sports is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety.regardless of country, but that many young people face barriers to meaningful participation in sport.
As number one sport in the world, says Youth Office Football can generate belonging and social connection, strengthen emotional resilience and promote inclusion and collective well-being..
“We believe that football and sports are really powerful messengers, not only because of what they represent when they connect people, but we know that football legends can be strong messengers to transform narratives,” Paullier said.
Both speakers highlighted that football is unique because it serves as a universal language that gives young people a sense of belonging.
Dr. Al Nahari emphasized that young people are already building effective solutions to support the mental health of others, and that it is the duty of the UN and the international community to listen to them and become productive partners with them.
“The most important actors are the young people themselves,” he said. “They are not waiting on the sidelines to be saved..”
Football is not enough.
Friday’s “One World, One Game, One Goal” event showcases football’s ability to address social isolation, but is just one example of the UN’s multi-sector approach to addressing the mental health of young people around the world.
For example, WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provide evidence-based frameworks to help governments implement effective psychosocial support programs in schools through the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) initiative.
“We want to use not only sports,” said Paullier. “We want to meet young people where they are.”
In addition to the United Nations’ efforts to raise awareness of youth mental health and support implementation programmes, Mr Paullier said. The world must do a better job playing a supportive role with funding..
Most countries allocate less than two percent of their annual health budgets to mental health, creating a funding gap of $200 billionAccording to the WHO.
“Behind these numbers, there are actually millions of young people who carry pain that is often unseen, unexpressed and unsupported,” Paullier said.
