The 158th WHO Executive Board meeting was a milestone for IASP as the Board confirmed the renewal of official relations with a wide range of civil society and professional organisations following WHO’s Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA). Member States reaffirmed the important contribution that non-state actors make to technical cooperation, service delivery and global health advocacy, while recognising national sovereignty and the need for transparent safeguards. As part of this decision, the International Association for Suicide Prevention renewed its three-year collaboration with WHO as a non-state actor, reinforcing its ongoing role in advancing suicide prevention, supporting implementation of WHO guidance, promoting global awareness activities and contributing expert input to global policies related to suicide prevention.
The WHO Executive Board positioned mental health at the centre of discussions on global health policy, both within the follow-up to the UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and through a dedicated agenda item on mental health. Member States welcomed the 2025 Political Declaration for placing mental health on equal footing with other major NCD priorities and for setting clear 2030 targets to expand access to services. Countries across all regions emphasised that mental health must be fully integrated into primary health care and universal health coverage, supported by sustainable financing, stronger data systems and robust accountability mechanisms. Particular attention was given to suicide prevention, to the needs of children and young people, the growing impact of digital environments, and to support and care in humanitarian and conflict settings.
In the specific debate on mental health, governments called for a focus on community-based, rights-driven services to be embedded within primary health systems. Delegations stressed that services must be grounded in human rights, dignity and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience. Countries also urged stronger action to address social and commercial determinants of mental health, including online harms, gambling and substance use, and called on WHO to expand guidance on protecting youth mental health in both digital and offline environments.
