First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in a side event on mental health during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In her address, the President’s wife shared the experience of launching the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program “How Are You?”, which was created in response to the stress and challenges faced by Ukrainians due to Russia’s aggression.
According to the First Lady, the goal of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program is to bring psychological support as close to people as possible. As part of the program, more than 120,000 Ukrainian family doctors have completed WHO courses, and over 300 resilience centers are already operating. Schools have also introduced “Lessons of Happiness,” which help children understand their emotions and provide them with the necessary support.
“We carried out an information campaign that convinced society: caring about mental health is not shameful, but responsible and right. The result: in 2022, 46% of Ukrainians told us in surveys they would never go to a psychologist; today that number has decreased to 22%,” noted Olena Zelenska.
The First Lady stressed that mental health is a global challenge that concerns people as much as poverty, climate change, or rising prices.
“At the 77th World Health Assembly, together with the Netherlands, we initiated a resolution that establishes mental health as a key priority before, during, and after emergencies. This, too, comes from our experience. We want our trials to become a contribution to global resilience and ultimately to strengthen us all,” the President’s wife said.
Addressing the international community, the First Lady called for mental health to be made a priority.
“Make it part of life and of everyday care. Because this is not a luxury. It is a condition for survival and for the future of every nation. And we know this for sure,” Olena Zelenska concluded.