SINGAPORE: There’s a growing cost—both personal and economic—of not addressing young people’s mental well-being across Asia-Pacific (APAC), according to a new white paper by the Z Zurich Foundation. The report warned that mental health issues left untreated early in life affect education, work, and relationships later in life.
Notably, nearly half of all mental health issues start by age 14. Meanwhile, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among those aged 15 to 29 in several countries across the region.
With over 750 million young people aged 15 to 24 in South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific, the report said the need for action was urgent. Despite this, mental health receives merely 1% of health budgets in many parts of the region, with even less funding going to mental well-being promotion.
It explained that promotion initiatives aim to create supportive environments where young people can have emotional literacy and positive coping mechanisms. At the same time, prevention focuses on spotting and mitigating risk factors of mental health conditions, especially among the most vulnerable.
“All actors play a crucial role in scaling youth mental wellbeing initiatives and bridging the funding gaps,” it stated. It called on donors, policymakers, and community groups to invest in mental health prevention and promotion for young people across Asia-Pacific. It stated that urgent investment is needed in public-private collaborations, schools that integrate mental wellbeing with learning, and community-based support systems.
It added that a future where young people’s mental well-being is supported would require immediate action and long-term commitment, including prevention policies, sustainable funding, a trained workforce, and governance that is open to the youth’s voices from diverse cultural backgrounds. It also stressed the need for a mindset shift to view youth mental health as key to societal resilience and economic growth.
Gregory Renand, Head of the Z Zurich Foundation, said, “The time for fragmented solutions is over. We must align across sectors, scale proven approaches, build collaborations and invest in systems that put young people at the centre. The future of the APAC region depends on it. Together, we can create environments where young people not only survive but thrive.”
The white paper builds on effective examples across the region as it aims to guide public and private organisations, institutions, policymakers, and civil society on how to best support youth mental wellbeing. Some promising initiatives mentioned include youth-led platforms, sports initiatives, emotional education programmes, and blended financing models, which combine the strengths of different sectors to create lasting change. /TISG
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