The International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred) announces today, World Suicide Prevention Day, it joins to support the #FundaMentalSDG initiative to advocate adding clear, measurable mental health targets to the United Nations’ Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals about to be negotiated by the UN member states following the UN High-level Stocktaking Event on the Post-2015 Development Agenda in New York on 11 – 12 September 2014. The initiative takes up on the Preventing Suicide, A Global Imperative report, which was publicly released by the World Health Organization (WHO) last week at a mental health leaders and advocates gathering in Geneva, Switzerland, just a year after the WHO launched implementation discussions of the Global Mental Health Action Plan adopted by the United Nations 66th assembly. Ifred asks you to take action by joining the global movement at http://www.fundamentalsdg.org/act-now.html.
According to the report by WHO, suicide is preventable, mental health disorders are treatable, and yet because we don’t significantly address it we lose over 800,000 lives annually, it is the second leading cause of death globally for youth ages 15-29, and is estimated to cost the United States alone over 100 billion dollars every year. iFred invites other organizations to support #FundaMentalSDG to join in the effort, asking the United Nations to include a specific mental health target and two indicators in this critical post-millennium agenda.
FundaMentalSDG (www.fundamentalsdg.org) needs your help and is asking you to join in solidarity for mental health on an issue we all must support. Mental health is not covered in the 2015 Post Millennium Development Goals, and as we all know there really can be no sustainable development unless we include mental health and its inclusion impacts all of our organizations work. There is a very important meeting this week discussing these goals, so please act quickly and join in this unified global coalition to advocate positive change.
Below are action steps for your organization and please pass / share as the more voices, the better:
- Send a letter on your organization’s letterhead in support of this initiative to leaders in the United Nations by downloading the template here: http://www.fundamentalsdg.org/act-now.html.
- Show your support on our website: http://www.fundamentalsdg.org/show-your-support.html and / or end an e-mail to fundamentalsdg@gmail.com letting us know your organization is on board.
- Like the Facebook page, share with friends and family at www.facebook.com/fundamentalsdg.
- Tweet: “We must include mental health in United Nations Post Millennium Development Goals. There is no #health without #mentalhealth @FundamentalSDG @UN #FundaMentalSDG (note – if on September 10th, add #WSPD).”
- Send out your own organization’s release declaring your support of the initiative.
Kathryn Goetzke, Founder of iFred, is a strong supporter and encourages others to get on board. “Suicide is preventable, and depression is treatable. iFred stands in solidarity with #FundaMentalSDG, in support of the 450 million around the world needing mental health treatment today. There is no sustainable development without both mental and physical health, so we ask the United Nations to recognize this, to add relevant language in the new post-millennium goals, and for other organizations around the world to join us and unite for this global movement for mental health”.
To support the initiative, visit www.fundamentalsdg.org/show-your-support and take action today.
For more information, see www.fundamentalsdg.org, www.facebook.com/fundamentalsdg, and twitter.com/FundaMentalSDG and be sure to use hashtag #FundaMentalSDG in communication efforts.
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