Session satellite
Powering up communities
15 February
10:15-11:30
Mezzanine
Rory Nefdt
UNICEF
MODERATOR
Padmaja Kumari Parmar
Friends of Mewar
Mariana Benavides
Eli Lilly and Company
Maleeqah Karriem
Youth Council for Fix My Food
Nirjala Kumari Chaudhary
Student Nepal
Cavan Lewis
National Secondary Students’ Council
Amit Bhakri
AstraZeneca
Organised by

Empowering Youth: driving community action on NCDs and Mental Health
This satellite session will explore the crucial role of youth empowerment and community engagement in addressing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health (MH). The first part (50 minutes) will feature an intergenerational panel of youth leaders and mentors who will share real-world examples of how youth-led initiatives and community collaboration have influenced policy discussions and improved access to healthcare services. Through their insights, participants will gain an understanding of how meaningful youth involvement is driving transformative action in the fields of NCDs and MH.
For the second part of the session (25 minutes), youth delegates from the conference will present the Kigali Youth Statement on NCDs and Mental Health, a powerful creative expression capturing the aspirations, concerns, and demands of young people. This statement reflects youth perspectives in the lead-up to the 2025 High-Level Meeting on NCDs and MH, calling for global action towards better health and wellbeing for all.