Dr Zakari calls for safe spaces to address youth mental health challenges

Dr. Fathiaya Nzhelayim Zakari, Advocacy and Engagement Officer for YEFL-Ghana, has urged the establishment of secure and supportive environments where young individuals can candidly address mental health issues without the fear of stigma or discrimination. She emphasized the importance of these spaces in dismantling the taboo surrounding mental health and fostering resilience among young people, especially in northern Ghana.

During her chairing of this year's International Youth Day event, organized by the Northern Regional Chapter of Activista Ghana, a youth organization under ActionAid Ghana, in Tamale, Zakari highlighted the theme "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations" with a local emphasis on "Prioritizing Youth Mental Health: Breaking the Silence, Building Resilience".

She noted that although young people across diverse social, economic, and cultural backgrounds share common goals such as quality education, stable employment, meaningful participation in decision-making, and a sustainable future. Zakari pointed out that young people in Northern Ghana face unique obstacles like limited job prospects, scarce industries, reliance on climate-sensitive agriculture, economic instability, and familial pressures.

These challenges could adversely affect the mental well-being of young individuals, particularly when they lack adequate support. She lamented that mental health issues are often met with silence rather than assistance, mistakenly viewed as a sign of weakness, or attributed to spiritual afflictions instead of a condition that can be acknowledged, understood, and treated.

To combat these perceptions, Zakari stressed the need for stakeholders to actively change attitudes towards mental health and motivate young people to seek professional help when faced with emotional and psychological struggles. Building resilience should extend beyond merely encouraging young people to discuss their challenges, emphasizing the necessity to provide them with the requisite knowledge, skills, community networks, and support systems to effectively manage difficulties.

Zakari underscored that breaking the silence involves creating such safe spaces where young people can openly share their burdens without shame or judgment. She called upon young individuals to identify the distinct circumstances influencing their experiences while acknowledging the shared aspirations that bind them with peers in other regions.

Zakari also encouraged participants to contemplate how they could help foster an atmosphere where young people feel at ease discussing mental health concerns and assisting those in need. She urged stakeholders to maintain collaboration and ensure that International Youth Day events culminate in tangible actions to enhance the welfare, involvement, and prospects of young people.