Global Mental Health Advocacy Roadmap:
Key Dates and Events 2026-2027
In 2025, mental health was at the core of the 4th High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Thanks to the work of GMHAN members and countless other organisations, the HLM political declaration made history: an ambitious set of commitments adopted by 175 member states.
Learn more here: Our convening and coordination work for the 2026 High-Level Meeting.
In 2026, we need to turn these commitments into action and utilise global opportunities, including events hosted by UN agencies and the Human Rights Council, to accelerate progress toward good mental health for everyone, everywhere.
Then, 2027 brings major influencing opportunities including the first ever Global Mental Health Ministerial Summit to be held in Africa, and the next United Nations High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.
The road to the Ministerial Summit in Africa is highlighted in green.
Pleins feux sur l'Afrique francophone:
En 2025, la santé mentale était au cœur de la 4e réunion de haut niveau (HLM) de l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies (AGNU) sur la prévention et le contrôle des maladies non transmissibles (MNT). Grâce au travail des membres du GMHAN et d'innombrables autres organisations, la déclaration politique de la HLM est entrée dans l'histoire : un ensemble ambitieux d'engagements adoptés par 175 États membres.
En 2026, nous devons traduire ces engagements en actions et tirer parti des opportunités mondiales, notamment les événements organisés par les agences des Nations Unies et le Conseil des droits de l'homme, afin d'accélérer les progrès vers une bonne santé mentale pour tous, partout dans le monde.
Ensuite, l'année 2027 offrira une occasion majeure d'exercer une influence : le tout premier Sommet ministériel mondial sur la santé mentale, qui se tiendra en Afrique. Nous sommes impatients de travailler avec notre communauté en Afrique francophone afin d'influencer les résultats de cet événement important.
Les événements clés menant au Sommet ministériel en Afrique sont indiqués en vert sur cette page.
January 2026
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (Davos, Switzerland)
Mental health topics that emerged included: the online world, artificial intelligence, the built environment, “brain capital”, and workplace culture.
Session: Mental Health When Everything Shifts | World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026
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February 2026
WHO Executive Board Meeting (Geneva, Switzerland)
Feb 2nd-7th: Sets the agenda for the World Health Assembly and the resolutions to be considered
IASP blog: WHO Executive Board Strengthens Global Action on Mental Health and NCDs
4th Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum (IloIlo City, the Philippines, and online)
Feb 2nd-4th: Gathering of global mental health advocates, online and in person - led by GMHAN
Access key take-home messages, recommendations and the impact of the Forum.
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March 2026
International Women’s Day
Mar 8th: Theme: Give to Gain
Access: The priorities of women’s mental health organisations globally
61st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
Feb 22nd-31st March: governments will pass a resolution on mental health and human rights
A link to the previous version of this resolution from 2023
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April 2026
Global Public Health Week
Apr 6-10: Theme: Peace for Health. Heath for Peace.
Global Disability Summit (Berlin, Germany)
TBC - mental health is a small part of the conversations - potential focus on human rights
1st Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (Santa Marta, Colombia)
Apr 24-29: Hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands
World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 (Nairobi, Kenya)
[Important Influencing Opportunity on the Road to the 7th Ministerial Summit]
Apr 27-29: Reimagining Africa’s Health Systems: Innovation, Integration, and Interdependence
Réunion régionale du Sommet mondial de la santé 2026 (Nairobi, Kenya)
[Occasion importante d'influencer le processus menant au 7e Sommet ministériel]
27-29 avril: Repenser les systèmes de santé africains : innovation, intégration et interdépendance
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May 2026
Mental Health Month (US and Online)
Month of May: Theme: More Good Days, Together
European Public Health Week (Online)
May 4-8: The theme for Wednesday, 6 May is: “Mental health at the crossroads”
Mental Health Awareness Week (UK and Online)
May 11-17: Theme: Taking action to support good mental health.
Bold Ideas for Brighter Futures 2026 (Cape Town, South Africa)
May 18-20: 2nd Global Conference on Child and Adolescent Mental Health
World Health Assembly (Geneva, Switzerland)
[Important Influencing Opportunity] May 18th-23rd: The decision-making body of WHO
(Read our blog from WHA 2025: WHA78 - A Milestone for Global Mental Health Advocacy)
International Mental Health Reforms & Care in Africa (Zambia)
[Theme: Building a Mentally Healthy Africa: Policy, Partnerships, and People]
May 26-31: Led by AMHROA
Ministerial Summit Regional Consultations (Johannesburg, South Africa)
[Important Influencing Opportunity on the Road to the 7th Ministerial Summit]
27-29 May
Consultations régionales du Sommet ministériel (Johannesburg, Afrique du Sud)
[Occasion importante d'influencer le processus menant au 7e Sommet ministériel]
27-29 mai
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June 2026
Pride Month
Visit the page of our LGBTQI+ Mental Health Working Group
64th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (Bonn, Germany)
June 8th-18th: Important influencing opportunity ahead of COP31
G7 Summit (France)
June 14th-16th: Health is part of the conversations, important for aligning messages
62nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
A panel discussion featuring governments and key actors will be held on technical cooperation and capacity-building on the right to health
Read the resolution resulting from the previous panel discussion
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July 2026
Ministerial Summit Regional Consultations (Lomé, Togo)
[Important Influencing Opportunity on the Road to the 7th Ministerial Summit]
15-17 July
Consultations régionales du Sommet ministériel (Lomé, Togo)
[Occasion importante d'influencer le processus menant au 7e Sommet ministériel]
15-17 juillet
High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (New York)
July 6th-15th: Discussions will include current and future progress towards the SDGs
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August 2026
International Youth Day
Visit the page of our Children & Youth Working Group.
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September 2026
Financing Dialogue on NCDs and Mental Health (Manila, Philippines)
Sep 2-4: Discussions on future financing (co-organised by the Government of the Philippines, WHO and the World Bank)
63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
Sep 7th - Oct 9th: governments will pass a resolution on youth and human rights but mental health will be a major focus
A link to the background information relating to this resolution
World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10th: Changing the Narrative on Suicide
Visit the page of our Suicide Prevention Working Group
Global Week of Action on NCDs
Date and theme TBC
United Nations General Assembly (New York, USA)
September 8th - 22nd: Includes the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (date TBC)
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October 2026
World Mental Health Day
October 10th: theme TBC
Access our guide: From International Days to Awareness Weeks - Advocating for Mental Health when the World is Watching
East African Mental Health Conference
Advocacy and Systems strenghtening event with policy and civil society participants from 8 countries
Dates TBC - led by StrongMinds
World Health Summit
TBC - mental health is a small part of the conversations
(Read our blog from WHS 2025: Reflections from the World Health Summit)
COP17 - Biodiversity (Yerevan, Armenia)
Oct 19-30: 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
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November 2026
Africa Global Mental Health Research Conference
[Event that will showcase innovations in Africa]
Nov 2-4: to be organised by the Mental Health Innovation Network
The Social Forum of the Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
A three day dialogue on the right to health between civil society, UN Member States, and UNOs
Read the Practical Guide to the Social Forum for Civil Society
5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (Adis Ababa, Ethiopia)
[Important Influencing Opportunity on the Road to the 7th Ministerial Summit]
mental health focus and date TBC
5e Conférence internationale sur la santé publique en Afrique (Addis-Abeba, Éthiopie)
[Occasion importante d'influencer le processus menant au 7e Sommet ministériel]
Thème axé sur la santé mentale et date à confirmer
COP31 (Antalya, Türkiye)
November 9th - 20th: mental health focus TBC
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December 2026
Human Rights Day
December 10th: With a focus, for our community, on the deinstitutionalisation of mental health care
Visit the page of our Deinstitutionalisation Action Group.
Universal Health Coverage Day
Advocating for integration of mental health in UHC plans
Visit the page of our Universal Health Coverage Working Group.
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February 2027
7th Global Mental Health Ministerial Summit (Kigali, Rwanda)
Date TBC, Mental health service reforms a likely part of the agenda
(Read our blog from the 6th Summit in 2025: 6th Ministerial Summit: Empowering Communities, Strengthening Coalitions, and Tackling Stigma)
7e Sommet ministériel mondial sur la santé mentale (Kigali, Rwanda)
Date à confirmer, les réformes des services de santé mentale devraient figurer à l'ordre du jour.
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September 2027
United Nations High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (New York, US)
Expected. (Access the background.)
Advocacy guide
Global events, international and national mental health awareness days and weeks play a crucial role in raising the profile of global issues and garnering support for meaningful action. To support your advocacy we have produced this important guide: From International Days to Awareness Weeks - Advocating for Mental Health when the World is Watching. The guide is available in English, French and Spanish.
Join Us!
New to GMHAN? If you are interested in following or supporting this work, please first ensure you are a member of the Global Mental Health Action Network by signing up here, and join our activities on Circle and our Working Groups.