Mental health: fact sheet on Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎: health targets

Overview

The Sustainable Development Goals (‎SDGs)‎ aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. It is critical that no one is left behind. In 2015, all the countries in the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It sets out 17 Goals, which include 169 targets. These wide-ranging and ambitious Goals interconnect. SDG 3 is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It has 13 targets measured through 26 indicators. However, a person’s health and well-being are affected not only by disease and treatment, but also by social and economic factors such as housing, poverty and education. Health targets can therefore also be found across the other SDGs. Mental disorders are one of the most significant public health challenges in the WHO European Region. They are the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of overall disease burden, following cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Action is necessary across sectors to promote mental health and well-being. This fact sheet includes facts and figures, outlines the challenges, charts indicators of progress and shares commitments made by Member States to tackle this issue. The earlier edition of this publication was tabled as a background document for the Ministerial lunch (‎EUR/RC67/ML/1)‎ during the Sixty-seventh session of the Regional Committee for Europe, Budapest, 11–14 September 2017.