The Lancet Commission launched the report on adolescent health and wellbeing at the World Health Assembly 2025, at President Wilson Hotel Ballroom Geneva on 21 May 2025.
Investments made in this generation of adolescents will determine our human and planetary futures, for good or for ill. The time to act is now.
Background
The Second Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing focuses on required actions to transform adolescent health and wellbeing. It will provide an evidence-based guide to act now and in the post SDG era. Building on the 2016 Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing which catalysed interest in adolescent health globally, this Commission proposes an expanded conceptual framework for actions, defines an expanded set of indicators to ensure accountable action, and presents substantial original research that support a wide range of specific cross-sectoral actions at global, regional, country and local level. It ultimately aims to catalyse progress in adolescent health and wellbeing in today’s rapidly changing world.
Objectives
- Active and inclusive youth engagement. The event was co-organized and fully inclusive of adolescents and youth, amplifying their voices, experiences, priorities, recommendations, and calls to action to ensure they are meaningfully included in policies and programs that are responsive to their needs. Emphasis was placed on engaging youth and young people in dialogue with policy makers, researchers, and practitioners, reflecting on the high-level political dialogue and technical segments, but opening up for discussion on other priority issues that youth/young people want to catalyze action on.
- High-Level Political Dialogue. The event brought together Ministers of Health, Education and other relevant sectors, alongside leaders at UN agencies, civil society organizations and other key stakeholders at the political level and engaged in dialogue regarding achievements and challenges in advancing adolescent policies and programs and collaborative approaches for national health and education agendas, looking forward to Agenda 2030 and beyond.
- Technical Insights. The launch of the Commission report served as a springboard for technical discussion of the implications of the latest evidence for policy and practice focusing on the key recommendations from the Commission. Insights focused on key systems level responses required to advance adolescent health and wellbeing within the context of UHC, as well as responses to growing concerns to adolescents, including advances in digital technology and AI, climate change, conflict and displacement, and education quality.
Distinguished speakers
- Dr Richard Horton, Lancet Editor-in-Chief
- Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
- Ms Andrea Studer, CEO, Fondation Botnar
- Ministry of Health Sierra Leone, HE Dr Austin Demby
- Ministry of Health Ethiopia, HE Dr Mekdes Daba
- Director General of The Public Health Agency of Sweden Ms Olivia Wigzell
- Dr Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs
- Dr Sarah Baird, Lancet Commission Chair
- Dr Shakira Choonara, Lancet Youth Commissioner
- Mr. David Imbago, Lancet Youth Commissioner
- Ms. Nikita Ghodke, Youth Advocate
- Ms. Surabhi Dogra, Lancet Youth Commissioner
- Ms. Yasmin Haque, UNICEF Director of Health
- Rt Hon. Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and PMNCH Board Chair
- Dr Flavia Bustreo, Co-chair The Lancet Commission on Gender Based Violence and Maltreatment of Young People
- Dr María del Carmen Calle Dávila, President-elect International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH)
Event moderators
- Femi Oke, Award-winning International Journalist
- Dr Prerna Banati, Adolescent and Young Adult Health, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, WHO headquarters
