Breaking the Silence: Communicating on Youth and Mental Health in Africa

World Mental Health Day is commemorated globally on October 10th, reinforcing efforts to raise awareness and mobilise support around mental health issues. These observances provide an important platform to reflect on the mental health challenges faced by young people across the African continent.

African youth today face immense psychological pressures due to factors such as unemployment, poverty, inequality, violence, identity struggles, and climate anxiety. Yet, mental health often remains an invisible issue—silenced by stigma, cultural taboos, and lack of services.

Communication is central to transforming how society understands and addresses mental health. This webinar will explore effective and culturally responsive ways to communicate youth mental health realities in Africa—through advocacy, media, creative expression, and policy dialogue.