Let's listen to children on mental health

Today is World Children's Day. Across China, more than 50 cities and communities are joining their counterparts around the world in reaffirming their commitment to children's rights. Each year, UNICEF creates space for children to speak out on an issue that matters to them. In China, this year's theme is an issue of growing concern: mental health of children and adolescents.

UNICEF defines mental health conditions as a range of conditions, including anxiety and depression, that affect a child's thoughts, emotions or behaviour, and can interfere with their ability to learn and function at school, at home, and in the community.

Around the world, poor mental health is causing suffering for children and young people. It is a top cause of death, disease and disability, especially for older adolescents. Globally, more than 13 percent of children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 (one in seven) are living with a diagnosed mental health condition, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF. This is severely affecting their childhoods.

In China, too, many children and adolescents are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. More than 17 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 are living with one or more mental health condition, according to the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2022. This is often driven by academic pressure, bullying, online exposure and relationships with other children and parents.

However, with the right intervention, many of these conditions can be prevented or treated. UNICEF is working with the government of China to address this issue. For example, through our adolescent mental health program, we are working with the National Health Commission and other partners to improve mental health services and skills in more than 300 schools, health facilities and communities across China. This program includes lessons on mental health, encouraging adolescent participation and empowering children to support their peers.

We are working with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other partners to train and support social and community workers, who guide families in coping with mental health challenges. Following natural disasters, we support mental health counselling for affected children.

This year's World Children's Day campaign, "Listen to Every Child's Voice, Light up Their Future", led by UNICEF along with the Ministry of Education, highlights the mental health issues that children face in schools and at home, and how best to respond to these. It includes a high-level event at a school in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where children will share the mental health challenges they face and how they are being supported to cope with them. Other cities around China are painting murals about children's mental health in schools and communities to spread awareness about mental health conditions.

But this is not just a job for UNICEF and the Chinese government. Supporting children's mental health is everyone's business. It needs the whole of society to come together and support children. That is why we have developed guidelines for parents, teachers and children themselves on how to recognize and respond to mental health issues, which we're promoting through the World Children's Day campaign and can be found on the UNICEF China website.

If you are a parent, we ask you to be patient with your child and appreciate him or her for who he or she is. Be kind and listen without judgment. Discuss mental health with your child and share emotions openly. Educate yourself about the early signs of anxiety and depression and avoid stigma. Help your child get enough sleep, exercise and spend quality time with him or her. Lastly, if you are not sure how to handle your child's mental well-being, seek support from a health professional.

If you are a child, we want you to know that mental health is like physical health — we need to look after it. It is okay to sometimes feel stressed, worried or sad. Your emotions are there for a reason, so do not feel ashamed of them. Be kind and help your friends — listen to them and help them if they need it. Celebrate differences and do not be silent about bullying. And if you are not sure what to do, seek help from an adult you trust.

We celebrate World Children's Day on Nov 20 because on this day in 1989, countries around the world, including China, agreed to protect children's rights. To do this, they created the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This important document explains that all children, everywhere, have special rights that they need to learn, grow, play, develop and reach their full potential.

Every child has the right to grow up in a loving, nurturing and safe environment with supportive relationships and access to quality mental health and psychosocial support.

When we ignore children's right to good mental health and well-being, we also undermine their other rights such as the right to learn. But if schools, parents, teachers and others can all come together to take action on children's mental health, we can help build a better future for all.

The author is UNICEF representative to China. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

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