Dr Fathiaya Nzhelayim Zakari, Advocacy and Engagement Officer, YEFL-Ghana, has called for the creation of safe and supportive spaces where young people can openly discuss mental health challenges without fear of stigma or discrimination.

She said creating such spaces was critical to breaking the silence surrounding mental health and building resilience among young people particularly in northern Ghana.

Dr Zakari made the call when she chaired this year’s International Youth Day celebration organised by the Northern Regional Chapter of Activista Ghana, the youth wing of ActionAid Ghana, in Tamale.

The celebration was held on the theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”, with a local focus on “Prioritizing Youth Mental Health: Breaking the Silence, Building Resilience”.

She said although young people lived in different social, economic and cultural contexts, they shared common aspirations including access to quality education, decent employment, meaningful participation in decision-making and a safe and sustainable future.

Dr Zakari said young people in Northern Ghana faced peculiar challenges including limited employment opportunities, fewer industries, dependence on climate-sensitive agriculture, economic uncertainty and pressures associated with family expectations.

She said those challenges could have implications for the mental wellbeing of young people, particularly when they lack adequate support systems.

She said: “Here, mental health is too often met with silence rather than support spoken of in whispers, mistaken for weakness, or explained away as spiritual affliction rather than something that can be named, understood, and healed.”

Dr Zakari said the situation required a deliberate effort by stakeholders to change perceptions about mental health and encourage young people to seek appropriate support when confronted with psychological and emotional difficulties.

She said building resilience should go beyond encouraging young people to talk about their challenges stressing the need to equip them with the knowledge, skills, community networks and support systems necessary to cope with difficulties.

She said: “Breaking the silence means creating spaces like this one where young people can talk about what they are carrying without shame and without judgment.”

She urged young people to identify the unique circumstances shaping their experiences while also recognising the common aspirations that connected them with their peers elsewhere.

Dr Zakari further encouraged participants to consider how they could contribute to creating an environment where young people felt comfortable discussing mental health concerns and supporting others experiencing difficulties.

She urged stakeholders to sustain collaboration and ensure that International Youth Day celebrations translated into concrete action to improve the wellbeing, participation and opportunities for young people.