Copyright scrippsnews
Nearly 400 young leaders from over 40 countries have declared loneliness and social isolation a global public health emergency, urging governments to take action to strengthen social bonds and mental well-being.Gathering at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva for the Global Model WHO 2025, delegates adopted the Global Model WHO Youth Declaration on Social Connection. The document calls for "national strategies, community investments, and inclusive digital policies to foster belonging" and curb what they describe as a rising epidemic of disconnection.Over the multi-day conference, the young delegates debated solutions on issues ranging from mental health and vaccine hesitancy to digital health and artificial intelligence. RELATED STORY | Families mourn after loved ones' last words went to AI instead of a humanThe young leaders' appeal echoes recent findings from the WHO Commission on Social Connection, which revealed that loneliness affects one in six people globally, disproportionately impacting young adults and lower-income communities. The commission links social disconnection to 871,000 deaths annually.The declaration’s closing statement read, "By acting with empathy, courage, and intentionality, we can transform isolation into belonging, silence into conversation, and indifference into collective care."
