Today and tomorrow, the world will be observing two events that have become vital to many communities, particularly in South Africa, as they highlight various challenges. These are World Mental Health Day held every year on October 10 and International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.
Recognising and acknowledging these events is imperative as they also relate to Goal 3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal which promotes health and well-being for everyone at any age and Goal 5 which calls for gender equality and the emancipation of women and young girls. When it comes to mental health, the data released has been overwhelming over the past few years with suicide rates increasing. According to the World Health Organisation, one person dies every 40 seconds.
In a world with extreme poverty and an increasing number of people jostling for scarce resources or struggling to find work, stress levels and anxieties rise.