Being part of the DMUN Foundation team at the 2025 UN Multi-Stakeholder Hearing on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Promotion constituted an esteemed and invaluable chance to join worldwide discussions on health policy inclusivity. During the UN High-Level Meeting, I joined global leaders, civil society representatives, and policy experts to discuss key topics such as mental health protection for women and girls and the critical role of young professionals in creating fair and sustainable health systems. At my intervention, I stressed the critical need to tackle how misogyny and gender-based violence generate persistent mental health difficulties for women and girls worldwide. Survivors of violence endure deep psychological damage, which results in trauma as well as anxiety and depression. The impacts of this violence extend beyond individual health, creating systemic barriers that hinder women’s access to education, limit their participation in the workforce, and restrict their ability to lead in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Any comprehensive mental health strategies must incorporate women’s rights advancement, the prevention of misogyny and heightened support for gender-based violence survivors as its fundamental components. Women's rights policies, including protecting women and girls from violence, fulfill dual roles by safeguarding individual rights and enhancing global social and economic development outcomes.

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Youth-led organizations and young professionals play a vital role in shaping and executing these policies. Young people who navigate health, social, and environmental challenges firsthand offer valuable insights into the complex issues shaping the next generation. As youth advocates, we bring essential insights, innovative approaches, and lived experience that strengthen policymaking processes. Yet, too often, young people are engaged only at the margins rather than included as meaningful partners in policymaking.  My participation in this United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Hearing reinforced my belief that youth participation should be institutionalized and broadened throughout global governance. The DMUN Foundation is dedicated to giving young leaders the power to play active roles in international decision-making as advocates and joint creators of policy solutions. During the High-Level Meeting on NCDS, the international community must acknowledge that young professionals and youth-led organizations should become equal partners in global health and foreign policy initiatives. Including these parties will generate improved innovative solutions while ensuring inclusivity and greater overall impact.