A highlight of the eightieth UN General Assembly high-level week was the launch of the seminal NCDs and mental health legislators report and model resolution that highlights the threat to health and the threat to wealth from these conditions.
Written by legislators for legislators, the report was the result of a series of hearings held in 2025 spearheaded by the G20 & G7 Health and Development Partnership and its partners, with the support of the UN NCD Task Force Secretariat and a number of its members including IDLO, UNDP, WHO and the World Bank, and other development partners including the NCD Alliance.
The launch brought together legislators from all parts of the world, alongside ministers, UN agencies, civil society and other development partners to highlight the crucial role of legislators in responding to NCDs and mental health conditions.
Fiscal, legislative and regulatory action are front and centre of the 2025 political declaration on NCDs, mental health and wellbeing. And delivering the commitments set out in the political declaration will require strong leadership and action from legislators.
The G20 & G7 Health and Development Partnership and the UN NCD Task Force are now developing a programme of support to help international, national and local legislative bodies implement the report’s recommendations.
‘There is an urgent need for collective action against NCDs and mental health challenges, with a greater emphasis on low-income countries due to the disproportionate impact of such issues. Legislators’ engagement is necessary in bringing the relentless growth of NCDs and mental health challenges under control.’ - Hon Dr Christopher Kalila, co-author of the report, Chair of Health Committee, Zambia and Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
‘This has to be one of the most important and exciting reports on NCDs and mental health published this year. The model resolution includes a toolkit for action. Iimplementing those actions will be a real game-changer’- Nick Banatvala, Head of Secretariat, UN NCD Task Force
Download the full report here
