Mental health directly affects one’s capacity to lead a fulfilling life, to form and maintain relationships, study, work and make day to day decisions. Disturbances to an individual’s mental well-being can lead to diminished functioning at the individual but also broader, societal level (WHO, 2012).

Like other aspects of health, mental health can be affected by a range of socioeconomic factors and it is important to note that it is determined by individual attributes alongside environmental factors. Certain individuals and groups in society may be placed at a significantly higher risk of experiencing mental health problems (WHO, 2021).

People with mental disorders experience higher rates of disability and mortality and those often affect and are affected by other diseases. Furthermore because of stigmatization and discrimination, it is often the case that human rights are violated in such cases and many are denied economic, social and cultural rights. Those conditions can lead to people living in vulnerable situations and being excluded and marginalized from society (WHO, 2021).

Mental health is therefore of great importance for one’s overall well-being and it influences an individual’s ability to function effectively in different areas of life. As such it is closely tied to the ability to cope with challenges and also in forming relationships and connecting with others. Thus, promoting young people’s mental health is of great importance and an integral component in ensuring their development and improving health and social wellbeing across their lifespan (WHO, 2014 as cited in Westberg et al., 2022).