Launching quickly into fast-moving debate, the Committee on the Rights of the Child are currently debating the mental health of children in LDCs after experiencing traumatic events. While discussing education on mental health, countries have so far been in agreeance that an increase of education on mental health is important if they want to reach eventually come to an impactful solution.
As the debate began, the CRC heard immediately from the Philippines, who reminded the committee on the importance of mental health education for children, urging countries to remember that youth traumas can follow kids into adulthood. Additionally, the education of parents is equally important, as they would then be able to offer their children the support they need, as the United States drew attention to. The United Kingdom echoed this statement, commenting that schooling teachers could also be beneficial in combating the stigma around mental health. Ideas such as media and advertisements and an increase of trainees in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy were also discussed by the delegates of New Zealand and Brazil.
On the subject of stigma around mental health, there has been widespread support on demolishing it, whether through increased knowledge or public awareness. In many higher developed countries, stigma is a major issue, especially countries such as Japan and China. Although the topic of discussion pertains to LDCs, the delegate of Canada reminded CRC that if higher developed countries are more knowledgeable on the subject, they would be more willing to aid LDCs.
Implementing education on mental health is certainly not a walk in the park: as the delegate of Niger pointed out, many LDCs currently struggle to even provide a general education for civilians. Furthermore, Djibouti discussed the fact that many students leave school at an early age to begin earning money faster, and there’s also the fact that many LDCs’ governments neglect to spend money on mental health. Additionally, Vietnam reminded delegates that major amounts of LDC civilians live in rural areas, meaning that they cannot access schools easily.
Moving forward in the CRC, it will be interesting to see how the delegates tackle the issues of implementation and de-stigmatization. So far, the committee seems to be heading in the right direction, with a considerable amount of intense debate already occurring.
As the debate began, the CRC heard immediately from the Philippines, who reminded the committee on the importance of mental health education for children, urging countries to remember that youth traumas can follow kids into adulthood. Additionally, the education of parents is equally important, as they would then be able to offer their children the support they need, as the United States drew attention to. The United Kingdom echoed this statement, commenting that schooling teachers could also be beneficial in combating the stigma around mental health. Ideas such as media and advertisements and an increase of trainees in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy were also discussed by the delegates of New Zealand and Brazil.
On the subject of stigma around mental health, there has been widespread support on demolishing it, whether through increased knowledge or public awareness. In many higher developed countries, stigma is a major issue, especially countries such as Japan and China. Although the topic of discussion pertains to LDCs, the delegate of Canada reminded CRC that if higher developed countries are more knowledgeable on the subject, they would be more willing to aid LDCs.
Implementing education on mental health is certainly not a walk in the park: as the delegate of Niger pointed out, many LDCs currently struggle to even provide a general education for civilians. Furthermore, Djibouti discussed the fact that many students leave school at an early age to begin earning money faster, and there’s also the fact that many LDCs’ governments neglect to spend money on mental health. Additionally, Vietnam reminded delegates that major amounts of LDC civilians live in rural areas, meaning that they cannot access schools easily.
Moving forward in the CRC, it will be interesting to see how the delegates tackle the issues of implementation and de-stigmatization. So far, the committee seems to be heading in the right direction, with a considerable amount of intense debate already occurring.