Dr Zakari calls for safe spaces to address youth mental health challenges

She said creating such spaces was critical to breaking the silence surrounding mental health and building resilience among young people particularly in northern Ghana.

Dr Fathiaya Nzhelayim Zakari, Advocacy and Engagement Officer, YEFL-Ghana, has called for the creation of safe and supportive spaces where young people can openly discuss mental health challenges without fear of stigma or discrimination.

Dr Zakari said young people in Northern Ghana faced peculiar challenges including limited employment opportunities, fewer industries, dependence on climate-sensitive agriculture, economic uncertainty and pressures associated with family expectations.