Reporting from the Frontlines: Shedding a Light on How Climate Change Directly Impacts Youth Mental Health in Pakistan – Child Mind Institute

Report on Mental Health Advocacy in Pakistan and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Alignment with SDG 3

Mental health remains a marginalized issue in Pakistan, particularly among youth, presenting a significant barrier to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Prevailing social stigma frames mental health conditions not as legitimate health issues, but as personal deficiencies or punishments. This perception leads to shame and social exclusion for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, or substance use disorders, constituting a societal failure to uphold the well-being of its citizens.

A dedicated initiative, spearheaded by Hammad Sarfraz, SNF Global Center Communicator Fellow, aims to dismantle this silence and integrate mental health into mainstream conversations in Pakistan and the Global South. This mission is informed by personal experience and fortified by a professional commitment as a Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism.

The Role of Journalism in Advancing Mental Health Awareness and SDGs

Media practitioners have a critical role in shaping public discourse. However, mental health is frequently omitted from reporting on major issues such as politics, conflict, and climate change. This oversight represents a failure to capture the full human impact of these events and hinders progress on multiple SDGs.

Media’s Shortcomings in Mental Health Reporting

A significant gap exists in journalistic practice, where the psychological trauma evident in subjects of news stories is often ignored. Key areas of neglect include:

• Conflict Reporting: Interviews with young survivors of conflict in Pakistan revealed a complete lack of mental health support and even a vocabulary to describe conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This neglect is a direct impediment to achieving SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which requires addressing the deep-seated trauma that fuels cycles of violence and instability.
• Climate Change Coverage: Reporting on climate-induced disasters—such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves—focuses on material devastation while failing to address the severe mental toll on affected populations. This omission undermines a comprehensive approach to SDG 13 (Climate Action), as sustainable adaptation must include psychological resilience.

Intersectional Crises: A Call for Integrated SDG Action

The mental health crisis in Pakistan is not an isolated issue but is deeply interconnected with other national and global challenges. Addressing it is essential for holistic and sustainable development.

The Unseen Scars of Conflict and the Imperative of SDG 16

Research on young conflict survivors highlights a critical failure in societal support systems. The absence of mental health services for this vulnerable group perpetuates suffering and undermines the potential for lasting peace and justice. Trauma-sensitive reporting is a necessary first step to bring this crisis to light and advocate for institutional responses aligned with SDG 16.

Climate Change’s Mental Toll and the Human Dimension of SDG 13

Pakistan’s position on the frontline of the climate crisis necessitates a focus on the mental health emergencies it creates. The depression among farmers facing crop failure and the sorrow of displaced families are public health issues that must be integrated into the climate action agenda. Journalism must evolve to tell these stories, thereby ensuring that climate response strategies under SDG 13 are human-centered and address the psychological well-being of vulnerable communities.

A Call to Action for Inclusive and Sustainable Development

The fellowship with the Carter Center and the Child Mind Institute provides a platform to mainstream mental health within journalism, holding society and policymakers accountable. The objective is to transform mental health from a private shame into a public priority, directly supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by giving a voice to marginalized populations.

Objectives of the Fellowship Initiative

1. To utilize journalistic platforms to give voice to individuals whose mental health struggles are often invisible.
2. To frame mental health as a central component of the human experience, requiring support and strength.
3. To produce authentic stories that compel decision-makers to address the systemic neglect of mental health crises.
4. To ensure that the long-term psychological trauma resulting from conflict and climate change remains on the news agenda.

By focusing on these objectives, this work aims to ensure that the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals is inclusive, equitable, and truly promotes the health and well-being of all individuals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on the intersection of mental health, social stigma, conflict, and climate change in Pakistan. The following SDGs are relevant:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the most central SDG, as the article’s primary focus is on mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use. It highlights the lack of support and the perception of mental health as a deficiency rather than a health issue.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article discusses the social exclusion and stigma faced by individuals with mental health conditions. It states that “people struggling with these issues are treated as social outcasts,” which directly relates to promoting social inclusion and reducing inequalities for vulnerable groups.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly connects climate change to mental health. It describes how climate-related disasters in Pakistan, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, lead to a significant “mental toll,” causing depression and sorrow among affected populations like farmers and displaced families.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article touches upon this goal by discussing the unaddressed trauma of young survivors of conflict in Pakistan. It notes that these children, who experienced a “high degree of fear,” received no mental health support, highlighting a failure in providing justice and support for victims of violence.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article’s call to “break the silence” and place mental health “at the center of conversations” directly supports the promotion of mental health and well-being.
2. Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. The article explicitly lists “substance use” as one of the mental health challenges that needs to be addressed.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…disability…or other status. The article’s aim to “give voice to people whose struggles are too often invisible” and combat the treatment of individuals with mental health issues as “social outcasts” aligns with this target of social inclusion.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article highlights the psychological impact of climate change, such as farmers battling depression, implying a need to build resilience that includes mental health support for communities affected by climate disasters.
5. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article addresses the aftermath of violence by focusing on “young survivors of conflict” and the lasting trauma they endure, pointing to the need for post-conflict recovery and support systems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article, being a narrative piece, does not provide quantitative data but implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that could measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 3.4 & 16.1: The availability of mental health support for vulnerable populations. The article provides a baseline by stating, “None of those [young survivors of conflict] I spoke with at the time had received mental health support.” An increase in the proportion of conflict survivors or disaster-affected individuals receiving psychosocial support would be a key indicator of progress.
• Indicator for Target 10.2: The level of social stigma associated with mental health. The article describes the current situation where talking about mental health invites “considerable shame.” Progress could be measured through public perception surveys tracking changes in attitudes towards mental illness.
• Indicator for Target 13.1 & 13.3: The extent of media coverage and public discourse on the mental health impacts of climate change. The author notes that journalists “fail to include mental health more prominently in our reporting” and that these emergencies are “almost never put on our news agenda.” An increase in the frequency and depth of media reporting on this intersection would be a measurable indicator.
• Indicator for Target 3.5: The prevalence of and access to treatment for substance use disorders. The mention of “substance use” as a key challenge implies that tracking its prevalence and the availability of treatment services is a relevant measure.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: childmind.org