Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable development cannot be achieved without the inclusion of mental health as a key global priority. Until recently the international community had not mobilised the necessary attention, efforts, and resources for people with mental illness and disability, despite the knowledge that the economic cost of mental disorders is more than 4% of GDP worldwide, depression is a leading cause of disability, and more than 800 000 deaths by suicide occur every year, many of which are preventable. 2015 is historic because two UN global frameworks have included mental health and wellbeing and disability: the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–30 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).