The World Health Organization and partners will raise global awareness during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on progress in addressing a range of critical issues impacting people’s health worldwide, and urgent work that needs to be scaled up.
These will include protecting people from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases; advocating for scale up of mental health services; addressing the common risks caused by tobacco, unhealthy diet, alcohol, physical inactivity and climate change; and finding solutions to raise resources to finance national health systems. Promoting peace as the best medicine to protect health and end conflicts in various parts of the world will also feature prominently during UNGA.
On 25 September, the Fourth UNGA High-level Meeting on NCDs and mental health will be held, with the aim of setting a new vision to protect people from the world's leading killers. NCDs account for nearly 75% of all deaths globally, and over a billion people are living with mental health conditions. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is expected to address the opening of this event, joined by leadership of the United Nations, Member States and other key partners.
In addition, strategic events held on 24 September, in collaboration with partners, including the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum, will focus on how pro-health taxes on harmful products such as tobacco can protect people’s health and raise needed resources for national health services. The challenge of the global obesity epidemic will also be a subject of major attention. In addition, WHO will release the Global Hypertension Report during the Assembly, warning that uncontrolled high blood pressure remains one of the world’s leading causes of premature death.
This year’s General Assembly takes place at a critical time for the multilateral system as it adapts to a range of new realities. WHO has been working closely with fellow UN agencies, through the UN80 Initiative, to improve efficiencies in its operations while remaining committed to deliver on its mission of advancing health for all.
WHO and partners will also be advocating for action to reduce the threats to health that people face worldwide from the impacts of conflicts, such as those in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, climate change and diseases such as polio.
WHO events at UNGA 80
21 September 15:00–17:15 | Safeguarding progress for adolescent girls in a shifting global landscape
Sponsors: Partnership for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (PMNCH), Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (WHO/HRP), International Association of Adolescent Health
Location: Westin Grand Central
By invitation only
22 September 07:30–08:45 | United to finish the job: high-level side event on polio eradication
Sponsors: KSRelief, WHO, UNICEF, Polio Global Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
Location: UNICEF House
By invitation only
22 September 08:00–10:00 | PMNCH annual accountability breakfast
Sponsors: PMNCH and Global Leaders Network (GLN). Supported by Family Planning 2030, PATH, AMREF Health Africa, IPA, Ipas, IPPF, and MSI Reproductive Choices
Location: Harvard Club of New York
22 September 13:15–14:30 | Social participation and health equity as drivers of sustainable and prosperous societies
Sponsors: Slovenia, Thailand, Brazil, WHO Office of the European Region
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 5
22 September 15:00–17:00 | Nourish the goals: advancing integrated health and nutrition actions for maternal and child health and development
Sponsors: WHO, Stronger Foundations for Nutrition, UNICEF, Micronutrient Forum, Anaemia Action Alliance
Location: Elsie Rooftop (22nd St)
22 September 15:00–17:30 | 20 years of the WHO FCTC - driving global action on tobacco control & NCDS
Sponsors: WHO FCTC Secretariat, Cancer Research UK, Global Alliance for Tobacco Control, NCD Alliance
Location: Bryant Park Modern Aesthetics Loft Event Space, New York City (15 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018)
22 September 16:00–17:30 | Bridging the divide: non-communicable and infectious diseases in a changing global health landscape
Sponsors: WHO Office for the Americas (PAHO), Mérieux Foundation, Weill Cornell Medical College, NYU, GHESKIO Centers
Location: Weill Cornell Medicine, Belfer Research Building, 3rd floor conference rooms
22 September 16:00–18:00 | Uniting efforts on noncommunicable diseases and maternal health: from integration to impact
Sponsors: PMNCH, WHO/HRP, Denmark, UNFPA, JHPIEGO, World Diabetes Foundation
Location: UNFPA Orange Café (hybrid event)
22 September 18:00–20:00 | Sustaining joint actions, coherent policies and inclusive programmes on NCDs and mental health: fourth multistakeholder gathering
Sponsors: NCD Alliance, WHO, World Diabetes Foundation
Location: Scandinavia House
23 September 08:00–09:00 | High blood pressure, high stakes: translating commitment into lifesaving action (launch of WHO hypertension report)
Sponsors: WHO, Bloomberg Philanthropies, RESOLVE, Ethiopia, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Republic of Korea, India, Mohammed bin Zayed Foundation
Location: Yale Club of New York
23 September 13:15–14:45 | Oral health side event: time to act on sugars: advancing health equity and tackling noncommunicable diseases
Sponsors: WHO Office for the Western Pacific Region, Malaysia, Ireland, France, Bahamas, Egypt, France, Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, FDI World Dental Federation, NCD Alliance Thailand, Oral Health Pacific Island Alliance (OPIA) and Village Reach
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 6
23 September 15:30–17:00 | Unity in wellness: advancing peace through global health (Global Health and Peace Initiative)
Sponsors: Oman, WHO Country Office for Oman
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 12
23 September 17:00–18:30 | Accelerating equitable NCD prevention and care in humanitarian settings
Sponsors: IFRC, Danish Red Cross, NCD Alliance, IADA, WHO, UNICEF, IRC, WISH
Location: Toronto Room, Jay Conference Bryant Park
23 September 17:00–19:00 | Access for every child: ensuring multidisciplinary care for NCDs
Sponsors: WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer, International Initiative for Pediatrics and Nutrition at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NCD Child
Location: Penn Club of New York
23 September 17:00–20:00 | Global obesity forum 2025 – for half of humanity: four billion reasons we need urgent action on obesity
Sponsors: World Obesity Foundation, WHO, UNICEF
Location: Harvard Club of New York
23 September 18:00–19:15 | Increasing the visibility of dementia in the context of the UN HLM on NCDs
Sponsors: Alzheimer's Disease International, WHO
Location: By invitation only
23 September 18:00–20:00 | No health without mental health: a shared commitment
Sponsors: WHO, Antigua and Barbuda, United for Global Mental Health, Wellcome Trust, UNICEF
Location: Westin Grand Central
In-person event
23 September 18:15–19:30 | No health without mental health: a shared commitment
Sponsors: PAHO, WHO, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 5
24 September 10:00–13:00 | One vision, one future: rallying global momentum on NCDs for generations to come
Sponsors: Oman, WHO Country Office for Oman
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 5
24 September 13:15–14:30 | Achieving safe, sustainable, and universal WASH, waste and electricity in health care facilities: progress on the 2023 General Assembly Resolution
Sponsors: WHO, Hungary, Philippines, UNICEF, World Bank, WaterAid
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 7
24 September 13:15–14:30 | A global movement to improve survival and reduce suffering for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases
Sponsored: St Jude, WHO, Uzbekistan, Zamin Foundation
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 12
24 September 13:15–14:30 | Recommitting to women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and rights: a call to action for peace, security, and sustainable development
Sponsors: South Africa, UNICEF, Global Leaders’ Network for PMNCH
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 4
24 September 14:00–15:30 | The global response to obesity: accelerating progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
Sponsors: WHO, Spain, Bloomberg Philanthropies, UNICEF
Location: Plaza Hotel
24 September 15:00–16:30 | The political economy of implementing primary health care: key policy shifts
Sponsors: Kazakhstan, Thailand, Hungary, Armenia, Bhutan, WHO, UNFPA, NCD Alliance
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 3
24 September 17:15–19:45 | Lung health matters – accelerating progress towards UN NCD targets
Sponsors: Romania, Malaysia, European Respiratory Society, European Lung Foundation, WHO, UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs
Location: UN Church Center
25 September 08:00–09:30 | Leaving no one behind: advancing NCD and mental health equity for refugees and migrants
Sponsors: Spain, Egypt, WHO, IOM, UNHCR, IFRC, UNICEF
Location: Instituto Cervantes (hybrid)
25 September 12:30–14:00 | Rescuing health-related SDGs in times of crisis: aligning multilateral collaboration for country impact
Sponsors: Thailand, Angola, Spain, WHO
Location: Permanent Mission of Thailand to the UN, New York
By invitation only
25 September 13:15–14:30 | Alcohol policy as catalyst for sustainable development and NCDs prevention
Sponsors: Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Thailand, UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs, Movendi International
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 7
25 September 13:15–14:30 | High-level ministerial lunch meeting: launch of the Global Autism Advocacy Coalition
Sponsors: Qatar, UNICEF, WHO, Autism Speaks
Location: UN Headquarters, Dag Hammarskjöld Library
By invitation only
25 September 18:15–19:30 | Advancing integrated and equitable NCD care: from commitments to high-value implementation
Sponsors: South Africa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, G20 Global Innovation Hub, WHO
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf Rm. 7
25 September 18:30–20:30 | Friends of the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs: accelerating action on obesity prevention and management
Sponsors: WHO, UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs, UNICEF, UNDP, World Obesity Foundation, WHO Foundation
Location: Westin Grand Central
25 September 20:00–21:00 | UNGA well-being concert and reception
Sponsors: WHO, Carnegie Hall, Jameel Arts & Health Lab
Location: Weill Music Room, Carnegie Hall
Register for the concert | register for the reception
26 September 08:15–09:30 | 6th ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of UHC & Global Health: strategic investments for resilient health systems
Sponsors: Thailand, Japan, Georgia, UHC2030
Location: UN Headquarters, Conf. Rm. 12
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Photo exhibition | silent killers: uncovering the invisible threats of noncommunicable diseases
Inside the United Nations Headquarters during the UN General Assembly, a WHO photo exhibit titled "Silent Killers" will take people on an investigative journey to uncover the invisible threats of noncommunicable diseases. Through compelling imagery and narrative, WHO exposes the patterns, confronts the real killers, and sheds light on the silent forces – commercial, social, and environmental – that are shaping our health choices and outcomes. More information