Our co-founder and Executive Director, Lucero Andaluz Llerena, represented De-Mentes and Peruvian civil society at the United Nations General Assembly Multi-Stakeholder Hearing, held ahead of the High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health in New York.

Lucero was part of the international delegation of the Global Mental Health Action Network (Global Mental Health Action Network), a global network that brings together activists, experts, and organizations from around the world committed to promoting more accessible, equitable, and stigma-free mental health systems. Through this platform, she was able to advocate for millions of people facing structural barriers to mental health care, particularly in Peru and Latin America.

During her participation, our Executive Director actively engaged in strategic meetings, events, and key negotiation spaces, contributing to the recognition of mental health as an essential component of health and sustainable development. Her presence and testimony were part of a collective effort to advocate with United Nations Member States and international organizations, promoting a human rights-based approach centered on equity and community participation.

This experience not only reaffirmed De-Mentes’ commitment to policy advocacy as a tool for transformation, but also opened new opportunities for our organization to engage and collaborate with global stakeholders. As a team, we firmly believe in the importance of amplifying the voices of young people and individuals with lived mental health experiences at all levels of decision-making.

At De-Mentes, we will continue working toward a community-based, accessible, and stigma-free approach to mental health, firmly believing that meaningful change is possible when it is built collectively.

Watch here the full intervention of our co-founder at the United Nations General Assembly Multi-Stakeholder Hearing.