Mental health advocate Cassandra B. Ynares, official youth delegate and member of the Philippine delegation, represented the country at the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), held from July 14 to 24 in New York, USA.
Ynares emphasized the role of Philippine youth-led organizations in advancing mental well-being, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV awareness in Filipino communities.
In her remarks, Ynares also discussed the Department of Health’s Adolescent and Youth Health and Development Program, which supports young people’s access to essential health services.
She shared her personal experience as the founder of the CASSAma Foundation, a group focused on youth mental health through peer support circles, workshops, and safe space sessions designed to empower young people and reduce stigma.
Ynares reaffirmed the importance of collective global action and expressed support for the WHO Pandemic Treaty, which was adopted during the Philippines’ presidency of the World Health Assembly earlier this year.
During the two-week UN event, Ynares actively participated in formal and informal meetings, delivered official statements, and engaged in various UN-related activities alongside delegates from other member states.
