WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement of people living with NCDs, mental health, and neurological conditions.

In preparation of the 4th High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs (4HLM on NCDs) in September 2025, the Global Coordination Mechanism on NCDs (GCM/NCD) has launched the WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement of people living with NCDs, mental health, and neurological conditions.

The WHO Symposium is convening individuals with lived experience, through formally recognizing their knowledge and expertise in co-creating and co-implementing NCD policies, programmes, and services that are responsible, equitable, holistic, and contextually appropriate. The event series will offer a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating strategic alliances between individuals with lived experience and its Member States, and developing strategic inputs towards the upcoming 4HLM on NCDs in September 2025. 

First Meeting of the WHO Symposium

The 1st meeting of the WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement took place on 15 and 16 May 2024. Missed the First Meeting? Read the daily recaps here.

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WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement: Day 1 Recap

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WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement: Day 2 Recap

Further meetings and activities are planned for later this year and in 2025. Current activities are focused on developing and implementing an advocacy strategy to operationalize meaningful engagement in the preparatory process for the 4HLM on NCDs, as well as several interim activities throughout the full Symposium timeline.

The WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement aims to:

1. Support the preparatory process for the 4HLM on NCDs in 2025 by identifying and conducting advocacy activities that catalyze action for meaningful engagement and raise awareness with WHO Member States and across civil society and other stakeholders;
2. Strengthen knowledge exchange and collaboration between individuals with lived experience, WHO, and WHO Member States to support co-creation and co-implementation in the lead up to, during, and after the 4HLM on NCDs, and 
3. Expand the evidence base that underpins the interlinkages between NCDs, mental health and neurological conditions and strengthen coalition-building and coherence between individuals with lived experience and other relevant stakeholders across the public health and policy agendas. 

• Access the Terms of Reference of the Symposium here
• Review information and resources “On the road to 2025” leading into the 4HLM on NCDs

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Meaningful engagement of people with lived experience

The WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement is being co-created and co-implemented by people with lived experience, throughout its entire format. 

A Steering Committee of nine lived experience experts is providing support to the design and implementation of the WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement:

People living with NCDs, mental health, and neurological conditions and organizations championing meaningful engagement of lived experiences are also invited to provide informal and voluntary guidance and input into the planning process for the WHO Symposium on Meaningful Engagement.

Engagement with WHO and the Steering Committee is ongoing through the KAP Community of Practice on Meaningful Engagement and over an email listserv with advisory members and relevant stakeholder organizations.

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Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience

For questions and support requests for the WHO Symposium, please contact us at gcmncd@who.int.