It is widely recognized that health systems are often the first to be disrupted and the last to recover in times of conflict and disaster. When hospitals are damaged, clinics close, health workers are displaced, and supply chains break down, the consequences are immediate and profound. Communities cannot survive, adapt, or rebuild their lives with dignity without reliable access to essential health services. Health is not a separate track from humanitarian action; it is one of its defining pillars.

At Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), our almost-half-a-century humanitarian experience has shaped a firm conviction: health is not a secondary consideration; it is at the heart of any meaningful response. In the midst of armed conflict, sudden natural disasters, or protracted crises, health interventions form the backbone of community resilience. Emergency medical care, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and mental health support are not optional additions; they are core components of any effective humanitarian effort.

Our work around the world has shown us that the needs are wide-ranging and constant. In some settings, our teams provide emergency surgical care for those wounded by violence or deploy field hospitals and mobile clinics where health facilities have been destroyed or rendered inaccessible. In other cases, we focus on primary health care, vaccination campaigns, and reproductive health services to ensure that routine but life-saving care does not stop when crises begin. We support chronic disease management, so that conditions such as diabetes and hypertension do not become silent emergencies when medications run out. We invest in mental health and psychosocial support services for those who have experienced loss, displacement, and trauma, realizing that invisible wounds can be as devastating as physical ones.

This work is not confined to a specific region or time of day. QRCS operates across multiple countries, in conflict zones, fragile settings, and disaster-affected communities, often in the most challenging environments. Our health interventions run around the clock, from emergency departments treating mass casualty incidents to outreach teams travelling long distances to reach remote villages with vaccinations, maternal health care, and health education. We support health workers with training, supplies, and technical guidance so that health care continues even long after the cameras have left. This continuity is vital. Health relief is not only about the first 72 hours, but it is also about sustaining services that uphold life and dignity for months and years.

Today’s crises are increasingly complex and interconnected. Conflicts intersect with forced displacement, weak or overstretched health systems, emerging and re-emerging disease outbreaks, and the growing impact of climate-related disasters. In such a landscape, short-term, fragmented responses are no longer enough. Humanitarian health interventions must be designed to strengthen resilience, maintain service continuity, and build the capacity of local systems, even amid instability. This means supporting local health institutions, training national staff, ensuring supply chains can withstand shocks, and integrating emergency programs with longer-term health strategies.

To achieve this, strategic and integrative partnerships are essential. No single organization, however experienced, can address the full spectrum of needs on its own. Responding to global health challenges in humanitarian contexts requires coordinated efforts that bring together frontline responders, policymakers, innovators, researchers, and platforms that translate evidence into practice. We need spaces where those working in the field can share their realities, and where those shaping policy can listen, respond, and design solutions that are both ambitious and grounded.

In this regard, the partnership between QRCS and the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is an impressive and inspiring homegrown model. WISH plays a central role in shaping global health discourse, generating and disseminating evidence-based policy recommendations, and convening diverse stakeholders to address the most pressing health challenges of our time. Through our collaboration, we work to ensure that the realities of health in conflicts and disasters are not treated as a marginal topic but are firmly embedded in high-level global dialogue.

This partnership allows us to bridge the gap between what is happening in the field and exchanges at the conference rooms. It brings the voices of vulnerable and affected communities, as well as frontline health workers, into strategic discussions that often take place far from the sites of crisis. Their experiences are shared not as abstract data points, but as lived realities that must inform global priorities. At the same time, insights and innovations emerging from the global health community can be adapted and applied in humanitarian settings, helping us to improve the quality, efficiency, and equity of our health responses.

Working together, QRCS and WISH can highlight the importance of humane, context-sensitive, and inclusive innovation. Whether it is the use of digital tools to support remote health services, new models of community-based care, or approaches that integrate mental health into emergency response, our joint efforts seek to ensure that innovation serves those most at risk, rather than widening the existing gaps. This requires humility, collaboration, and willingness to learn from both success and failure.

In conclusion, strong health responses in fragile and crisis-affected contexts are not only a humanitarian imperative but also a cornerstone of global health security. Disease outbreaks weakened health systems, and unmet health needs in one part of the world can have far-reaching consequences. The future of humanitarian action, therefore, demands a more holistic approach, one that connects rapid emergency response with longer-term health outcomes and that places emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and local leadership.

Integrative partnerships, such as the QRCS–WISH model, are central to this transformation. By aligning humanitarian practice with cutting-edge knowledge, by elevating the perspectives of those on the front line, and by committing to shared responsibility, we can build responses that are more compassionate, more effective, and more resilient. At QRCS, we remain committed to this path, working every day and every night, in crises across the globe, to ensure that health remains at the heart of humanitarian action and that those most affected by conflicts and disasters are not left behind.

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Young people all throughout the world are growing up in a period of great change, with many demands on them and a lot of uncertainty. As a key speaker at the panel Healthy Minds at School: Supporting Student Wellbeing, co-hosted by WISH and 321 Museum, I had the opportunity to hear directly from students about their challenges and hopes. What stayed with me most from that discussion was how important it is not only to talk about young people’s mental health but to genuinely listen to them. When young people feel that their voices are heard and taken seriously, their sense of safety becomes stronger, even when the world around them feels uncertain.

These conversations highlighted how a lot of young people nowadays are coping with emotional problems that are worse than those that earlier generations had to cope with. These problems include the pressure to achieve well in school and events that are always being spoken about. The National Institutes of Health and other health groups say that more young people are having mental health problems, including more anxiety, depression, and stress.

There isn’t just one thing that causes these problems. Because social media and digital technology are everywhere, young people now think about themselves in a different way. They compare themselves to others and question if they fit in. The pressure to get good grades has also gone up, which might make it more stressful than helpful. A lot of young people are also growing up in a world that seems unpredictable since there are always new things happening, and tensions are high. These experiences can affect their mental health over time, even if they don’t always show it.

In my work with people, I’ve learned that the most important thing for them is not just large events, but also the feeling that the world around them is not solid when their routines are not regular and when the people around them are frightened. Young individuals might not be able to talk about their anxieties. They need to know that everything will be well.

This makes schools, families, and communities wonder how they might help young people’s mental health in a world that is stressful and uncertain.

Instead of trying for a quick fix, we should think about what young people need most when they are worried and unsure: stability, connection, and the knowledge that they are not alone and that they are heard, seen, and safe.

A key worry is how stressful places damage people’s thinking. Young individuals are keenly aware of the world around them. Even when they aren’t directly involved, they can often feel the stress in the people around them when their habits change or conversations are laced with fear.

I’ve seen how quickly individuals pick up on these signs in my work with them. Sometimes they don’t even know what’s going on, but they know something isn’t right.

The United Nations Children’s Fund has said that stress that lasts for a long time, whether from academic pressure, social expectations, or significant events, can disrupt sleep, focus, mood, and conduct. This can make you irritable, want to be alone, lose interest, or have trouble paying attention in class. These reactions don’t mean you’re weak. Normal reactions of a youthful mind attempting to figure out a difficult world.

Some people, especially those who are more sensitive or have trouble learning, can feel overwhelmed by even slight changes. I’ve seen that when routines are broken, students who were calm before may become restless, worried, or quickly frustrated. They don’t require an explanation right now. A feeling that someone gets about how they feel. Young people can go back on track even when they can’t change the environment if they feel safe emotionally.

Instead of attempting to get rid of all sources of stress, which isn’t always possible, we should work on making places where young people feel supported, connected, and sure that they aren’t going through hard times alone.

You can’t say enough about how important it is to have helpful relationships. Having solid and compassionate connections is one thing that helps keep your mental health good. When adults around young people are calm, available, and really paying attention, the young people are more likely to handle stress better. I often hear kids say that what helps them the most is knowing that there is someone who will listen to them without criticizing them or attempting to solve things.

Truly listening to young people is crucial to validate their emotions, build trust, foster self-esteem, and help them feel valued rather than dismissed. It is essential for understanding their unique perspectives on modern challenges and prepare them to take ownership of their future.  

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has done research that reveals a positive school environment and strong family ties are directly associated to lower levels of anxiety and improved emotional adjustment. This doesn’t mean that adults always know what to do. In fact, young people typically feel better when adults admit that things can be hard while still being calm and present.

Schools may make kids feel safe by doing things like greeting them by name, having a set schedule that provides the day structure, or having a conversation where a child feels heard without being rushed. These little things can really affect how a student feels about their day. Young people are better equipped to handle stress and believe that they can handle problems when they feel noticed and respected.

A helpful environment doesn’t make problems go away. It helps young people deal with issues by giving them the emotional strength they need.

It’s also crucial to remember that not all young people handle stress this way. Some people may become calm and introverted, while others may be irritable, restless, or have trouble concentrating. People sometimes think these emotions are faults, although they could be indicators that someone is feeling overwhelmed. In my work with young people, I’ve seen that the behavior we witness is frequently just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how they really feel. They may not yet have the vocabulary to explain how they feel.

This variability in how young people handle stress is even clearer among pupils with neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder, who may need routine and predictability to feel safe. Changes that seem small to adults might feel extremely big to these kids. When the situation becomes unexpected, their reactions may become more intense, not because they are less capable. Because they need stability more.

I often remind families and teachers that when the body feels safer, the mind can think more clearly. Small moments of movement, a few slow breaths, or helping a young person focus on what they can see and feel around them can restore a sense of control, even when the situation itself cannot be changed.

When we understand these variations, we remember that helping young people stay healthy doesn’t mean expecting them all to act the same way. It means making places that can suit varied requirements while still being consistent enough for everyone to count on. When teens feel like they belong, they can frequently handle stress better.

When I deal with students and families, I’m often reminded that young people are smarter than we give them credit for. When parents change their habits, or the mood around them gets tense, kids notice. They typically know something is wrong when we try to keep them from having hard talks. They don’t always want an explanation in those circumstances. A sense that the grownups around them are stable.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that how we are with children is more reassuring than what we say. When adults are there for young people, are consistent, and are willing to listen, young people feel less alone with their anxieties. I’ve seen students calm down just because someone took the time to sit with them and listen to what they were going through or to keep a routine when everything else was up in the air. These little moments of connection can help you feel more balanced than explanations can.

These experiences have made me even more sure that mental health should be a part of every conversation about health and education. As debates around the world continue, including those led by the World Innovation Summit for Health, it’s vital to remember that young people become more resilient when they feel safe, connected, and understood when the world around them is hard.

When individuals are under a lot of stress, helping them feel better doesn’t always mean coming up with intricate answers. A lot of the time, relationships, stable surroundings, and communities that understand the emotional needs of kids and teens are what make the biggest difference. Young people are better able to deal with problems they can’t always avoid when they feel protected, heard, and supported.

For health professionals and educators, the goal is to make sure that mental health is always a part of planning, not just during crises. Schools, families, and health systems may work together to make sure that young people still feel safe in a world that is changing quickly.

We say that caring for the emotional lives of young people is not only an educational goal but also a human one that is important for establishing healthier and more resilient societies by making well-being the focus of health conversations.

Chahnaz Baroudi is a Clinical Psychologist at Qatar Foundation. She helps children, teens, and families understand their emotions, manage challenges, and feel supported. She uses therapies like CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed approaches, and works with students with autism and learning differences. She also helps schools create supportive and inclusive environments. Chahnaz is the former President of the Lebanese Psychological Association.

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Healthy Cities is more than a programme. It is a way of thinking about health not as something that begins in hospitals, but as something that is shaped every day by the environments in which people live, learn, work, and grow. On GCC Healthy Cities Day, we celebrate this vision across our region and reflect on how cities can become powerful platforms for health, well-being, equity, and resilience.

For Qatar, the Healthy Cities journey has been a story of steady evolution. Over the past decade, it has moved from a pioneering concept to a nationally embedded approach that brings together municipalities, government entities, academic institutions, and communities around a shared purpose: creating healthier living environments for all. Today, as we go through the re-awarding phase, we are not simply renewing a status; we are reaffirming a long-term commitment to population health, prevention, and sustainable development.

In the GCC context, this matters deeply. Our countries are undergoing rapid urban development, demographic change, and lifestyle transitions. Healthy Cities offers a framework that helps ensure progress is not measured only by infrastructure and economic growth, but by how well our environments support physical activity, mental well-being, social cohesion, environmental sustainability, and inclusive services.

Leadership and governance: the foundation of progress

As Chair of the Healthy Cities Network of Qatar, one of the most striking lessons has been the importance of leadership and governance. Healthy Cities succeeds when it is not seen as a “health project,” but as a shared responsibility across sectors. Municipal leaders, planners, educators, environmental specialists, and social service providers all play essential roles.

The strongest enabler of progress has been cross-sector partnership. When health works hand in hand with urban planning, education, transportation, and social development, we move from isolated interventions to systems change. For example, designing walkable neighborhoods, safe public spaces, accessible schools, and inclusive community facilities contributes as much to health as clinical services do.

Equally important is institutional ownership. Municipalities that embed Healthy Cities principles into their planning processes, governance structures, and performance indicators are the ones that achieve sustainable impact. Healthy Cities is not an additional layer of work; it is a way of strengthening how cities already function.

A child and adolescent health lens: shaping healthier futures

My professional background in community medicine and child and adolescent health has deeply shaped my approach to Healthy Cities. Children and young people remind us that health is built early, long before chronic diseases appear. Healthy habits are learned from an early age when they are reinforced not only by supportive physical environments, but through a concerted and consistent effort between schools, families, and the wider community. It is shaped by safe spaces to play, supportive schools, inclusive environments for children with disabilities, and communities that nurture mental and emotional wellbeing.

Traditional health services, no matter how strong, cannot address these determinants alone. Healthy Cities fills this gap by focusing on the environments that influence development and by strengthening the connections between home, school, and community. It creates conditions where children can thrive physically, socially, and emotionally. It promotes inclusive design, accessible services, and community-based approaches that ensure no child is left behind.

When cities are designed with children in mind, they become healthier for everyone. Safe streets, clean air, green spaces, and strong community networks benefit older adults, families, and people living with chronic conditions just as much as they benefit children.

Education City: a model of a Healthy Education City

Education City stands as a powerful example of how Healthy Cities principles can be applied within a comprehensive educational and community ecosystem. It is not a single campus, but a living, integrated urban space that brings together universities, schools, research institutes, healthcare facilities, student and community facilities, parks, and shared spaces for sports, culture, and social interaction. What makes it a true “Healthy Education City” is its holistic approach to well-being across all these interconnected environments. Health promotion is embedded into urban design, educational settings, healthcare services, research agendas, community engagement, and sustainability initiatives.

It demonstrates how education, health, and community life can reinforce one another. Children, students, families, and professionals move through spaces that promote physical activity, mental well-being, and social connection. Healthcare and research institutions generate evidence that informs policy and practice, while schools and universities help shape lifelong healthy behaviours. Community programmes, green spaces, and recreational areas extend health benefits well beyond formal learning settings and ensure that well-being is integrated into everyday life.

Many elements of this model can be scaled across Qatar and the wider region:

• Integrating health into educational and urban policies and infrastructure
• Promoting active learning environments, walkable spaces, and healthy food settings
• Strengthening mental health and well-being support across educational and community institutions
• Using educational and research institutions as anchors for community health innovation

Education City shows that Healthy Cities is not limited to municipalities or traditional urban governance structures. It is a flexible and scalable model that can be applied to diverse, mixed-use environments where education, healthcare, research, and community life come together to shape healthier societies.

Re-award: challenges and lessons

The re-awarding process is both a moment of reflection and an opportunity for growth. It pushes cities to assess their progress honestly and to identify areas for improvement. Across Qatar, the main learnings tend to fall into four areas: data, governance, community engagement, and sustainability.

Data remains one of the most complex challenges. Measuring well-being, social cohesion, and environmental quality requires strong information systems and inter-sectoral data sharing. However, this challenge is also an opportunity to build smarter, more integrated urban health monitoring systems.

Governance is another key area. Healthy Cities needs clear coordination mechanisms, defined roles, and strong leadership at municipal level. Without this, even well-designed initiatives can lose momentum.

Community engagement is essential but demanding. It requires trust, continuity, and culturally sensitive approaches. Cities must move beyond consultation to true co-creation with residents.

Finally, sustainability means ensuring that Healthy Cities does not depend on individuals or short-term funding, but becomes embedded in policies, budgets, and institutional culture.

Community engagement in Qatar’s cultural context

In Qatar, community engagement works best when it builds on strong family structures, social solidarity, and local identity. Approaches that involve schools, community groups, youth initiatives, and volunteer networks have proven especially effective.

People are more likely to engage when they see themselves as partners rather than beneficiaries. Community ownership transforms Healthy Cities from a government initiative into a collective movement. It ensures continuity and relevance, even as cities grow and change.

Looking ahead: the future of Healthy Cities in Qatar and the GCC

Over the next five to ten years, I see Healthy Cities becoming an even more strategic pillar of urban development in Qatar and across the GCC. Our region faces emerging challenges that make this approach more necessary than ever: climate stress, rising mental health needs, digital transformation, and demographic shifts.

Healthy Cities can respond by:

• Integrating climate resilience into urban design
• Promoting mental health through supportive environments
• Using digital tools to strengthen community participation
• Ensuring inclusive planning for ageing populations and youth

Healthy Cities will increasingly be about resilience, adaptability, and innovation.

A personal reflection

What motivates me most is seeing how small changes in environments can create lasting impact on people’s lives. Whether it is a safer playground, a more inclusive school, or a community programme that brings families together, these moments remind me why this work matters.

Among my most meaningful achievements has been contributing to a shift in how health is understood: from something that happens in healthcare facilities to something that is shaped every day in our cities and communities.

A message for GCC Healthy Cities Day

On this GCC Healthy Cities Day, my message is simple: Healthy Cities is not an aspiration; it is a necessity. It is the foundation of healthier, more resilient, and more equitable societies.

When we invest in healthy environments, we invest in future generations. We create cities that do not only support life, but help it flourish.

Dr. Sadriya Al Kohji is a distinguished Senior Consultant in Community Medicine with a specialization in child and adolescent health. Dr. Al Kohji’s career includes numerous milestones. Her roles within Qatar’s healthcare landscape include leading national initiatives for child and adolescent health, served as the National Lead for Healthy Children and Adolescents National Health Strategy 2, and assuming the role of Assistant Director of Medicine for Child and Adolescent Health in the Primary Health Care Corporation. She is also the Chair of the National Healthy Cities Network of Qatar.

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The workshop builds on the joint WHO-WISH report “In the Line of Fire” and a High‑Level Roundtable organised under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and with the participation of WHO Director‑General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the WISH7 Summit in November 2024. It is part of a broader sequence of engagements that includes a session co‑hosted with the Central African Republic at the World Health Assembly in May 2025, a public event at the Qatar Pavilion during the Osaka Expo in June 2025, and a high‑level convening with IFRC and UNICEF at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.

During the closing session in Geneva, WISH underlined its long‑term commitment to this agenda and confirmed that protection of healthcare in conflict will be a flagship theme under the Global Health Diplomacy track at the next WISH Summit (WISH8), where outcomes and lessons from the workshop will be brought to ministers, diplomats and multilateral leaders.

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You’ve likely seen it, maybe in your own home. A family sits together, but an unusual silence exists. Heads are bowed; eyes fixed on screens. Despite sharing a room, each is lost in a digital world.

Our digital world has reshaped family life. Children now spend hours a day on screens, while parents remain constantly connected to their devices. This constant connectivity comes at a cost: our collective mental health is strained, and the tools designed to connect us often create emotional distance instead. As a parent, I’ve seen technology’s benefits—but also its price: our patience, focus, and presence suffer. The evidence is clear: digital overuse creates patterns of distraction and dependency for both children and adults.

This isn’t about fear, but awareness. At the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), we see this as urgent for the next generation. The real question isn’t whether technology affects mental health, but how we can protect our families in this connected age.

If you’ve ever handed your child a tablet for quiet or caught yourself scrolling aimlessly, you’re not alone. Parents worldwide ask: Is this helping, or quietly harming? It’s not just how much tech we use, but how we use it. Digital tools can educate and connect. But endless, passive scrolling is linked to more anxiety and lower mood. Today’s youngest are growing up with “being online” as the default.

It’s a painful paradox: a teenager, surrounded by digital friends, feels profoundly alone in real life. That slumped posture after scrolling isn’t just a bad mood—it’s a symptom. Studies, such as the JAMA Paediatrics study, confirm that heavy social media use is strongly linked to anxiety, depression, and loneliness in teens. This “compare-and-despair” effect erodes self-esteem as they measure their reality against curated online illusions.

This creates an “isolation paradox,” where platforms designed for connection end up fuelling loneliness. A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that reducing social media use decreased feelings of loneliness and depression. It’s not just our emotions at stake. Apps are engineered to trigger dopamine releases, making each “like” a psychological reward. This conditions the brain to find the digital world more rewarding than the physical one, which is why simply “putting the phone down” feels so difficult. 

Let’s be honest: our children aren’t the only ones absorbed by screens. Parents are equally caught in the digital trap. We tell kids to log off, yet we check work emails during dinner, silently telling them that divided attention is regular. This phenomenon, called “technoference,” occurs when devices interrupt human connection. A parent glued to their phone can make a child feel unseen, sparking attention-seeking behaviour or quiet withdrawal, and ultimately weakening the parent-child bond.

This isn’t just an emotional issue; it’s a physiological one. Many parents turn to screens for a break, only to feel more anxious and stressed. The modern “always-on” work culture blurs the lines between professional and personal life, draining the energy we have for our families. However, reclaiming control can start with simple, intentional acts: silencing notifications at meals, putting phones away after work, or verbally committing, “I’m putting my phone down now; I’m listening.”

This global story has a very local heartbeat. Qatar is a nation where screens illuminate nearly every home. With near-universal internet access and high social media engagement, this connectivity brings both opportunity and pressure.

A joint study by WISH, WISE, DIFI, and HBKU found that high screen time among children and families is linked to increased stress, poor sleep quality, and weaker family communication. Additionally, a 2025 Communications of the ACM study revealed that nearly 30% of parents and adolescents in GCC countries meet the criteria for Internet addiction, which is twice the prevalence found in Europe.

But there’s hope. Qatar’s National Health and Mental Health Strategies (2019–2022) prioritise family well-being in policy. Campaigns for digital literacy, school awareness, and some restrictions on high-risk platforms continue. However, lasting change requires everyone- educators, parents, and policymakers, to collaborate for mindful, culturally rooted digital habits.

Technology’s story need not be one of disconnection. Used with purpose, it can strengthen our bonds. The aim is not to ban devices, but to consciously choose connection—be it a tech-free dinner or a shared activity. Teletherapy shows it can even be a powerful ally for mental health. The solution lies in small, consistent habits. A device-free evening or sustained eye contact rebuilds presence, answering a child’s most profound need: the certainty of our full attention.

Nations worldwide are pioneering solutions to restore our balance with technology. France’s “Right to Disconnect law protects personal time, while Nordic friluftsliv (open-air living) champions nature over screens. Singapore’s Digital for Life movement fosters mindful use, and Canada and the UK are implementing school phone bans. South Korea leads with digital detox camps to combat internet addiction.

The common thread? Well-being thrives not through bans, but through boundaries- supported by education, policy, and cultural commitment.

As a mother and a researcher, I feel this tension daily.   See my child’s face fall over a lack of ‘likes’ and watch family time dissolve into screen time. The scientist in me understands the dopamine-driven loops; the mother in me feels the ache of disconnection.

My work with WISH confirms what parents intuitively know: our devices can quietly erode closeness. But I’ve also witnessed hope. Small shifts—like co-created family tech rules—can restore balance. Then a parent says, “Let’s both put our phones away,” and it builds cooperation, not conflict.

The lesson? The solution isn’t confiscation, but collaboration. From families modelling mindfulness, schools teaching digital literacy, and policymakers designing tech environments that protect mental health. It’s time to move from describing the problem to building human-centred, evidence-based solutions. WISH is committed to leading this charge, turning insight into tangible impact for families everywhere.

If the digital age has taught us anything, it’s that genuine connection is built at home through unplugged dinners and mindful conversations. While unchecked technology reshapes family dynamics and child development, it is not an unstoppable force. Balance can be reclaimed through conscious choices.

Change begins with small choices. Policymakers must advocate for digital literacy, educators for emotional intelligence, and health professionals can identify overuse. Most importantly, parents can demonstrate that focused attention is the purest form of love. Let’s ensure technology strengthens bonds rather than severs them.

Join us at WISH 2026, where mental health and digital well-being will be centre stage. Our goal is not to live offline, but to reconnect deeply with what makes us human.

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“Your well-being builds the nation; your spirit gives it life.” Inspired by the spirit of the 1980s “Salamtek” health awareness song.

Each time I walk through Education City with my camera in hand, I’m reminded that listening isn’t always done with words. Through my lens, I’ve witnessed how Doha Health Week (formerly Doha Healthcare Week) has transformed-no longer just a calendar of activities, but a living platform where communities speak, act, and experience health together. What began as a week of awareness has grown into a collective voice, a shared rhythm between policy and people.

When I first joined WISH and was assigned to lead the inaugural Doha Health Week in 2018, I quickly realized that health engagement could be joyful. We set up simple screenings in malls like Doha Festival City- blood pressure checks, BMI stations, and nutrition advice and I watched families, students, and community members from different nationalities and professions gather around with curiosity. People were smiling while checking their BMI, asking questions about nutrition, and realizing that staying healthy didn’t have to mean walking into a clinic. It could happen in open spaces, surrounded by laughter and the smell of coffee instead of antiseptic. That moment taught me that connection makes health possible.

In 2020, as the pandemic reshaped our world, Doha Health Week became fully virtual. What could have been silence turned into connection and creativity. We hosted online cooking classes and family exercise sessions. I joined both. I remember cooking along with my children, following the chef’s instructions live, and laughing when our dishes didn’t quite look like his. In those moments of isolation, we found community. Through webcams and shared laughter, we realized that health was not only about immunity-it was about unity.

By 2022, Qatar was alive with the energy of the FIFA World Cup, and that spirit extended into Doha Health Week. We celebrated cancer survivors who called themselves warriors, not patients. Their strength redefined resilience. I remember speaking to one woman who smiled and said, “Please don’t call me a survivor- call me a fighter.” That mindset changed me. Around the same time, the blood donation drive at Education City- attended by H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al‑Thani, Vice Chairperson and former CEO of Qatar Foundation-symbolized national unity. Watching QF’s blue‑collar workers queue proudly to donate blood, I felt that same spirit that carried Qatar through the World Cup: one heartbeat, one purpose.

Moments of solidarity: celebrating warriors.

During the 2024 edition of Doha Health Week, I joined the Mindful Art Creation session led by VCUarts Qatar. At first, I was hesitant—I’ve never called myself an artist. But as colors mixed across the canvas, conversation began to flow. Teachers and professionals spoke about the quiet exhaustion that can build up in daily life. The simple act of painting became a shared language for emotion. In that session, I learned that creativity isn’t just expression—it’s a form of listening. When people create, they reveal what policies often overlook.

Later, the screening of the animated short film Saleem offered another kind of insight. After the movie, a student stood up and said, “I feel for Saleem—I’m strong like him.” It was spontaneous and honest. In that sentence lived the emotional truth of bullying and courage. That child’s voice, unfiltered and real, reminded me that true understanding comes from the people we aim to serve—not from data alone.

When I think about where my passion for community health began, I return to a memory from my childhood—a television program called “Salamtek” (“Your Health”). Before watching our favorite cartoons, we had to watch it. Its joyful song said: “Your health, your well‑being, we wish you safety and happiness. You are the person who builds the nation.” Those words became part of who I am. Today, when I walk through the booths of Doha Health Week and hear people asking questions about diet, stress, and family wellness, I realize that I am still echoing that same message: “Salamtek”. Your health is your strength—and the foundation of our nation’s progress.

At Multaqa (Students’ Centre, Education City) during the Wellness Days, I saw this idea in motion. Teachers approached health professionals with questions they might never ask in a formal clinic—about burnout, privacy, and emotional fatigue. These moments of trust revealed what policies must respond to. The partnership between WISH, the Occupational Health Department at Qatar Foundation, the Ministry of Public Health, PHCC, HMC, and academic partners such as Qatar University, UDST, and HBKU showed how collaboration can turn individual concerns into institutional priorities. Listening began to shape design.

Later that week, during the Fun Day for Children of Gaza Refugees, joy became another form of data. With partners from the Global South Arts and Health Week, the air filled with drums, laughter, and color. Children played chess with PUE teachers, tried archery with the Qatar Olympic Committee, and smiled freely. One girl shared that playing helped her forget her worries and made her mind feel lighter. I realized that healing doesn’t always need a prescription, sometimes it just needs rhythm.

Across these years, a pattern has become clear: the more we listen, the more effective our work becomes. The insights gathered from every conversation, every activity, and every shared smile continue to shape how we envision future community health and mobilization initiatives. Through Doha Health Week, we are not just creating awareness; we are collecting lived experiences that guide how WISH fulfills its mission of turning convening into influence.

These community voices- teachers seeking wellness, children finding courage, and families embracing prevention, are shaping future health frameworks in Qatar. They align with the pillars of the National Health Strategy of Qatar: health literacy, prevention, empowerment, and integrated well‑being. Policy, I’ve learned, doesn’t begin in meeting rooms; it begins in moments- at an art table, beside a screening booth, or in the laughter of children playing. 

As the drums quieted and the sun set over Multaqa, I took one last photo. Faces glowed with warmth, relief, and connection. That image captured what Doha Health Week truly represents: a space where health is human, where people feel seen and heard. If we can listen closely enough, these experiences become blueprints for better systems. Health policy that doesn’t listen soon loses the nation’s heartbeat. But when we listen, we discover that healing is already happening- in laughter, in learning, in community.

Doha Health Week has taught me that every smile, every question, and every shared story has the power to influence change. It has also taught me that health is a common aspiration that knows no barriers.

The post When Health Feels Human: A Journey Through Doha Health Week appeared first on WISH.

Our participation includes sessions on precision medicine and genomics, public policy transformation, and a contribution at the Doha Forum by Dr Slim Slama, CEO of WISH. These engagements reflect our commitment to connecting research with practice and advancing priorities that support healthier and more resilient communities.​

For event details and registration information, please refer to the information below:

2-4 December 2025: PMFG Summit

• Panel title: Precision Health in Practice: Global Lessons for Policy & Trust
• Date and time: 3 December 2025, 13:50 – 14:30
• Registration: Registration – PMFG 2025

6-7 December 2025: Doha Forum

• Panel title: Reclaiming Health System Ownership: Technical Lessons, Tools, and Partnership Pathways Amidst Funding Cuts
• Date and time: 6 December 2025, 14:30 – 1600
• Registration: by invitation

7-8 December 2025: AMEPPA Conference

• Panel title: Financing Equity in a Fragmented Global Health Landscape – Regional Implications
• Date and time: 7 December 2025, 11:00- 12:30
• Registration: MICEtribe

The post WISH Participates in Expert Dialogues on Health, Policy, and Well-Being in December appeared first on WISH.

You have led innovation in surgery and infection prevention throughout your career. Can you share an experience from your early days as a surgeon that shaped your understanding of hygiene’s importance in saving lives?

Like most clinicians, I can recall cases where a seemingly successful and routine procedure was complicated by post-operative infection. Those early experiences were a stark reminder that hygiene and infection prevention control practices are not just protocols, but lifelines – and that patient safety relies on the strength of the whole system. That lesson shaped my focus on quality and safety throughout my career, from developing surgical checklists to redesigning care pathways. It also underscored a wider truth: every time an infection is passed on, it creates an opportunity for antimicrobial resistance to evolve. So, every lapse in hygiene doesn’t just put patients at risk in the moment – it fuels one of the greatest patient safety challenges of our time.

Infection prevention is a core challenge across healthcare systems. What advances have you seen and helped implement, in hospital safety and policy that you believe have made a lasting impact?

I’ve been privileged to be part of a significant shift in how we approach patient safety. The reforms I led in the NHS were centered on the principle that quality and safety must be at the heart of everything we do. We introduced a much greater level of transparency, with data on clinical outcomes, including infection rates, being made public. This created a powerful incentive for hospitals to improve. We also championed the adoption of evidence-based practices, such as surgical safety checklists, which have been proven to dramatically reduce complications and infections. More recently, through the Fleming Initiative, we are pushing for a more integrated approach to public health challenges, connecting clinical practice with science, policy and public engagement, to tackle the root causes of infection and antimicrobial resistance.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed both strengths and vulnerabilities in global approaches to hygiene. What insights have you gained as a clinician and a policy leader during this period?

The pandemic was a crucible moment for global health. It exposed the fragility of our systems, but also their incredible resilience. As a clinician, I saw firsthand the dedication of healthcare workers and the rapid innovation in diagnostics and treatment. From a policy perspective, I was struck by the power of global collaboration, but also the deep inequities in access to basic hygiene and healthcare. One lesson that has stayed with me is that it wasn’t the vaccine that got us out of the pandemic – it was the diagnostic test. That’s why diagnostics are such a central pillar of the Fleming Initiative. Another important lesson was the need to bridge the gap between clinical practice and public health. We can have the most advanced hospitals in the world, but if we don’t address the social determinants of health and ensure that everyone has access to clean water, sanitation, and basic hygiene, we will always be vulnerable to the next pandemic.

As Executive Chair of WISH and a champion of the Fleming Initiative, what is your vision for tackling antimicrobial resistance and promoting hygiene innovation at scale?

My vision is for a world where we have a sustainable and equitable approach to tackling AMR. The Fleming Initiative is built on the idea that we need a multi-sectoral approach, bringing together scientists, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public. We are focused on driving innovation in diagnostics and treatment, but also on promoting responsible stewardship of existing antibiotics and developing novel approaches to infection prevention and control. We are also working to build capacity in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of AMR is highest. At WISH, we are creating a global community of innovators and leaders who are committed to sharing best practices and scaling up solutions. Ultimately, our goal is to create a world where everyone has access to safe and effective healthcare, free from the threat of drug-resistant infections.

When speaking to the public, especially young people, what message do you convey about the everyday importance of handwashing, hygiene, and infection prevention? Why do these still matter?

Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are powerful advocates today. Simple actions like washing your hands with soap and water remain one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infection. It’s a small action that can have a huge impact, not just on your own health, but on the health of your family, your community, and the world. Through the Fleming Initiative we are working to embed lessons like this in school curricula and to use storytelling and partnerships, including with our CHAIN network of content creators on YouTube, to bring that message to life.  It’s a message of empowerment, reminding young people that they can be part of the solution.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the greatest opportunities and obstacles for advancing infection prevention worldwide?

The greatest opportunity lies in the convergence of technology, data science, and behavioral science. We have new tools to track and predict outbreaks, to develop new diagnostics and treatments, and to nudge people towards healthier behaviors. However, the greatest challenge is securing political will and investment. We need to move from a reactive to a proactive approach, investing in public health infrastructure, strengthening health systems, and ensuring that everyone has access to basic hygiene and sanitation. This requires a global commitment, with governments, the private sector, and civil society working together. It’s a big challenge, but I am optimistic that we can create a healthier and safer world for all.

The post From Surgical Checklists to Global Health: A Vision for Hygiene and Infection Prevention in the Fight Against AMR appeared first on WISH.

Q1: Charlene, you’ve spoken powerfully about your own journey with mental health. How has lived experience shaped the ethos and operations of GMHPN?

It goes right to the heart of why we exist. My own journey was a stark lesson in how systems, however well-intentioned, can feel alienating and out of touch when they don’t center the voices of the people they’re meant to serve. That’s why at GMHPN, we’ve built our entire model around a core principle: lived experience isn’t just a tick-box, it’s the foundation.

This means that every decision is infused with the real-world challenges, aspirations, and wisdom that come only from those who’ve walked the path. We see the profound difference it makes: when people with lived experience inform policy and design, interventions become more humane, practical, and genuinely relevant.

This commitment manifests in a few key ways:

First, it means a fundamental shift in identity. In our network, individuals are no longer objects of care or subjects of research, but essential partners and colleagues.  We recognize and value their expertise as being of equal importance to clinical or academic knowledge. They are in the room where decisions are made, not as tokens, but as leaders.

This brings me to: “Nothing About Us Without Us.” This isn’t just a slogan; it’s our operational blueprint. It demands the inclusion of our community in all decision-making processes. Because we are there, we can instantly spot and articulate the systemic and societal barriers, the gaps in services, the stigmatising language, the impractical policies, that others might miss, ensuring we are always working to dismantle the very structures that hinder progress.

Ultimately, this lived-experience-led approach allows us to design responsive and impactful interventions that benefit everyone. By starting with the real, nuanced needs of individuals, we create solutions that are more effective, foster greater trust, and build a mental health ecosystem that is not just about treating illness, but about supporting whole people in their journey toward wellness. It’s how we ensure our work is truly for the community, because it is authentically from the community.

Q2: What are some lessons GMHPN has learnt about the power—and pitfalls—of embedding lived experience in mental health policy formulation?

Based on our work at GMHPN, we’ve learned that embedding lived experience is a transformative yet complex process. The central lesson is that while authentic inclusion leads to more robust and effective mental health policies, achieving it requires deliberate effort. The potential for tokenism is a significant pitfall; simply having a lived experience voice in the room is not enough.

We’ve established that the unique expertise of those with lived experience is non-negotiable. The critical work, however, lies in ensuring this inclusion is meaningful. This means actively creating safe, empowering platforms for engagement where individuals can contribute free from stigma, discrimination, and power imbalances. It’s about shifting from a model of consultation to one of genuine partnership.

This leads to our core operating principle: we work together and we learn together. This collaborative approach is what unlocks the true power of lived experience. It allows us to collectively challenge the status quo and design policies that are not just theoretically sound, but are also practical, humane, and truly responsive to community needs. The journey is demanding and requires constant reflection, but it is the only path to creating a system that works for everyone.

Q3: The partnership with WISH is a new chapter for GMHPN. What unique opportunities do you see in this collaboration, and how do you hope it will drive impact?

Our new partnership with WISH marks an incredibly exciting chapter for GMHPN. We see a unique and powerful opportunity in the convergence of our two organisations’ distinct strengths. WISH brings immense convening power, a global platform, and a deep focus on evidence and innovation in health policy. GMHPN brings the essential, and often missing, ingredient: the organised, strategic expertise of lived experience.

This collaboration is fundamentally about scaling our collective impact. By combining WISH’s scientific rigor and global reach with our grassroots, peer-led model, we can push for a new standard in mental health, one where evidence-based policy is inherently and irreversibly informed by lived experience. Together, we can ensure mental health solutions are designed not for, but with, the communities we intend to serve, right from the outset.

The specific opportunities are vast. We envision knowledge sharing that elevates the peer movement onto a global stage, joint advocacy that champions this integrated approach with world leaders, and enhanced educational opportunities that bridge the gap between scientific research and the wisdom of lived experience. This partnership is a chance to demonstrate, at a global scale, that the most effective and humane mental health systems are built on a foundation of genuine partnership between science and lived experience.

Q4: In your experience, what are the most pressing challenges facing peer-led mental health organisations globally?

Based on our global work at GMHPN, we see several persistent and interconnected challenges that peer-led organisations face.

The most immediate hurdle is, without a doubt, funding and sustainability. Peer-led organisations are often grassroots by nature, operating on shoestring budgets and project-based grants, which makes long-term planning and impact incredibly difficult. This is tied to a lack of credibility and institutional support from traditional health systems and donors, who may not yet fully value lived experience as a legitimate form of expertise.

This leads to the second major challenge: the constant battle against entrenched stigma, both within societies and, crucially, within the health sector itself. We are still working to convince policymakers and funders that ‘expertise’ does not end with a clinical degree. The wisdom and unique skill set of those with lived experience are often dismissed, leading to their exclusion from decision-making tables.

To overcome this, capacity building is essential. We must actively nurture the next generation of peer leaders with the skills to advocate, manage, and lead. Furthermore, building cross-sectoral partnerships is a crucial step forward. By aligning with academic institutions, healthcare providers, and global bodies, we can build the credibility, secure the resources, and create the sustainable infrastructure needed for the peer movement to not just survive, but truly thrive and scale its impact.

Q5: What does effective integration of lived experience look like in actual policy? Can you share an example from GMHPN’s work?

Effective integration of lived experience in policy is when lived experience expertise are structurally embedded throughout the entire policy lifecycle, from the initial design and drafting to its implementation and, crucially, its evaluation. It means the voices of those with lived experience are not an afterthought, but a core component of the policy’s DNA.

Although we have been involved in numerous policies and strategic plans, but have not yet experienced the perfect process for effective lived experience integration, despite the good intentions of policymakers. Ideally, effective inclusion means engaging diverse lived experience from the very start, not as a last-minute consultation, but as co-creators in the initial framing of problems and drafting of solutions. It requires a commitment to genuine empowerment, which is demonstrated by providing equitable compensation, capacity-building support, and real decision-making power to ensure participants can shape outcomes. This must be underpinned by a principled approach to engagement that prioritises mental health and wellbeing safety, transparency, and accessibility, creating a platform where a wide spectrum of voices can contribute meaningfully without fear of stigma or dismissal. This structured, respectful partnership moves beyond tokenism to forge policies that are both legitimate and powerfully aligned with real-world needs.

Q6: How do you see the “peer movement” evolving over the next five years, especially with partnerships like ours?

I see the peer movement undergoing a profound and necessary evolution, becoming indispensable architects of mental health systems. Our partnership with a mainstream leader like WISH is a powerful catalyst for this shift. By aligning our international credibility as a lived experience organisation with your global platform, we can effectively mainstream lived experience expertise, ensuring it is no longer seen as an optional add-on but as a core component of ethical and effective health policy.

This collaboration will be key to elevating our advocacy and driving innovation at a greater scale. We will move beyond simply having a seat at the table to co-designing the table itself. The tangible outcome of this will be a new generation of leaders within the movement: expect to see significantly more peer-led researchers shaping the evidence base, more lived experience policy shapers in government and global health agencies, and ultimately, mental health systems that finally reflect the rich diversity and wisdom of the lived experience they are meant to serve.

Q7: For policymakers and institutions still hesitant to embrace peer networks, what’s your elevator pitch? Why is it urgent to centre lived experience now?

My message is this: continuing to design mental health policies without the central involvement of people with lived experience is the single greatest reason these systems so often fail and health funds are waisted. Lived experience is not a soft value-add; it is the critical lens that reveals the difference between a theoretical framework and a practical, humane solution. It’s the difference between creating a system that people merely endure, and one they actually trust and choose to use. In an era of strained resources and rising needs, ignoring this essential expertise isn’t just unwise, it’s an unsustainable approach that costs more in the long run, both in human suffering and public funds. The urgency to centering lived experience is now, because effective solutions cannot be built for a community, but must be built with it.

Q8: Finally, what does a “good day” look like for you—and for GMHPN?

A “good day” for me is no doubt witnessing people with lived experience, especially those who never had an opportunity before to contribute their expertise, out there, advising policymakers and stakeholders on how they can improve the quality of life of communities, and then hearing them say how their voice truly mattered.

It’s witnessing a small but significant dent in the wall of stigma, whether in a news article, a community conversation, or an institution changing its own policy to mandating meaningful and authentic lived experience inclusion throughout their operations.

The post Voices of Lived Experience: A Conversation with Charlene Sunkel on Global Mental Health Advocacy appeared first on WISH.

On the morning of 15 April 2023, my phone lit up with a message from my sister in Khartoum. She had just stepped out of a doctor’s clinic with her children when she wrote, “There is gunfire and shelling right in front of us. It feels like the world is ending.”

None of us could have imagined that this would mark the beginning of what has now become more than 900 days of relentless conflict across Sudan. That day opened a chapter of sorrow and loss in a country already worn down by decades of crisis. Since then, violence has deepened its grip on every part of life, for those still trapped in their neighbourhoods, for those displaced and scattered, and for those of us far away, wondering if the Sudan we remember will survive only in memory.

In those first hours of fighting, families all over the country faced impossible decisions. Some fled with whatever they could carry, believing it would only be a few days before they could return. Others stayed. Behind each choice was a story shaped by love, duty and faith. In Sudanese life, community is sacred. When an elder refuses to leave the family home or the resting place of loved ones, younger relatives often remain too. These acts of loyalty are powerful threads in the fabric of Sudanese society. Even as war tears through streets and villages, that sense of togetherness continues to sustain people.

Today, Sudan stands at the intersection of every fragility: conflict, hunger, disease, and climate shocks, all compounded by a humanitarian response starved of attention and resources. It is the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million people uprooted, 30 million in need of aid, and 17 million children out of school. Yet, despite the enormity of this catastrophe, Sudan’s war remains largely invisible to the world. In this vacuum, community mobilization has become Sudan’s lifeline; a quiet testament to the best of humanity in a country that has endured the worst of it.

In the absence of institutions, Sudanese citizens have stepped forward. The Resistance Committees – grassroots groups that emerged during the 2019 Revolution – have reinvented themselves as Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs). Operating largely through WhatsApp groups, these community-led volunteer networks coordinate everything from food kitchens to blood donation, medical aid, and evacuation assistance, often in areas cut off from formal humanitarian access. They also serve as spaces for psychosocial support, where Sudanese professionals, many based in the diaspora, offer remote counselling sessions to help those struggling with trauma, grief, and loss. This digital solidarity has kept vital lines of communication and care open.

Lost in the broader narrative, however, are the efforts of Sudan’s Women’s Emergency Rooms, grassroots networks formed in recognition that women and girls bear the heaviest burden of war, and that their health, safety, and dignity are too often overlooked.

Across Sudan today, the toll of war rests heaviest on women’s bodies and minds. UN and humanitarian agencies report a surge in gender-based violence, yet survivors face almost insurmountable barriers to safety and care. . In besieged cities like El Fasher, expectant mothers endure childbirth on dirt floors or in makeshift shelters without clean water or sterile tools. The health system has collapsed. Maternal mortality has risen sharply, and reproductive and mental health services are almost impossible to access. Even reaching a clinic means risking one’s life on roads controlled by armed groups.

Amid this darkness, pockets of resistance and hope remain, often led by women who refuse to give up on their communities. One such effort is the Women’s Emergency Response Room in Adila, East Darfur, a collective of volunteers who have become the backbone of survival in their area. In homes turned shelters and classrooms turned clinics, they quietly organise what official humanitarian channels have not been able to provide: emergency medical care, psychosocial support, hygiene education and safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence.

Their story is one of resilience born from necessity. When dignity kits ran out, the volunteers improvised. They gathered scraps of fabric and thread from local markets and began sewing sanitary supplies by hand. What began as a desperate act to meet basic needs became a symbol of restored dignity, proof that even in scarcity, compassion can find a way.

The women of this collective have extended their mission beyond health. They work to restore education and shelter and to create opportunities for those who have lost everything. They have secured classrooms for displaced children so that learning continues even when formal schools stand empty. They build temporary shelters for families driven from their homes. Through a vocational training programme, they teach survivors tailoring and crafts. These activities help to ease the memories and weight of trauma while offering a small but vital source of income and purpose.

When I spoke with them, they did not describe themselves as brave. They spoke of constant fatigue, of nights without sleep, of neighbours and friends they have lost. They spoke of the emotional strain of holding entire communities together with too few resources. Yet beneath all of this lies an unbroken commitment to the belief that survival itself is an act of resistance. Their bravery is quiet, grounded in care for one another and in the conviction that no one should be left alone in times of crisis.

Today Sudan’s survival depends not on institutions but on its people. The strongest line of defence is not found in armed protection or formal aid programmes. It is the communities, and at their centre, the women. They remind us that leadership in times of crisis is not confined to offices or to those with formal titles. It begins in the everyday acts of care. It grows in the shared labour of neighbours pooling food for the hungry. It flourishes in the trust between community members who protect one another when official systems cannot.

As the focus of the world’s attention moves to other places, these women remain at work. Stitch by stitch, meal by meal, act by act, they mend what war has tried to break. Their work carries a truth that reaches beyond Sudan. Community led response is not an alternative when all else fails. It is the foundation of resilience. In Sudan, as in other crises that fade from the news, the first responders are the people themselves. Time and again, they are women who stand at the frontlines of humanity, holding their nation together with strength, grace and an unyielding hope.

The post Unseen and Unbroken: Sudan’s Crisis and the Quiet Power of Women appeared first on WISH.