Basel/Geneva, Switzerland — 21 May 2025 — Fondation Botnar and the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced a new strategic partnership to advance the health and wellbeing of young people around the world.
With a commitment of CHF 8 million from Fondation Botnar over the next three years (2025-2027), the collaboration will strengthen the health and wellbeing for young people, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), by improving the structural conditions for young people’s health, linking urban, mental and digital health and engaging young people in shaping their wellbeing. The WHO contribution in kind amounts to CHF 4.6 million.
With 1.9 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24, today’s youth population is the largest in history. This demographic shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity to reimagine systems that shape youth wellbeing.
Andrea Studer, CEO of Fondation Botnar, said: “At a time when the world’s largest generation of young people is coming of age in rapidly changing urban and digital environments, addressing these challenges has never been more urgent. We therefore see the critical importance of partnering with WHO to leverage its normative guidance, technical expertise and in-country presence to create conditions that will improve young people’s health and lives.”
As part of the recent WHO Investment Round, the new strategic partnership builds on previous collaboration between Fondation Botnar and WHO. Since 2018, Fondation Botnar has invested CHF 13 million to support WHO’s initiatives focused on adolescent and digital health.
Through this partnership, WHO will provide evidence-based guidance, support capacity building, and help governments translate global and regional priorities into concrete national policy and action.
Despite global health advances, young people continue to face significant and growing health challenges. In 2019 alone, an estimated 1.49 million adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24 died worldwide— many from preventable causes. In addition, out of all deaths among 0-24-year-olds, the proportion of deaths among 10–24-year-olds has risen significantly in recent decades, while mortality among other age groups has substantially fallen. This highlights the urgent need for targeted investment and action.1
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said: “Structural barriers continue to hinder positive health outcomes for many young people, such as harmful social norms, lack of youth-friendly care, and limited health education. Addressing these challenges requires bold partnerships and long-term commitment. That is why WHO is delighted to once again be working closely with Fondation Botnar, whose sustained focus on the wellbeing of young people is building healthier futures for youth and their networks around the world.”
The new partnership aligns with Fondation Botnar’s priorities—healthy urban environments, mental health and digital health transformation —which are essential for creating conditions for young people to thrive.
The collaboration also reinforces the global Call to Action issued in response to the findings of the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing, amplifying the call for young people to claim their right to be involved in shaping policies and advancing solutions that directly affect their lives.
Be part of the change at the Lancet Commission report launch, where our CEO Andrea Studer will be speaking about the urgent need to address the challenges facing young people, including rising mental health issues.
1 GBD 2019 Adolescent Mortality Collaborators. Global, regional, and national mortality among young people aged 10-24 years, 1950-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2021 Oct 30;398(10311):1593-1618. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01546-4.
