Multi-stakeholder Hearing on NCDs

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) will hold an interactive, Multi-stakeholder Hearing on Non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The hearing will take place as part of the preparatory process for the Fourth High-level Meeting of the UNGA on NCDs and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being, which will convene in September 2025.

NCDs are the first cause of death and disability in the world. They account for 70% of all deaths. NCDs are driven primarily by five modifiable risk factors – tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. SDG target 3.4 calls for, by 2030, reducing by one-third premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment and promoting mental health and well-being.

The President of the UNGA will convene the one-day hearing. Participants will include representatives from Member State, the UN system, civil society, academia, philanthropic foundations, the private sector, and medical associations, alongside participation of broader communities like women, children, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and people of African descent.

The multistakeholder hearing aims to serve as an inclusive platform for stakeholders to share perspectives, experiences, and best practices while identifying challenges and proposing actionable solutions. Discussions will focus on identifying priority actions to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG 3.4 and identifying concrete milestones for a successful high-level meeting in September 2025.

The hearing will feature an opening segment, two panel discussions, and a closing segment. The panels will discuss progress, challenges, and recommendations to scale up cost-effective, evidence-based actions, with a focus on two themes:

1. Tackling the determinants of NCDs and mental health and well-being through multisectoral and effective governance and collaborative action; and
2. Reshaping and strengthening health systems and all forms of financing to meet the needs of people living with and at risk of NCDs and mental health conditions.

The President of the UNGA will produce a summary of the hearing ahead of the HLM.

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