The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) recently attended the UN Interactive Multistakeholder Hearing (MSH) as part of the preparatory process for the Fourth high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4) to be held on 25 September 2025 at the 80th UNGA. The purpose of the MSH is to gather broad stakeholder feedback on NCD and mental health priorities to inform the development of the zero draft of the Political Declaration.
HCC’s team was represented by Dr. Karen Sealey (Board Member and Founding Director of TT NCD Alliance also current Trustee of WOF); Ms. Diana Gittens (Member of HCC PLWNCDs Advisory Group, and NCDA OVOV Advocate); Ms. Stephanie Whiteman (HCY Advocate, Global Mental Health Action Network Advocate and UWI Lecturer); Ms. Maria O’Brien (Director of Mindwise TT, GMHAN Advocate and Voices of SIDS Lead); and Maisha Hutton (HCC Executive Director). Attendance at the MSH was made possible through support from NCD Alliance and GMHAN. NCD Alliance hosted a 2-day workshop in advance of the May 2, 2025 MSH, bringing together advocates from across the world. Stephanie and Maria were supported by GMHAN – who also supported a large contingent of global advocates united around advancing the mental health agenda.
Over the course of the 3 days in New York, the HCC team had the pleasure of meeting with a number of CARICOM Missions formally and informally where they presented the HCC-led civil society advocacy priorities for the HLM4 and the recently developed Briefing Note: Preparing CARICOM Ministries of Foreign Affairs for the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (HLM4) September 2025 and Beyond – a Briefing Note From Civil Society. The HCC team met with the Missions of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Caribbean was also well represented on the actual day of the MSH held at UN Headquarters. Stephanie Whiteman delivered powerful opening remarks and Maisha Hutton was on panel 2 where she delivered a brief intervention and closing remarks. Maria O’Brien delivered an emotional intervention from the floor underscoring the importance of strong mental health programming, Ambassador Inga Rhonda King, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Permanent Representative to the United Nations also delivered the hearings closing remarks.
HCC Executive Director Maisha Hutton Presents HLM4 Advocacy Priorities to Ambassador King joined by Hailey Mark and Stephanie Whiteman
Other highlights include the participation of Maisha Hutton a UNICEF hosted side event entitled “Young Voices for Action: Placing Children at the Center of the NCD and Mental Health Agenda”, where she shared HCCs commitment to youth engagement and intergenerational leadership. Ambassador King of SVG and also Co-Facilitator of the UN HLM4 process (with Ambassador Maes of Luxembourg) delivered opening remarks for the side event. HCC used this opportunity to reconnect with Ambassador King and present her with the MOFA HLM4 Guidance.
Diane Gittens (photo: Jonathan Heisler)
We were extremely proud of Diana Gittens, who was a panelist in a side event: “A Shared Commitment: Advancing Global Progress on NCDs and Mental Health.” hosted by Foreign Policy and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA). Diana shared a ‘A Personal Perspective: Navigating life with NCDs’. You can see the full video of Diana’s intervention here.
You can see the full side event here.
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