Concepts of Truth Youth Representatives Speak at the United Nations

For Immediate Release: February 27, 2024

Contact: Millie Lace, millie@conceptsoftruth.org

14th February 2024, UN Headquarters New York, CSocD62 Side Event organized by Concepts of Truth, Inc., NGO and The Mission of Uganda: Concepts of Truth, Inc. NGO’s youth representatives, Hayden Howell (Wynne, AR), Rebecca Tavit (Summit, NJ), and Madeleine Berns (Montclair, NJ), along with founder, Millie Lace and moderator, Josephine Tyne collaborated with the Minister of Youth and Children Affairs, Honorable Sarah Mateke and the Mission of Uganda to present the event, Reproductive Loss: Consequences for Mental Health, Social Development and Social Justice.

After a supportive video greeting from the minister, youth panelists shared slides of research examining the economic and social impact of the burgeoning global mental health crisis described in the United Nation’s recent report, “Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice.” Panelists discussed the role of reproductive loss (miscarriage, stillbirth and abortion) as potential root causes of mental health disorders, particularly depression, substance misuse, anxiety and suicide. Also, panelists addressed disenfranchised grief and other mental health harms flowing from society’s failure to acknowledge the grief women, girls and their families experience following reproductive loss and the implications this has for social development and social justice. To conclude, Millie Lace, founder of Concepts of Truth NGO and a licensed mental health counselor, shared interventions and resources that can be modified for various cultural and faith backgrounds to help heal reproductive loss and benefit mental health therapists and health care workers worldwide. Videos of personal stories and PDF copies of the NGO’s mental and sexual health models were made available to the attendees.

Josephine Tyne, Concepts of Truth’s UN Representative from Caldwell, NJ said, “Our youth panelists did a fantastic job. Each community that these young people represent can be very proud of their professionalism, presentation and diplomacy.”

Concepts of Truth, Inc. provides an international helpline, 1.866.482.LIFE (5433), to give individuals a voice and provide them with access to sexual health resources and competent and caring counselors who communicate the truth about life, human dignity, responsibility and forgiveness to release them from the pain and guilt of past reproductive loss or sexual trauma and help them make informed choices for themselves and for future generations.

Concepts of Truth, Inc., NGO and the Mission of Uganda urge Member states to acknowledge the harms of reproductive loss and discourage the stigma, discrimination and opposition faced by its victims; Invite Member states to increase mental health services to promote healing, and to support the pillars of the Geneva Consensus Declaration to promote life and well-being for women and families.

The event had 27 attendees from the countries of Malawi, Mozambique, Portugal, Russia and the USA represented. The Holy See permanent observer was represented, 4 NGO ‘s, UN staff and a psychologist from the Commons Cluster of the UN NGO Major Group attended. We were very pleased that the event reached over 400 people when we include the FB live posting with its’ views, likes and shares. The event evaluations showed a majority of attendees responding with “good job” and “great presentations”. The delegate from Malawi wrote the following comment: “This is a timely discussion given that reproductive loss is affecting lives of many women, girls & family even in Malawi and African context. We need to collaborate and have concerted efforts to reach out to families and youth with psycho-social support.”

The UNSDN website featured the event summary with photos: https://social.desa.un.org/sdn/reproductive-loss-consequences-for-mental-health

See Concepts of Truth’s approved written statement for the conference, an official UN document:

https://www.ffcc4u.com/our-services/un-activities/ If you would like to know more about our services, visit our website: https://www.conceptsoftruth.org/ Call or text our Wynne, AR office: 870.238.4329.

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