STATEMENT
79th World Health Assembly
18 - 23 May 2026
Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services
Item 15.2 - Well-being and health promotion and 15.5 Draft strategy on the economics of health for all
Norway’s National Statement – delivered by Norway’s youth delegate Henriette Karlsen Brenna
Thank you Chair,
Norway has been working with the field of wellbeing for over a decade. We have a measurement system and a national strategy.
Throughout this work, we see especially three areas important to strive for;
First, wellbeing must be anchored as an overarching societal goal across sectors, with strong cross-government coordination.
Second, progress requires measurement and monitoring, with attention to vulnerable groups.
Third, countries should invest in data infrastructure and capacity to support harmonised measurement and shared learning.
Wellbeing is about feeling safe and included. Loneliness, social exclusion, financial problems and poor mental and physical health can reduce wellbeing.
Global developments like geopolitical and economic instability, climate change and digitalisation also affect wellbeing, causing concerns about the present and the future.
As a youth delegate, I emphasise that young people experience these challenges acutely, and our perspectives are crucial in shaping effective responses.
In Norway, efforts to reduce loneliness are integrated across wellbeing policy.
We encourage WHO to avoid establishing separate tracks on social connection, and instead integrate this across existing processes, while strengthening indicators, knowledge, and coordination between health, social and community-based services.
We support the Economics of Health for All approach and its emphasis on cross-sector collaboration.
Chair,
Young people are not only beneficiaries – we are partners in shaping new policies for the future.
Thank you.