A Shared Responsibility: Conversations at the World Health Organization

This week, Archewell Philanthropies partnered with the World Health Organization to host a series of conversations where Meghan, Duchess of Sussex spoke with global leaders, advocates, and young people focused on advancing the health, safety, and well-being of communities around the world.

Across each exchange, a clear throughline emerged: while the challenges facing young people today are increasingly complex, there is also a growing clarity around the solutions—and a shared responsibility to act on them.

This was especially evident during meetings focused on protecting women and girls online and on proactive solutions to online violence. One outcome of the day’s meetings was a collective commitment to use evidence to drive accountability. Daniela Ligiero of Together for Girls, who participated in meetings, shared insights from the newly launched 2026 Out of the Shadows Index, a global effort to assess and score how governments address violence against children. The findings point to persistent gaps in protections and prevention, and highlight how technology is changing how violence against women and children spreads and scales online. 

The startling statistics shared in the Out of the Shadows Index emphasized the need for Governments and industry to act with urgency to build safer digital spaces for girls and young people.

A further takeaway from the day’s meeting emphasized the importance of having young people at the table. In a meeting with youth advocate Bryanna Mariñas, alongside adult child safety experts and funders, participants emphasized the importance of young people in decision-making rooms, not only for the future of young people, but for the future of everyone. This echoes Archewell Philanthropies founding investment in the Responsible Tech Youth Power Fund, which specifically supports youth-led and intergenerational-led organizations focused on responsible technology initiatives. 

Bryanna’s work to end violence against children and the work of all our young Responsible Tech Youth Power Fund founders make one thing clear: when we find ourselves in rooms with young people at the table, the work itself becomes stronger—more responsive, more informed, and better equipped to meet the realities of the present moment. One of our grantees from the Responsible Youth Tech Power Fund, Sneha Dave, joined us in the evening for the Lost Screen Memorial Event before heading to her own World Health Assembly event later in the week.

Emphasis on policy interventions that meet the moment was highlighted in a meeting with Brazil’s Minister of Health, Dr. Alexandre Padilha. Early insights from recently passed legislation restricting platform design features—including limits on infinite scroll—offered a compelling example of how thoughtful design can influence behavior. Initial outcomes suggest children are spending more time outdoors, connecting with one another, and engaging more fully in their communities—an approach that may hold relevance far beyond a single country.

Further discussions on women’s and girls’ health with experts and WHO leaders shared a focus on adolescent girls as a critical point of intervention. Across maternal health, mental health, and broader wellbeing, investing in this stage of life has the potential to shape outcomes for generations.

Conversations on mental health reflected an important shift in approach. There was a shared emphasis on integrating mental health across the full continuum of care—recognizing it not as a standalone issue, but as an essential component of overall health at every stage of life. This includes equipping providers across disciplines to better identify and respond to mental health needs early, ensuring that support is not siloed, but embedded across systems and everyday touchpoints.

At the same time, as emerging technologies continue to evolve, these conversations reinforced the responsibility to apply these principles proactively—by embedding safety, prevention, and well-being into the design of new systems from the outset.

Taken together, the visit reflected both urgency and momentum—grounded in the understanding that meaningful progress requires collaboration across sectors, and a commitment to building systems that better serve the next generation.

At Archewell Philanthropies, this work continues with a focus on solutions that center young people, invest in prevention, and advance the long-term health and well-being of communities around the world.

Photo Credit: Baz Ratner