Insights from a Decade of Investment Caseson Noncommunicable Diseasesand Mental Health Realizing the Return Insights from a Decade of Investment Caseson Noncommunicable Diseasesand Mental Health The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in about 170 countries and territories,helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countriescan sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helpingcountries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more atundp.orgor follow at@UNDP. The UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseasesbrings United Nations system agencies and intergovernmental organizations together to supportgovernments reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases, including mental health conditions,to meet the goals and targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The Secretariat ofthe Task Force is at the World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the membercountries of the UNDP Executive Board or of those institutions of the United Nations system thatare mentioned herein. The designations and terminology employed, and the presentation of material do not imply anyexpression or opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status ofany country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or of its frontiers or boundaries. The photographs used in this document are drawn from free sources and are intended solely forillustrative purposes; they do not imply endorsement or reflect official positions. Copyright ©UNDP 2026. All rights reserved. One United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA Table of contents Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................................. 6Acronyms and abbreviations................................................................................................................ 7Audience and purpose .......................................................................................................................... 8Executive summary................................................................................................................................. 10Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 13Economics: What the numbers tell us ................................................................................................ 21Governance: The politics that shape reform .................................................................................... 35Impact: How investment cases catalyze action ............................................................................... 45Recommendations: Scaling and sustaining reform through investment cases ........................ 53Conclusion................................................................................................................................................ 65 Acknowledgments This report was led and principally authored by Roy Small of UNDP. Substantive contributions todrafting, review, and analytical framing were provided by Daisy Lanvers and Emily Roberts (UNDP),as well as Nick Banatvala and Ilaria Corazza from the Secretariat of the UN Inter-Agency Task Forceon the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (UNIATF). Research and analyticalsupport was provided by Pranjali Gupta, Arisa Marshall, and Sian Auer (UNDP). Chloe Peyton andClio Vos (UNDP) provided editorial support. The report benefited from guidance, review, and quality assurance within UNDP from MandeepDhaliwal, Orria Goni, Piper Hart, Suvi Huikuri, Natalia Linou, and John Macauley. The authors are grateful for additional technical review and expert inputs provided by AlexeyKulikov (UNIATF Secretariat); Andrew Black (Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention onTobacco Control); Dan Chisholm and Odd Hanssen (World Health Organization); Marijke Kreminand Miranda Wang (NCD Alliance); James Sale (United for Global Mental Health); Khalifa Elmusharaf(University of Birmingham Dubai); and Sébastien Poix (University of Limerick). This report draws on data and experience from national investment cases developed across morethan 60 countries. The authors thank staff from government ministries and agencies, nationalexperts, civil society organizations, and UN partners in participating countries for their leadershipin undertaking investment cases to advance the NCD and mental health agenda, and their criticalreview of this report. The investment cases and impacts discussed in this report are also the result of the generoussupport of partners including Australia, the European Union, the Gulf Health Council, Norway, theRussian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the Helm