Impact of international relations, human rights and mental health awareness on sustainable development goals under government health policies

Abstract Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires not only structural and economic reforms but also heightened awareness of social, institutional, and mental health dimensions of sustainability. This study examines the effects of international relations awareness, human rights awareness, and mental health awareness on progress toward the SDGs, while also exploring the moderating role of government health policies. Data were collected from 675 students and faculty members from higher education institutions in China using a cross-sectional research design and simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was employed for data collection, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The proposed model is theoretically grounded in the Triple Bottom Line framework and Dynamic Capability Theory, emphasizing sustainability as an adaptive and capability-driven process. The findings reveal that awareness of international relations, human rights, and mental health has a significant and positive impact on the attainment of the SDGs. Framework of sustainability linking environmental, social and economic outcomes, while theory of Dynamic capability explain how capabilities based on awareness enable institutions and society to mobilize and adapt resources for the achievement of SDGs. Moreover, government health policies positively moderate the relationships between human rights awareness, mental health awareness, and the SDGs. The results underscore the importance of developing dynamic capabilities related to mental health literacy, international awareness, and policy understanding among students and faculty. Enhancing individuals’ ability to acquire, integrate, and reconfigure knowledge in these domains—supported by effective government health policies—is crucial for fostering societal sustainability. According to previous studies, the relationship between mental health awareness, human rights awareness, and SDGs tends to have an indirect or limited effect due to several factors. Interdisciplinary approach of current study offers the novelty by combining governance, public health and SDG perspectives for the comprehensive understanding of how awareness impacts sustainable practices. Unlike previous researches, examining the separate impact of health or policies outcomes, current study uniquely covers how perceptions and awareness of the faculty and students shapes their engagement with the attainment of sustainable development goals. This study contributes to sustainability literature by highlighting the cognitive and policy-driven pathways toward achieving the SDGs and offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and institutional stakeholders seeking to advance sustainable development initiatives.