The World Health Organization (WHO) called on countries that still consider suicide a crime to decriminalize it. with the aim of contributing to its prevention.
(You may be interested in: Be careful! Study shows smoking makes us age faster).
This measure aims to reduce the stigma and shame surrounding suicide, which affects more than 700,000 people each year and is the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, according to Europa Press.
Suicide can be linked to a complex web of social, economic, cultural, and psychological factors, including denial of basic human rights, lack of access to resources, stressful life events such as loss of livelihood, work, or academic pressures, romantic breakups, and discrimination, among others .
Dévora Kestel, Director of Mental Health and Substance Use at WHO, emphasized the importance of strengthening prevention, saying: “Every death by suicide is a tragedy and more needs to be done to strengthen suicide prevention.”
(You may be interested: Which substances should be avoided due to their carcinogenic potential?)
More than 700,000 people commit suicide every year worldwide.
Suicide is considered a crime in 23 countries
Currently, at least 23 countries have laws criminalizing suicide and suicide attempts. and some of them still punish people who try to kill themselves. According to the WHO, this criminalization creates an environment that blames people who seek help and discourages others from seeking support out of fear of legal repercussions and the associated stigma.
Based on experiences from countries such as Guyana, Pakistan and Singapore, which have recently decriminalized suicide and suicide attempts, the UN body has published a report that highlights health issues and makes recommendations for policymakers, legislators and decision-makers to consider reforms in this area pull.
Councils focus on developing national suicide prevention strategies, allocating budgets for training for frontline workers following decriminalization, establishing rights-focused community mental health services, and formulating new mental health-related laws and policies that provide high quality care and promote the rights of people with mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities.
Nathalie Drew Bold, WHO technical officer, said: “Criminalizing suicide only serves to worsen people’s plight. Decriminalizing suicide and suicide attempts is a critical step that governments can take in their suicide prevention efforts.”
(You may be interested to know: Growing pains in children may indicate migraine risk, study finds.)
The report also highlights how decriminalization can save lives, reduce stigma and shame, improve data collection on suicide, and increase opportunities for prevention awareness and advocacy.
Promote responsible education about suicide
The WHO, in collaboration with the International Association for Suicide Prevention, has published a report highlighting the importance “responsible reporting” of suicide by the media.
According to Dr. According to Alexandra Fleischmann, responsible reporting can play a critical role in prevention by minimizing copycat behavior through accurate, appropriate and sensitive information. This encourages people to seek help when they need it.
The paper emphasizes that vulnerable people, such as those with a history of suicidal thoughts or attempts, are more likely to engage in imitative behavior following media reports of suicide, particularly if the coverage is comprehensive, sensational or myth-perpetuating.
The resource also highlights that information that focuses on survival and resilience can encourage positive behavior and help prevent suicide. Additionally, it provides guidelines for reporting on recovery and mental and emotional well-being.
Suicide: Stories from Here
More news
*This content was created using artificial intelligence based on information from Europa Press and verified by a journalist and an editor.