Statement on the Occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day

Today on World Suicide Prevention Day, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, calls attention to the fact that suicide is a neglected issue that deserves greater attention in the field of sexual and reproductive health.

Every year one million people die of suicide and 20 million more attempt to take their own lives. While many people are familiar with post-partum depression, a condition that occurs among some women after giving birth, there are other issues in sexual and reproductive health that also need to be addressed in order to prevent suicide. These include issues related to HIV/AIDS, the devastating condition of fistula, and gender-based violence and discrimination.

Research shows that women are twice as susceptible to depression as men, and are more prone to suicide attempts, particularly if they have experienced childhood abuse or sexual and domestic violence. Adolescent girls with unplanned pregnancies also face a higher risk of suicide, as do women suffering from fistula, a childbirth injury caused by lack of emergency obstetric care.

Studies also show that people living with HIV/AIDS have higher suicide rates, which stem from factors such as multiple bereavements, loss of physical and financial independence, stigma and discrimination, and lack of treatment, care and support.

Given these findings and the associated human suffering, now is the time to pay more attention to the mental and psychological implications of sexual and reproductive health. By fostering open discussion and giving increased attention to these issues, we will be more successful in preventing suicide and the mental ill health that leads to suicide attempts. And we will register greater progress in the universal quest for improved health and well-being that is shared by people around the world.