Suicide Prevention in an International Context.

In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Mental Health Action Plan, 2013–2020, has been a major step forward in pushing the agenda of suicide prevention globally (WHO, 2013; Saxena, Funk, & Chisholm, 2013). This plan was adopted by health ministers in all 194 WHO member states to formally recognize the importance of mental health, which was a remarkable achievement. Among WHO member states are 25 countries where suicide is currently still criminalized and an additional 20 countries where according to Sharia law suicide attempters may be punished with jail sentences (Mishara & Weisstub, 2016). The action plan covers specified actions to improve mental health and to contribute to the attainment of a set of agreed global targets, in particular to aim for (a) a 20% increase in service coverage for severe mental disorders, and (b) a 10% reduction of the suicide rate in countries by 2020. The subsequent publication of the WHO report Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative, in 2014 (WHO, 2014), was strategically a major and timely next step to increase the commitment of national governments and health ministers to move from agreement to action in relation to suicide prevention. Many members of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) representing all regions in the world were involved in preparing this report. IASP in collaboration with WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse has initiated workshops inviting country representatives to discuss and share experiences in the development and implementation of national suicide prevention programs, during IASP world congresses and regional seminars. In addition, IASP is in the process of establishing an International Special Interest Group to support the development and implementation of national suicide prevention programs at a global level. In all six WHO regions, both IASP and WHO underline the importance of national suicide prevention programs on World Suicide Prevention Day on a yearly basis. The WHO report provides guidance in developing and implementing national suicide prevention programs while taking into account the different stages at which a country is, that is, countries where suicide prevention activities have not yet taken place, countries with some activities, and countries that currently have a national response. Within geographic regions, countries that have adopted a national suicide prevention program can impact positively on surrounding countries and increase prioritization of suicide prevention in countries that do not yet have a national program and do not want be an exception in a negative sense, that is, they do not want to be left behind!