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September 2009
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 10 September 2009
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UN observes World Suicide Prevention Day

10/09/2009

September 10th marks World Suicide Prevention Day with a number of events around the world focusing attention on this global problem.

suicide prevention icon

suicide prevention icon

There are an estimated 3,000 deaths a day from suicide, that's one death every forty seconds.

According to the World Health Organization, one million people die from suicide every year with indigenous communities having higher rates in a country than the general population.

The agency says more men than women commit suicide but women attempt it more frequently, except in China where more women die from suicide.

The theme of this year's day is "Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures."

Alexandria Fleischmann of the World Health Organization in Geneva says the main risk factors for suicide are known, but she points out that prevention strategies should take into consideration that different risk factors have different importance in different cultures.

"For instance, we know that mental disorders like depression or alcohol use disorders play a major role in European countries, but we have to also look at Asian countries where impulsiveness plays a much more important role, which is that suicide can happen on the spur of the moment. Another issue is self poisoning with pesticides."

Alexandria Fleischmann says using pesticides to kill oneself has also been seen more recently in Central and South American countries as well as in Africa.

The World Health Organization estimates that about a third of all suicides are due to self poisoning with pesticides.

Diane Bailey, United Nations
(duration: 1'46")

Sound bites

Alexandria Fleischmann, World Health Organization

"For instance, we know that mental disorders like depression or alcohol use disorders play a major role in European countries, but we have to also look at Asian countries where impulsiveness plays a much more important role, which is that suicide can happen on the spur of the moment. Another issue is self poisoning with pesticides."
Duration: 26 secs.

Alexandria Fleischmann, World Health Organization

"World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, is very important to focus attention to the global public health problem of suicide and it raises awareness that suicide is often a taboo issue and is relevant to all levels of society, from the individual, to those who may have lost a loved one to the governments who need to act to tackle this issue. Every year we have one million people who die from suicide approximately and this can be roughly translated into 3,000 deaths a day or one death every 40 seconds."
Duration: 42 secs.

Alexandria Fleischmann, World Health Organization

"Another issue is self poisoning with pesticides. This has appeared as a very important issue in Asian countries largely but also, more recently we have seen it in Central and South American countries or in Africa. And it's now estimated that about one third of all the suicides are due to the self poisoning with pesticides. Then we have indigenous populations where we can see that they have often times higher rates in a country than the general population. So you will see that for the World Suicide Prevention Day there are many events around the globe, with the event at the UN in New York with representation from WHO and the International Association for Suicide Prevention, but also here in Geneva you will see the church door illuminated on the day of Suicide Prevention. And the general message is to say that suicide should not be seen as inevitable cause of premature death, but when we bring all the different levels and sectors of society together, we can make a difference in suicide prevention."
Duration: 1'20"