Activities conducted to mark the World Suicide Prevention Day
According to the WHO, an estimated 703,000 people die by suicide every year, and the number has been increasing. In this regard, it is imperative that everyone join their hands to work together to prevent this global epidemic. On September 10, 2022, like every year, TPO Nepal conducted various programs in different parts of the country including Kathmandu to mark the 20th World Suicide Prevention Day. The theme for this year was “Creating Hope Through Action.” TPO Nepal marked the day by conducting rallies, cycling, walkathon, painting, interaction, and orientation. The programs focused on reducing the stigma around mental health and suicide, raising awareness among the public, government, and different entities, and spreading the key message that “suicide can be prevented.”
To mark the day, a number of orientations and interactions were held for the month of September. A total of 16 orientation events were conducted in Mahottari and Kailali; Kailali and Achham; Achham and Mahottari; Parsa and Doti; Doti and Dhanusha; Parsa; Kailali, Dhanusha, Kanchanpur, and Nuwakot; and, Bardiya on September 4, September 5, September 6, September 7, September 8, September 9, September 10 and September 11 respectively. Orientations were also conducted in over 20 schools in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur from 17th August. One interaction program was held in Kohalpur, Banke on September 7.
A rally was held in Dhanusha, Jhapa, and Kailali on September 10th and TPO Nepal contributed to a rally conducted by the Nepal police in Janakpur, Dhanusha, and Jaleshwor, Mahottari on September 19th. There were around 2,000 individuals who participated in the rally.
The World Health Organization Nepal, TPO Nepal, and the Mental Hospital Lagankhel together staged walkathons and cycling in Lalitpur on 10th September 2022. In Parbat, the TPO Nepal team participated in a walkathon organized by the District Police Office on 18th September 2022.
From August 29th to September 11th, various media channels conducted interviews with psychosocial counselors from Nepal’s national helpline for suicide prevention, 1166 Helpline. The interviews were conducted by four media channels, namely, Bagmati media, Indigenous Television, Radio Nepal, and Karobar Dainik. On September 11, Himshikhar Radio FM conducted a 5-minute interview with a psychosocial counselor from Jhapa about the “adequacy of government measures for suicide prevention”.
A total of 1679 people were a part of the orientation, interaction, walkathon, and cycling conducted by TPO Nepal (walkathon and cycling conducted in Lalitpur) to mark World Suicide Prevention Day in September. Among the 1679 people that participated, 574 people were people below 18 years of age, 637 people were between 19 and 24 years of age, 456 people belonged to the age range of 25 years to 60 years old, and 12 people were above 60 years of age. Participants in the events included students, community people, local government representatives, government and police officials, employees of corporate sectors, medical field, journalists, families of missing persons, survivors of suicide, social workers, traditional healers, representatives of political parties, teachers, and members of the school management committee and representatives of I/NGOs. Additionally, TPO Nepal employees attended to demonstrate their dedication to collaborating to prevent suicide.
