Basic Information about WSPD
World Suicide Prevention Day is an annual awareness day observed on September 10 to take awareness and actions to prevent suicides.
Observed on: September 10
Organized by: WHO, IASP, WFMH
Introduced in: 2003 (First Observation)
Observed: Worldwide
About World Suicide Prevention Day
World Health Organization (WHO) in association with International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) organizes world Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on 10 September from 2003 onwards. The observations aims to spread the awareness about suicidal behaviours and prevention. It also aims to encourage governments to develop national policies and plans for suicide prevention.
The number of people who die by suicide is expected to reach 1.5 million per year by 2020. As of reported data in 2015, rate of suicidal death per 100000 is 10.7. This comes around 3000 suicidal deaths per day. It is among the top 15 leading cause of death worldwide.
Activities and Programs on WSPD
Activities, programs and events on this day includes various activities to increase awareness about suicidal behaviours and how to effectively prevent them. Actions also includes measures to reduce risk factor and protective factor, especially in childhood and adolescence. Make sure that people get enough mental health resources and avoiding barriers to accessing care. Governments are also influenced and pressured to develop suicide prevention policies and strategies.
There were many campaigns to prevent suicide. Each person have an important role to play in suicide prevention. This includes spread awareness about suicide prevention, educate yourself and others about suicidal behavior, show compassion and care for others, etc.
Many events like ‘IASP Cycle Around the Globe’, in which participants took part in groups, individually, at home, in the gym or anywhere. There is another event named ‘Light a Candle’, in which participants light candle near a window at 8 pm on WSPD as a symbol of support for suicide prevention. ‘Take a Minute’ program which encourages to take a minute to reach out to someone in your community. Social media campaigns are also done with hashtags #wspd #suicideprevention
Theme for World Suicide Prevention Day
World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 Theme is ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’
World Suicide Prevention Day 2019 Theme was ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’
Suicide Prevention Day 2018 Theme was ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’
WSPD 2017 Theme was “Take a Minute, Change a Life“
2016 Theme: Connect, Communicate, Care
2015 Theme: Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives
2014 Theme: Light a candle near a Window
2013 Theme: Stigma: A Major Barrier to Suicide Prevention
2012 Theme: Suicide Prevention across the Globe: Strengthening Protective Factors and Instilling Hope
2011 Theme: Preventing Suicide in Multicultural Societies
2010 Theme: Families, Community Systems and Suicide
2009 Theme: Suicide Prevention in Different Cultures
2008 Theme: Think Globally, Plan Nationally, Act Locally
2007 Theme: Suicide prevention across the Life Span
2006 Theme: With Understanding New Hope
2005 Theme: Prevention of Suicide is Everybody’s Business
2004 Theme: Saving Lives, Restoring Hope
2003 Theme: Suicide Can Be Prevented