Information about Suicide Prevention Week 2013..

Makro Foundation (MaFo) is promoting the worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide by organizing a weeklong awareness program from “1^st September 2013- 10th September 2013” to mark the World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2013.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world, especially among young people. Nearly one million people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds. More than one lakh persons (1,35,445) in the country lost their lives by committing suicide during the year 2012.

 A large proportion of people who die by suicide suffer from mental illness. Recent estimates suggest that the disease burden caused by mental illnesses will account for 25% of the total disease burden in the world in the next two decades, making it the most important category of ill-health (more important than cancer or heart diseases).

 Yet a significant number of those with mental illnesses who die by suicide do not contact health or social services near the time of their death. In many instances there are insufficient services available to assist those in need at times of crisis (WHO,2012)

 This lack of access to appropriate care is one of the many factors that magnify the stigma associated with mental illness and with suicidal ideation and behaviour. This type of stigma, which is deeply rooted in most societies, can arise for different reasons. One of the causes of stigma is a simple lack of knowledge – that is, ignorance.

The objective is to raise Awareness on: “Stigma A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention”    to Prevent Death through Suicide.

Suicide prevention is about supporting the development of coping skills and resiliency, and it’s about reconnecting to our culture, our families, our communities, and ourselves. Mental illnesses have been stigmatized. People don’t talk about them for fear of being ridiculed.

World Suicide Prevention Day is marked globally on September 10 each year. The international theme for 2013 is " Stigma A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention”    .  It is more than a day about suicide prevention. It is a day to celebrate life, to remind everyone why we should all value our lives as people, and “We need to encourage each other that anything is possible, that the darkest of times never last, and to remember that there’s light at the end of the tunnel

The day was first marked in 2003, when the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization designated September 10.

It is important to shatter the stigma on mental illness and make sure everybody knows it’s OK to talk about it, to get help, and to embrace life.

The event is planned in two phases

1) Online Campaign through Social Networking Sites to promote   Suicide is preventable.

2) Outdoor Events to raise awareness about Depression, Suicide and its Prevention

Outcome: The series of events is organized is to raise awareness through Collaboration and partnerships between communities, practitioners, research and industry about suicide being a   major preventable cause of premature death.

Makro Foundation has been organising the Suicide Prevention Walk  since 2009.. for details about the event log on to:

2012-Suicide Prevention Week
2011-Suicide Prevention Week
2010-Suicide Prevention Week