Washington DC, September 10, 2025 (PAHO) – As the Americas fight with a 17% increase in suicide deaths since 2000, the only region in the world that experiences an increase, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a new initiative to reverse this trend. Announced on the eve of World Suicide Prevention DayThe effort aims to save lives by equipping countries with evidence -based practical interventions to save lives.
In 2021, more than 100,000 people in the Americas died for suicide. While the increase in rates in North America is an important driver of this upward trend, southern cone countries are also seeing significant growth, and Caribbean nations continue to inform the highest suicidal mortality rates in the region.
«Each suicide is a deep tragedy that impacts people, families and communities,» said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, director of Paho. «This initiative seeks to transform the leadership, governance and suicide prevention actions to reduce these losses.»
Draw the barriers for suicide prevention
The new initiative will address key challenges that hinder progress in suicide prevention, including limited access to community health services based on the community, stigma and weak coordination in all sectors. Your approach is aligned with the central interventions of world health organizations, which include:
- Restrict access to suicide media
- Promotion of responsible media reports
- Promote socio -emotional skills in adolescents
- Ensure early identification, treatment and monitoring of people at risk
Pah will focus on three priority areas:
- Strengthening of national plans: supporting countries to design or update national suicide prevention strategies and action plans adapted to the needs of populations at risk.
- Expand access to quality mental health care: to train health workers and communities to identify and support people at risk, and respond effectively, while providing resources for families affected by suicide or self -injuries.
- Increase awareness and stigma reduction: collaborate with media professionals on responsible reports and implement campaigns to break silence around mental health.
Suicide in the Americas: key findings
Suicide disproportionately affects older adults, with 71% of men and 65% of female suicides that occur between the over 50 years. While men face higher rates (14.7 per 100,000 population, compared to 4 percent), the rate among women has increased more abruptly (23% since 2000, compared to 14.4% among men). Suicide attempts were also almost five times more frequent among women.
Several underlying factors seem to be promoting these increases. Among men, suicide is closely related to alcohol and drug use, as well as unemployment and life in areas with high homicide rates. For women, educational inequality and unemployment are the strongest associated factors.
«This crisis demands action beyond health systems,» said Renato Oliveira E Souza, head of the Mental Health Unit and Use of Substances in Paho. «It requires collaboration throughout society to develop and implement national suicide prevention strategies that can be effective in reducing suicidal mortality.»
Attend the launch of the initiative
On September 11, Pah will organize a virtual event for the launch of the Regional Suicide Prevention Initiative. The event will have a presentation on the current suicide situation in the region of the Americas, as well as the main elements of the new initiative, and will provide a space for the exchange of best practices, challenges and lessons learned in national suicide prevention initiatives. Register on the Paho website to attend the launch.
Join the Web Seminar: configuring the responsible communications to raise awareness
On September 18, Paho and the University of Toronto will organize the web seminar «configuring the responsible communications to raise awareness about the prevention of suicide in the Americas.» The event will focus on the role of the importance of culturally informed awareness campaigns and reduce stigma, as well as how social networks can be taken advantage of to promote suicide prevention, while addressing the risks of harmful content and erroneous information. Register on the Paho website to join experts and learn processable strategies.
