Youth Suicide Prevention Forum Calls for Collective Action
Posted by JIM MWANDA
Suicide continues to be a silent epidemic in Africa, cutting short the lives of young people at alarming rates despite being preventable.
Nairobi Kenya
In Summary
Suicide is one of Africa’s most pressing public health challenges, disproportionately affecting young people. A recent Youth Suicide Prevention Forum in Nairobi, hosted by the Aga Khan University’s Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) in partnership with the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA), called for collective action to end stigma, expand youth-friendly mental health services, and translate policy into real impact. The forum emphasized that suicide prevention must be everyone’s responsibility—families, schools, workplaces, faith groups, and governments alike.
Participants during the session
Suicide continues to be a silent epidemic in Africa, cutting short the lives of young people at alarming rates despite being preventable. In Kenya, as in many parts of the continent, stigma, low awareness, and limited access to mental health care have made the fight against suicide a steep uphill climb. On October 1, 2025, stakeholders came together in Nairobi at the Youth Suicide Prevention Forum to chart new paths for change under the theme “Making Suicide Prevention Everyone’s Business: Hope in Action.”
ALSO READ: Half of Nairobi Residents Living with Trauma: Landmark Study Exposes Silent PTSD Crisis
Organized by the Aga Khan University’s Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) in collaboration with the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA), the forum convened researchers, policymakers, youth leaders, and individuals with lived experience. It served as a platform to confront stigma head-on, reframe public conversations around suicide, and spotlight affordable, youth-friendly solutions that can save lives.
“Suicide is not just a personal tragedy—it is a societal failure,” said Prof. Zul Merali, Founding Director of BMI.
“When young people are silenced by stigma or denied access to affordable care, we all fail. This forum is about creating safe spaces, amplifying youth voices, and building actionable pathways that save lives.”
The gathering also marked a reflection point for Kenya, which in 2023 decriminalized suicide—a historic milestone that shifted the response from punishment to care. Yet, as participants noted, legal reform is only the first step. Sustained investment in mental health services, stronger community networks, and integrated policy implementation remain critical.
ALSO READ: Kenyan Media Vows Zero Tolerance as Harassment Crisis Deepens
Dr. Judy Omumbo, Head of Programmes at SFA, reminded participants that suicide prevention extends far beyond the health sector.
“This is a moral and social responsibility. Suicide touches every part of society—families, schools, workplaces, faith communities, and governments. Prevention must therefore be everyone’s business.”
Kenya’s Ministry of Health echoed this commitment. Dr. Catherine Wanjiku of the Mental Health Division highlighted the government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021–2026, which seeks to expand community-based services, integrate suicide prevention into national health strategies, and ensure timely support reaches vulnerable youth.
Beyond the policy discussions, the forum’s most powerful moments came from personal testimonies of resilience and recovery. Young people shared stories of how stigma had silenced them, but also how peer networks, safe spaces, and timely interventions gave them hope and a path toward healing. These lived experiences underscored the urgent need to move beyond statistics to action that acknowledges the human cost of inaction.
Globally, suicide is among the leading causes of death for adolescents and young adults. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the risks are compounded by rising unemployment, social pressures, and scarce mental health infrastructure. The Nairobi forum called for stronger cross-sector collaboration, uniting health systems, schools, communities, and faith-based organizations to deliver coordinated responses.
The message was clear: suicide prevention is no longer the responsibility of health professionals alone. It is a collective responsibility requiring shared action, empathy, and systemic change. By centring youth voices, strengthening policy frameworks, and dismantling stigma, the forum marked an important step toward building a continent-wide movement of “hope in action.”
