Suicide Prevention Among Youth in India
Summary
Mariwala Health Initiative commits to launching a comprehensive two-year strategy to address youth
suicide in India, with a specific focus on marginalized youth. This initiative recognizes the urgent and serious nature of the problem and is built on three main pillars. Firstly, MHI will provide grants to projects and organizations to stimulate the development of community-based strategies and support organizations with fresh approaches to tackle this critical issue. Secondly, MHI will advocate for the implementation of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) at the state, national, and global levels. Lastly, MHI will strengthen service delivery, providing training programs, and creating a supportive environment for suicide prevention efforts. MHI will also fund research on youth suicide deaths, design programmatic interventions for marginalized communities, and collaborate with partners through the Alliance for Suicide Prevention to collectively address the complex issue of youth suicide in India.
Approach
Over the next two years, the Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) is embarking on a comprehensive strategy to reduce youth suicide in India, with a focus on young people from marginalized identities, recognizing the urgency and gravity of the issue.
MHI’s multifaceted approach comprises three key pillars. Firstly, MHI will advocate for implementation of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) at state, national and global levels. By actively engaging with policymakers, stakeholders, and communities, MHI seeks to make youth suicide prevention a top priority on the public health agenda. This would be undertaken through one-on-one conversations, consultations,
using media to highlight the issue and supporting national/global advocacy campaigns. Secondly, MHI will work to enhance the capacity of the ecosystem to provide services to prevent suicide by strengthening the existing service delivery mechanisms, providing comprehensive training programs, and fostering a conducive environment for suicide prevention efforts to thrive. They will equip youth, social workers, healthcare workers, teachers, communities, and organizations with the necessary skills and knowledge to understand stressors that young people including students experience. Third, MHI will provide grants to select organizations and projects that catalyze the development and implementation of community-based strategies aimed at preventing youth suicide in India. MHI will also actively fund research on youth suicides to understand the causes, means used and the intervention support required to reduce suicides. MHI will also
design programmatic interventions in different settings to support prevention within different marginalized communities.
By working closely with partners that bring intersectoral perspectives, MHI will harness the collective wisdom and expertise needed to address the complex and deeply concerning issue of youth suicide in India. MHI will continue to build solidarity through the Alliance for Suicide Prevention (ASP) , bringing together stakeholders to work collaboratively on preventing suicide at the individual and community levels.
Action Plan
In 2023, Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) will initiate activities in the areas of advocacy, capacity building and grant making. In Q3, MHI will work to incorporate suicide prevention into the C20 Agenda and will train social workers and LGBTQIA+ collectives in suicide prevention. In Q4, MHI will publish research on youth suicidal ideation and identify and have initial conversations with potential grantees.
In 2024, MHI will expand upon this work in all three focus areas. In Q1 of 2024, they will advance initiative work on suicide prevention in one state or union territory, build capacities within educational institutions to sensitize on student suicide, and sign grant agreements. In Q2, they will identify opportunities for national and global advocacy and further publish research on work undertaken by partners on youth suicide prevention. In Q3, MHI will undertake conversations based on previously identified advocacy opportunities and launch a program on peer support for students on suicide prevention.
Background
Every year more than 800,000 people die by suicide around the world. India represents 18% of the global population, yet accounts for 24-37% of the global deaths by suicide – someone attempts suicide every 3 seconds in the country. Deaths by suicide have been increasing, reaching 160,000 deaths in 2021 (National Crime Records Bureau) . For every death by suicide, there are about 60 people impacted due to the loss of a loved one and more than 20 who attempt suicide (Suicide Prevention: Changing the Narrative, MHI) .
Youth suicide in India has emerged as a concerning issue, with statistics revealing a troubling trend. According to data available up to 2021, India recorded a rising number of suicides among young people aged 15 to 29, making it one of the leading causes of death in this age group. Academic pressure, gender and sexual identities, caste-based discrimination and atrocities, economic hardships, and mental health challenges have contributed to this alarming situation. Initiatives aimed at mental health awareness have been increasing, but addressing the root causes of youth suicide and providing accessible services remains a critical challenge for India’s society and healthcare system.
From the numbers, it is clear that addressing suicide in India is crucial to reducing the burden of suicides globally and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG target 3.4, indicator 3.4.2) of a one-third reduction in the suicide mortality rate by 2030. Beyond improving health and well-being, suicide prevention work is also critical to achieving the targets set out in the other SDGs, such as those related to ending poverty and reducing inequality.
Progress Update
The Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) believes that suicide prevention must move beyond conventional mental health services to address suicide as a multidimensional public health issue. MHI’s work—whether through grantmaking, research, partnerships, or advocacy—is aimed directly or indirectly at strengthening youth mental health and preventing suicide. Our approach values lived experience, actively engages communities, challenges stigma, and prioritises the needs of marginalised groups.
As part of its grantmaking work, MHI currently supports 10 organisations working on suicide prevention. In addition to this, through the Community Connect Fund, MHI is supporting 20 collectives from India’s smaller cities and towns, where the need for community spaces is especially critical. This funding is geared towards strengthening advocacy, leadership, and crisis support for LGBTQI communities.
With respect to advocacy, MHI is working with the Tribal Welfare Department as a technical partner in the implementation of a state-level mental health programme to build the capacity of community workers in Chhattisgarh; and to strengthen mental health support for indigenous children in residential schools in the state; with Maharashtra’s Department of Medical Research and Education and UNICEF to address suicide prevention among medical students; with the Chhattisgarh State Health Resource Centre to support the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy; and with the Kerala State Health Resource Centre to advance suicide prevention, especially for LGBTQIA+ persons.
MHI is also supporting research by the Public Health Foundation of India to analyse all-deaths all-ages data from 9 states across 4 years, collected in a nationally representative manner and reach out to approx 200 families bereaved by suicide to understand their experiences with bereavement in greater depth.
In 2024, MHI hosted U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy for an interaction with young Indians on their mental health challenges as part of his work and focus on global youth mental health.
Partnership Opportunities
MHI is actively seeking out Indian-led organizations that are keen to pioneer innovative suicide prevention initiatives. This includes a particular interest in supporting youth-led groups, recognizing the power of young leaders in driving change and influencing their peers positively. By partnering with such organizations, MHI aims to foster grassroots solutions that are culturally attuned and effective in addressing the unique challenges faced by young people in India.
Furthermore, MHI is open to forging partnerships with funding institutions working on youth mental health, and open to including youth suicide prevention, especially when they work in LMICs. Collaborating with like-minded organizations on an international scale not only widens the scope of knowledge exchange but also enhances the collective impact in addressing the issue of suicide prevention at a global level MHI is dedicated to catalyzing positive change in suicide prevention, ultimately striving to create a safer, more supportive environment for India’s youth