The National Task Force on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide in Nigeria has reaffirmed the urgent need to place people with lived experience at the centre of suicide prevention efforts, calling for the accelerated decriminalisation of attempted suicide, improved access to mental health services, and stronger community-based support systems across the country.
The call was made during a national webinar titled ‘Lived Experience at the Centre of Suicide Prevention: Why Voices Matter,’ which brought together mental health advocates, policymakers, healthcare professionals, civil society representatives, and individuals with lived experience of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
Opening the webinar, Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, chairperson of the National Task Force, emphasised that the voices of people with lived experience must inform policy development and implementation.
“The National Task Force on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Welfare to advance stakeholder engagement, advocacy and legislative reform. We are committed to ensuring that this is not a policy made unilaterally, but one that draws from the experiences of people on the ground, particularly those with lived experience,” she said.
