The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that suicide is responsible for more than one in every 100 deaths worldwide, urging urgent action to address a worsening mental health crisis, especially among young people.
New figures show that 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021. While global rates have fallen 35% since 2000, experts say progress is too slow to meet international targets.
“For every suicide, there are 20 attempts,” said Deborah Castel, acting head of WHO’s Mental Health Department. “These tragedies not only end lives but leave deep scars on families and communities.”
Suicide remains among the top three causes of death for people aged 15–29. In 2021, it was the second leading cause of death for young women and the third for young men. Rates in the Americas have risen by 17% since 2000, even as global numbers declined.
The report also highlights a surge in mental illness, with more than one billion people now living with conditions like depression and anxiety. Social media pressures and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have been major factors.
Despite the scale of the problem, mental health continues to receive little funding. Since 2017, only 2% of global health budgets have been allocated to it, and just 9% of people with depression receive treatment.
Calling mental health “the greatest public health challenge of our time,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged governments to step up prevention efforts, expand access to treatment, and invest in long-term support.
