As the leading international organisation dedicated to suicide prevention, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) brings together a global community of academics, mental health professionals, crisis workers, volunteers, researchers, clinicians, and individuals with lived and living experience of suicide and suicide bereavement, who are committed to creating a compassionate world free of suicide. We advance this vision by promoting evidence-based and evidence-informed practices, advocating for effective public policy, and fostering collaboration across borders and sectors.
Suicide affects people of all walks of life and the imperitive to prevent suicide is and should always remain a non-partisan issue. In recent months, we have witnessed a troubling wave of policy changes and funding cuts that threaten to undermine years of hard-won progress in suicide prevention and mental health support. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues across the world—clinicians, crisis workers, researchers, advocates, and individuals with lived and living experience—who continue their essential work in suicide prevention despite facing growing uncertainty and resource constraints. Their dedication and resilience in the face of funding cuts and increasing demand are nothing short of extraordinary. IASP recognises the emotional and professional burden that this places on those at the forefront, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to support and amplify their efforts.
These cuts come at a time when the demand for mental health services is higher than ever, and when some populations, many of whom face structural health inequalities, are experiencing increasing barriers to care. IASP is deeply concerned that reductions in public funding will erode the infrastructure of suicide prevention—especially in low-resource settings where services are already fragile. Without sustained and adequate investment, research initiatives will stall, crisis services will shrink, and frontline providers will be left unsupported. Most critically, lives that could have been saved will be lost.
We call on governments, international donors, and policy makers across the political spectrum to maintain and increase investment in suicide prevention research, including the data collection and surveillance systems essential for understanding trends and targeting interventions effectively. It is also vital that funding for crisis services is sustained and expanded, recognising these services—including national lifelines, local support centres, and community-based initiatives—as critical components of public health infrastructure.
Access to mental health care must remain a priority. This means prioritising equitable access to care, removing financial and structural barriers, and ensuring support to underserved populations and communities who experience high rates of suicide. It also means investing in community-driven, culturally informed approaches to suicide prevention, particularly for those disproportionately affected by suicide, including LGBTQ+ individuals, Indigenous populations, rural communities, youth, veterans, and people living with disabilities.
IASP remains committed to collaborating with national and regional partners, including our members and affiliated organisations in over 80 countries, to ensure that suicide prevention stays high on the global health and development agenda.
We urge all governments and funding agencies worldwide to uphold their commitments to the mental health and wellbeing of all people.
Issued by the International Association for Suicide Prevention
