NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 10 – The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has called for urgent measures to address Kenya’s suicide crisis, warning that the absence of a national suicide registry means the true scale of the problem remains unknown.

📻 Breaking It Down

The Commission said the Ministry of Health estimates that four people die by suicide every day, with hundreds of attempts reported annually.

KNCHR said the figures could be significantly higher because of persistent stigma surrounding suicide and the lack of a comprehensive national system for recording and monitoring suicide cases.

The Commission made the disclosure on World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on September 10, under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” and the call to action “Start the Conversation.”

📌 What You Need to Know

KNCHR said the campaign should encourage open conversations about suicide while challenging stigma and discrimination and improving access to mental health and psychosocial support.

“This is not merely a public health crisis; it is a human rights imperative,” the Commission said.

It linked suicide prevention to constitutional protections, including the rights to equality and freedom from discrimination, human dignity and the highest attainable standard of health under Articles 27, 28 and 43 of the Constitution.

The Commission said Kenya had made important progress in moving towards a rights-based approach to mental health, particularly following a landmark High Court decision in January 2025 that declared Section 226 of the Penal Code unconstitutional.

The case was coordinated by KNCHR, the Kenya Psychiatric Association and mental health advocate Charity Muturi, who died before the judgment was delivered.

KNCHR said the decision was an important affirmation that people experiencing mental health distress require care, support and protection rather than punishment.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya