Organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), World Suicide Prevention Day will be observed on Monday, September 10. The event is a global observance that seeks to prevent further cases of suicide and raise awareness among the public that it is preventable.

The IASP has an initiative called “Take a Minute,” where people are encouraged to take a minute to reach out to a friend, family member, or colleague.

“Individuals who have survived a suicide attempt have much to teach us about how the words and actions of others can be important,” the organization said in a bulletin. “Many of them are now working as advocates for suicide prevention and have informed resources which are now readily available.”

According to the WHO Representative Office in the Philippines, in 2012, the Philippines had the lowest suicide rate in the western Pacific region; however, the country has since seen an increase in its suicide rate.

The report said disasters are among “risk factors which increase a person’s vulnerability to consider suicide.”/WDJ