For instance, in at least eight African countries like Malawi, Nigeria, and Kenya, attempting to commit suicide is against the law.
And rather than preventing people from taking their own lives, this law against suicide may actually encourage it.
By forcing people to cover up the truth of their pain, this law, Criminal Code Chapter 21, Section 229 of the Malawi Penal Code does incalculable harm.
And yet definitive academic studies show that suicide attempts are often cries for help, and that counseling can effectively address the reasons why people attempt suicide, such as depression, conflicts and breakups.
Laws that treat suicide as a criminal, rather than a mental health problem, mean mental health problems get swept under the carpet.
