Collective advocacy towards suicide decriminalisation in the Caribbean: The journey so far

By Aastha Sethi, Policy and Advocacy Advisor,Rights

Within the Americas, suicide continues to be criminalised in four Caribbean nations—Grenada, The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, and St. Lucia. This fosters stigma, stops people from seeking help and reinforces discrimination. However, there is growing momentum for stronger suicide prevention across the region. Guyana’s successful decriminalisation of suicide in 2022, followed by a comprehensive suicide prevention plan, has sparked greater support for similar reforms in the rest of the Caribbean, creating a key opportunity to advocate for change.

Building on Guyana’s success, the Caribbean Regional Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Suicide was launched in July 2024 and is working to mobilise advocacy measures to amend or repeal laws that criminalise suicide and suicidal behaviours within the Caribbean. The coalition, mainly comprising civil society organisations from within the Caribbean, joined forces following a workshop on strengthening advocacy for decriminalisation, which UnitedGMH led in partnership with regional civil society organisations (Caricope Wellness, Mindwise TT, and Let’s Unpack it) and key international organisations such as the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Lifeline International, UNICEF, UNDP, and the World Health Organisation.  

After the launch, the coalition members elected a secretariat and formed subcommittees on policy writing, media engagement, advisory support, and fundraising, to drive key priorities essential to advancing the coalition’s impact.

Accelerating change through strategic action

In November 2024, the coalition received programme funding from the USAID IDEA award via a consortium led by the Education Development Centre (EDC) to support decriminalisation efforts in the Caribbean. With EDC’s technical guidance and USAID funding as a catalyst for change, the coalition and UnitedGMH co-designed an advocacy strategy designed to decriminalise suicidal behaviour in St. Lucia, The Bahamas, Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago. Key highlights from the coalition’s 4-phased strategy include:


  • Mobilising and sensitising stakeholders:

The first step towards achieving this legislative change is gaining the support of stakeholders. With support from USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean mission, the coalition will engage and inform key stakeholders—including parliamentarians, religious leaders, government ministries, judiciary members, mental health experts, and academics—through formal consultation meetings in each of the four countries. These consultations will provide the coalition with evidence-based arguments for repealing the criminalisation of suicide and shifting the issue from a  legal to a public health lens, recognising that suicide is a potential symptom of underlying mental health such as temporary distress and economic or social hardships rather than a moral or legal failing. 

  • National Advocacy 

To drive the shift in perception that suicide is a preventable public health issue, the coalition will draft tailored policy positions and conduct a comprehensive legal review for each country to build legislative frameworks for decriminalisation. These will be shared with policymakers and disseminated through national public awareness campaigns (via radio, TV, and news dailies) to ensure public support for repealing this legislation. National advocacy will also help the coalition identify and sensitise policymaker champions who can support the cause to bring about this legal change. 

  • Global and Regional Advocacy

With USAID IDEA’s endorsement, the coalition will advocate for decriminalisation to be spotlighted at key global and regional forums, such as the World Health Assembly and the Pan-American Suicide Prevention Conference. Leading up to the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, global advocacy efforts will aim to ensure that suicide decriminalisation and prevention are included in critical international policy declarations, prioritising action by Caribbean governments.

  • Strategic media engagement:

The coalition will strategically engage with the regional and international media to support all three phases simultaneously. This will be initiated through a media roundtable on ethical reporting of suicide, appealing to local and regional media outlets to highlight decriminalisation as a priority for better mental health outcomes across the Caribbean. Media coverage will be used to raise awareness regarding key messages to reduce stigma and support suicide decriminalisation, disseminate policy positions, and share case studies from other country contexts to develop political will and support for the cause. 

  • Suicide decriminalisation across all four countries:

The expected outcome is a regional shift in the Caribbean’s approach to suicide, transforming it from a criminal issue into a public health priority. This shift will ultimately save lives and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide.

Achievements in 2024

At the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Pan-American Conference in November 2024,  Professor Gerard Hutchinson, an independent senator from Trinidad & Tobago, endorsed the coalition’s efforts and urged fellow policymakers to prioritise suicide prevention, starting with changing this discriminatory legislation.

At the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Pan-American Conference, the coalition and UnitedGMH co-hosted a crucial workshop on the importance of policy change for suicide prevention in the Caribbean. This workshop helped define clear post-decriminalisation goals, focusing on strengthening suicide prevention programs. Key recommendations included holding first responders accountable through defined roles and empathy training for healthcare workers and police. Participants also highlighted the importance of policies such as regulating lethal means of suicide, like pesticides and expanding mental health support and crisis intervention services. These steps are essential to building a stronger frontline response and ensuring effective suicide prevention.

In 2025, through continued collective action and shared advocacy, the Caribbean coalition will push forward with this strategy, integrating suicide prevention into mental healthcare systems in a stigma-free, rights-based approach.

Be a part of the movement!

To learn more about the coalition’s ongoing work and to join one of the sub-committees, follow this link or write to us at csdcsecretariat@gmail.com

Join the GMHAN suicide decriminalisation working group here.