Media Must Follow WHO Guidelines While Reporting Suicides: Panel

Panaji: Taking exception to media reportage of suicides by minors in the state, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Wednesday asked media houses to stick to WHO guidelines while reporting on suicide by students.

"The Commission has taken suo-moto action of the news item regarding suicide of a student from Bicholim which has appeared today. We are disturbed by the media reporting of suicide in all dailies," the Commission's chairperson Sushma Kirtani said in a statement.

"As per WHO guidelines, media is not supposed to report in detail such information as it is detrimental to children reading it. It can also lead to copycat suicides or threatening to parents for trying to instill discipline (in their children)," the statement also said, reacting to the death of a student from Bicholim town, located 25 km from Panaji.

The guidelines caution against irresponsible reportage vis a vis suicides, which the World Health Organisation claims can trigger similar fatal tendencies in vulnerable persons, including those with mental health problems.

According to official statistics, more than 1,000 persons committed suicide in Goa from 2014-17. Nearly 25 per cent of the suicides are linked to depression, frustration or stress, according to the Goa Police department.