Parliament votes to decriminalise attempted suicide

Parliament votes to decriminalise attempted suicide

The Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, amended sections of the Criminal Offenses Act of 1960.

The amendment decriminalises attempted suicide.

By this decision, any person who attempts to take his own life will be considered a mental health issue requiring assistance by law.

In recent years, some Ghanaian health personnel have been calling for the amendment of the Criminal Offenses Act of 1960.

They argue that attempted suicide is a medical condition that needs health support rather than imprisonment.

However, the calls were met with resistance from some Members of Parliament who wholly disagree with the move.

In 2019, Haruna Iddrisu, the former Minority Leader, referred to an attempt to end one’s life as inappropriate behaviour that ought to be punished and discouraged.

According to him, criminalising an attempt to commit suicide would go a long way to discourage Ghanaians, especially the youth, to appreciate that there was no reward in killing oneself.

Every year, more than 1,500 suicide instances are reported across the country.

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