Suicides, suicide attempts among children increase by 17% - prosecutors
The number of suicides and suicide attempts this year among children in Ukraine has increased by 17%, juvenile prosecutors are conducting preventive measures to prevent suicidal behavior, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
"According to UNICEF, every year in the world, almost 46 thousand children aged 10 to 19 die from suicide. This is one child every 11 minutes. In 2025, the number of suicides and suicide attempts (in Ukraine - IF-U) among minors increased by 17%. The most vulnerable age category is adolescents 14-16 years old," the department said in a message on its Telegram channel on Tuesday.
The Prosecutor's Office notes that in view of the alarming trends, at the initiative of the Prosecutor General, the Department for the Protection of Children's Interests and Combating Domestic Violence of the Prosecutor General's Office, together with the public organization "Volunteer" and with the support of UNICEF, prepared interactive materials for preventive classes with adolescents.
In addition, on the instructions of the Prosecutor General, juvenile prosecutors conducted almost 3.5 thousand preventive measures in more than 2,000 educational institutions during September 2025.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, more than 116,000 students in grades 6-11 took part in these measures.
"Effective prevention is possible only under the condition of joint responsibility - on the part of parents, teachers, law enforcement agencies and society. Only by joining forces will we be able to create a safe environment for children, where every child will feel heard and protected," the Prosecutor General's Office summarizes.