For Rizwan Javed MBE, suicide prevention is not an abstract idea, it is lived experience.
“I’ll never forget the first time I stepped in to help someone,” he recalls. “It was only two days after I completed the Samaritans suicide prevention course. My heart was racing, I was questioning myself, but I approached them, made small talk, and showed I cared. That moment changed everything for me.”
That single act of courage, rooted in compassion and training, shaped Javed’s mission. He later launched Untangled29, an Instagram account dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging open conversations about mental health. For him, the goal is to break the silence that still grips many communities, especially South Asian families.
“Talking about mental health in our communities can be tough,” he says. “There’s stigma, a belief that you must remain strong and hide emotions. But this stops people from seeking help. We need to start conversations in our own households, create safe spaces, and normalise vulnerability.”
His words cut to the heart of a wider issue. In the UK, more than 5,000 people die by suicide each year, around one life every 90 minutes. It remains the leading cause of death among men under 50 and a major cause of death in young women too. Behind every number is a story of struggle, silence, and often stigma.
And while suicide affects people from every background, research highlights sharp disparities in access to care. People from minority ethnic backgrounds are often less likely to seek mental health support, even though they experience similar or greater levels of distress. For example, studies suggest that Asian and Black communities are underrepresented in mental health services, despite growing evidence that stigma and cultural barriers often make individuals more vulnerable to suffering in silence.
Alicia Nagar, Head of People, Wellbeing and Equity at MHFA England, says this is precisely why culturally tailored strategies are so vital. “Suicide prevention must start with recognising the different experiences and barriers faced by culturally diverse communities,” she explains. “While most people want to help, many lack the confidence, skills, or cultural understanding to have life-saving conversations. This confidence gap can be even wider in communities where stigma is compounded by cultural taboos or fear of judgment.”
She stresses that prevention cannot be a “one-size-fits-all” approach. “By working with trusted community leaders, tailoring support to reflect cultural contexts, and building diverse mental health first aider networks, we can reduce stigma and encourage compassionate dialogue. In workplaces, embedding inclusive training helps colleagues and managers spot warning signs and respond with respect.”
This idea of safe, stigma-free spaces resonates deeply with Javed’s work. “It’s essential to create spaces in our communities for open discussions about mental health,” he says. “When people feel safe and there’s no fear of judgment, they are more likely to share their struggles. Safe spaces give people the courage to seek help and encourage a caring community where everyone feels accepted.”
Globally, the challenge is even starker. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 700,000 people die by suicide every year, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide. For every death, there are likely 20 more suicide attempts, leaving lasting impacts on families, workplaces, and communities. Suicide is preventable, yet prevention often fails because interventions are not accessible, trusted, or culturally relevant.
In the UK, progress has been made. The government has launched national strategies, and charities such as Samaritans, Papyrus, and CALM provide vital lifelines. But campaigners argue that much more needs to be done to tackle cultural stigma and widen access to tailored care. Recent data shows that suicide rates among young people from ethnic minority backgrounds have risen in recent years, underlining the urgency of targeted action.
The workplace, Nagar notes, is one area where early intervention can make a tangible difference. “Inclusive mental health first aid training equips colleagues to support one another with cultural sensitivity. When managers can recognise signs of distress and respond without judgment, it creates a culture of care.”
But beyond workplaces and policies, both experts agree on one truth: prevention begins in everyday interactions. Javed’s story demonstrates that a caring conversation, even a few words of reassurance, can change the course of someone’s life. “Don’t be ashamed of your story,” he urges. “It will inspire others and one day become someone’s coping mechanism.”
The message is clear. Suicide prevention requires empathy, awareness, and training. But above all, it requires cultural sensitivity and understanding that stigma, silence, and shame can weigh more heavily in some communities than others. Tackling these barriers with compassion and inclusivity could mean the difference between despair and hope, between silence and survival.
For policymakers, healthcare leaders, and employers, the task ahead is not simply to roll out more mental health services, but to ensure those services are equitable, accessible, and culturally attuned. Because in the fight against suicide, equity is not just a principle. It saves lives.