New Zealand frequently sits at the top when it comes to international rankings in tourism and economics. A new Unicef report has ranked us number one in another global measure. This is not one to celebrate.
New Zealand has topped the global teen suicide rankings, again.
Our position in the world was cemented on Thursday by a Unicef report that called into question the wellbeing of Kiwi kids.
The Innocenti Report found New Zealand's rate for teen suicides (15-19) was the highest of the 41 OECD and EU countries included. We also came in 38th out of 41 countries when it came to overall health and wellbeing of our young people.
New Zealand frequently sits at the top when it comes to international rankings in tourism and economics. A new Unicef report has ranked us number one in another global measure. This is not one to celebrate.
New Zealand has topped the global teen suicide rankings, again.
Our position in the world was cemented on Thursday by a Unicef report that called into question the wellbeing of Kiwi kids.
Kaleb's dad David Hurn says society has created this problem, now it's up to us to find the solution.
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Kaleb's dad David Hurn says society has created this problem, now it's up to us to find the solution.
The Innocenti Report found New Zealand's rate for teen suicides (15-19) was the highest of the 41 OECD and EU countries included. We also came in 38th out of 41 countries when it came to overall health and wellbeing of our young people.
Meanwhile, Portugal topped the list at the right end, with a teen suicide rate of 1.7 per 100,000. Italy and Spain were close behind.
The report put New Zealand's teen suicide rate of 15.6 people per 100,000, based on data from 2010. The rate had dropped slightly from the previous comparable report that used 2005 data but more recent figures show we were now headed in the other direction.
Provisional suicide statistics released by the Coroner's Office, show 51 (16.02 per 100,000) people in the age group died by suicide in the year to June 2016 and 52 (16.41 per 100,000) the previous year.
In an average week two young people would kill themselves, and about 20 young people would be hospitalised for self-harm, according to Youthline.
A lack of social skills and face-to-face interactions, an ingrained fear of failure, a fear of being different, and bullying all played a part.
Hurn said New Zealand would never completely eradicate teen suicide but the rates could be significantly lowered by teaching children a few fundamental things.
"We need to show our kids it's OK to be different… there's nothing wrong with failing and it's OK to make mistakes."
"It's building up that resilience," Hurn said.
Kiwis needed to look in the mirror and start making changes if they wanted to fix the problem.
"We've created what we have, now it's up to us to create what we want."
Hurn's father died recently and a section of his eulogy resonated: "I didn't grow up to be a rocket scientist; I didn't grow up to be prime minister; I grew up to be me, and I'm the best me that I can be."
Suicide, especially teen suicide, has become a high-profile political issue during the past few months given New Zealand's consistently high rates.
The government is in the midst of writing its new national suicide prevention strategy, which is currently out for public consultation. But the strategy was thrown into the limelight for the wrong reasons after mental health advocate and comedian Mike King quit the consultation panel, calling the draft strategy "deeply flawed".
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New Zealand tops the global teen suicide rankings, again.
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