Capacity Building of Village Health Support Groups on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Cambodia

WHO requires the successful bidder, to carry out  Capacity Building of Village Health Support Groups on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Cambodia. The purpose of this Agreement for Performance of Work (APW) is to deliver targeted capacity-building trainings based on and adapted from the WHO’s LIVE-LIFE initiative and other mental health guidance village chiefs and Village Health Support Groups (VHSGs) in Cambodia using participatory and context-sensitive approaches; and to support provincial teams to plan for community-based awareness campaigns and consultation sessions to improve public understanding of mental health and psychosocial issues.

Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, claiming over 700,000 lives annually, with countless more attempting it (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). In Cambodia, suicide remains a serious and growing public health concern, with nearly 873 recorded deaths in 2022, (Cambodian National Police, 2022; Progress Health Atlas, 2019) and according to official WHO estimates, in 2019, there were 5.5% age-standardized suicide rates of all ages per 100,000 Cambodian population annually (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026643 Suicide worldwide in 2019: global health estimates, World Health Organization 2021).

It is a complex phenomenon influenced by a combination of psychological, social, cultural, economic, and biological factors. Consequently, a multifaceted approach, including psychosocial support, is essential in suicide prevention strategies.

Psychosocial support refers to a broad range of processes and interventions that address the interrelated psychological and social needs of individuals, families, and communities. It encompasses various forms of assistance, including individual and group counselling, peer support networks, psychoeducation, social integration activities, and community-based mental health programs. These interventions are particularly important in contexts of adversity—such as poverty, conflict, disaster, trauma, or chronic illness—where individuals often face emotional distress, loss of social functioning, and disruptions in daily life.