Just 14% of local authorities have so far put an anti-suicide strategy into place ahead of new suicide prevention legislation set to come into effect on January 1, 2026, broadcaster NOS reported on Wednesday.

Last year, 1,849 people, or an average of five people a day, committed suicide in the Netherlands, according to figures from statistics agency CBS.

A national action plan has been drawn up to help councils meet the new requirements and more are coming forward to sign up, Sanne Leenen, coordinator at the suicide prevention charity Stichting 113 Zelfmoordpreventie, said.

According to Leiden university professor Renske Gilissen, more must be done to encourage openness around suicide, starting in schools. “We must teach children that problems are a fact of life but that there are ways of coping with them,” she told the broadcaster.

Professionals working in the ambulance service, police and debt aid organisations are already being taught techniques to prevent suicides, training that should also be accessible to relatives and close friends, she said.

Some measures councils can implement are practical, such as placing fences or safety nets on high buildings and making access to train tracks more difficult, Gilissen said. “These barriers may cause someone to delay a suicide attempt and the urge may then even subside,” she said.

“We used to have to prove that preventative measures worked but now the government support brings home how urgently they are needed,” Leenen said.

Local authorities have until 2028 to put a strategy into place.

Anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts can call or chat anonymously by calling the helpline 113, or 0800-0113 or online at 113.nl.