A counsellor in Fiji says traditional parenting styles are not helping curb the concerning suicide rate in the country.
Photo: AFP
This week police issued a public statement appealing to the public to talk more about their issues.
This year there have been 18 reported suicide cases and many more attempts.
Empower Pacific's Lavinia Dakei says there is also a worrying trend of more young people becoming involved.
Ms Dakei says this could be because children are not encouraged to express themselves.
"Because of the cultural traditional values and the influence of the religious and society as a whole, parents are not educating their children to talk or express openly at home so children are triggered to harm themselves."