Rate of suicides in Kuwait have been on the rise over the last couple of years, with latest data revealing a 50 percent increase in suicides since 2020. New figures collated from data available with the ministries of interior and health, which show that 25 people took their own lives in the first 75 days of the year, underlines the increasing trend among sections of the public to end their lives prematurely.
A breakdown of data on suicides in the country since the start of 2022 untl 15 March presents a grim picture — 80 percent of those taking their own lives in this period were men; the majority were Asians; and 60 percent were Indians. Nationals accounted for 8 percent of those committing suicide.
Even more painful is that a growing number of young people are deciding to end their lives. Available figures confirm this, with data showing that young people falling in the age group of 19 to 35 constituted 60 percent of those committing suicide within the above review period; those between 36 and 65 years constituted 36 percent of the suicides.
The rising number of suicides in the country has become a matter of growing concern among social workers, civil society organizations and health authorities. In a belated but nevertheless welcome move, the Kuwait Sociologists Association, with support from the government and related civil society organizations, has launched an awareness-raising campaign under the slogan ‘Your life is dear – Suicides, Challenges and Treatments’.
The campaign, being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior, aims to raise awareness in society about the growing suicidal tendencies and to discuss the reasons behind the increasing number of suicides among young people in Kuwait, especially during the Corona pandemic.
The initiative, which has garnered the support of psychologists and other related specialists, aims to provide psychological and social support to citizens and residents, confront negative thoughts that lead to suicide, and undertake efforts to reduce and eliminate such tendencies.
Clarifying on the issue, the head of the Preventive Psychological Committee, Dr. Wafa Al-Arada, said: “Suicide is a serious global phenomenon for public health, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 800,000 people around the world, mainly those in the age group of 15 to 29 years, and the elderly, die prematurely each year as a result of suicide. She noted that though suicide is also the second largest cause of death worldwide, it is not considered a phenomena in Kuwait, but rather as a problem that needs to be addressed and solutions found.
For his part, the Assistant Director-General of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Security, Brigadier Mubarak Marji, said, “Security and safety occupy a prominent place in our contemporary society, due to their connection to our daily lives, including the safety of lives, tranquility of souls, and integrity of behavior,” stressing that “human life is dear and precious, and it is a great blessing from God, and that the phenomenon of suicide, which has recently increased in numbers threatens this blessing and requires confronting it.”