Rising Suicides Among Children Under Eighteen; Linked to Economic Poverty and Social Issues

Hengaw; Friday, September 1st, 2023.

The suicide rate among individuals under the age of 18 in the cities of Kurdistan has reached a concerning level. In just the past eighteen days of the previous month, there were at least 13 recorded cases of suicide in this age group.
 

According to the report received by the Hengaw Organization For Human Rights, From the 14th of August 2023 to the 31st of the same month, there have been at least thirteen cases of suicide among children and teenagers under the age of 18 in the cities of Dalahu, Kamyaran, Oshnavieh (Shno), Sardasht, Divandarreh, Urmia, Ravansar, Bukan, and Salas-e Babajani.

Based on these statistics, the average age of individuals who have committed suicide is 15 years old. Amongst the cities, Kamyaran, Oshnavieh, Sardasht, and Dalahu are at the forefront, each having recorded two cases.
 

Among the individuals on this list, the two youngest victims were 12-year-old girls from Divandarreh and Sardasht. Their tragic suicides were the result of family conflicts and mental health disorders.
 

Regarding the reasons and motivations behind these individuals' suicides, there have been eight cases linked to intra-family disputes, including one victim of child marriage. Additionally, three cases have been attributed to mental disorders, while two cases remain ambiguous, pending further investigation.
 

It should be noted that Hengaw has verified the complete identities of all 13 of these children.