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Migrant Rights Statistics

Suicide

56% of all suicides

in Kuwait in 2013 were committed by domestic workers

81% of all suicide cases involved South Asian migrant, and the other 19% were African migrants. 75% committed suicide by hanging, 12.5% by pesticide and 12.5% by jumping off a building.

66%

of suicides committed in Saudi Arabia in 2013 were committed by non-Saudis.

37% of suicide cases involved Ethiopian female domestic workers
55% of suicide cases involved domestic workers
58% of suicide cases involved male migrants
83% of cases involved hangings.

700 suicides

were reported amongst Indian migrants in the UAE from 2007 to 2013.

According to the Indian embassy, at least 100 Indians commit suicide in the UAE every year since 2011. In 2008 alone, the number of suicide cases reached 176.

44

Nepali workers have committed suicide in Qatar since 2010.

A Nepali newspaper reported that 12 nationals committed suicide in Qatar between 2013 and 2014.

60 +

migrants committed suicide in Bahrain in 2013.

34

Indian migrants committed suicide in Oman in 2014.

54 committed suicide in 2013, and 62 in 2012.

Closing Statement

Local media reports often explain away suicides as a result of "family problems" at home. The striking number of suicides amongst the Gulf's low-income migrant workers, and amongst domestic workers in particular, indicates that factors relating to their employment conditions are more likely at work. Aside from abuse and over-work that affects many migrant workers, domestic workers in particular are vulnerable to depression due to their isolation.

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