Suicide in Kazakhstan is a very common cause of unnatural death in the country and a long term social issue. According to the 2011 report of World Health Organization, of all the people reported dead due to suicide worldwide every year, 3.23% belong to Kazakhstan.[1] Suicide of teenaged and young aged people is a big issue in the country.[2] In the age group of 15-49 year olds, suicide makes up for 12.2% of all deaths in Kazakhstan.[3]

Statistics

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The country has highest number of recorded suicides among girls aged 15 to 19, and for boys, it is the second highest after Russia. A UNICEF report of 2009 shows, between 1999 and 2008 the number of suicides among young people of the country increased by 23%.[2]

According to Raisa Sher, head of the country's education ministry's child protection committee, there are several factors behind such high rates of suicide among people of a young age, such as:[2]

  • School bullying
  • Absence or loss of values
  • Falling standards of social behavior
  • Alienation
Number of suicides by age group, Kazakhstan, 2008 & 2015 comparison
Age (years) 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-54 55-74 75+ All
2008 85 896 1012 1395 476 133 4009
2015 43 439 711 1137 428 114 2872
Change -49.4% -51.0% -29.7% -18.5% -10.1% -14.3% -28.4%
Source: World Health Organization[4][5]
Number of suicides by age group and gender. Kazakhstan, 2008
Age (years) 5–14 15–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65–74 75+ All
Males 66 657 860 656 522 240 143 86 3241
Females 19 239 152 120 97 52 41 47 768
Total 85 896 1012 776 619 292 184 133 4009
Source: World Health Organization[5]

Youth suicide

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According to UNICEF and World Health Organization data, Kazakhstan has the highest suicide level among people aged 15 to 19 in the world.[6] Kazakhstan was 2nd worldwide for suicide among teenage boys, and 1st among suicide for teenage girls.

According to a UNICEF study conducted in five Kazakhstani cities with 1700 teenagers, social issues, family problems and a lack of support were among the main reasons for teenage suicide. According to the study, Kazakhstani parents spend only 20 minutes of 'quality time' with their children a day.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Suicide rate". Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Kazakhstan: Concerns Over Adolescent Suicides". UNHCR. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  3. ^ tengrinews.kz (2014-09-28). "Kazakhstan and Turkey show highest suicide rates among 15-19 y.o. youth". Главные новости Казахстана - Tengrinews.kz. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  4. ^ "Kazakhstan Suicides by age group 2015" (PDF).
  5. ^ a b "Suicide rates (per 100,000), by gender, Kazakhstan, 1981-2008" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  6. ^ "Kazakhstan and Turkey show highest suicide rates among 15-19 y.o. youth". Tengrinews.kz. 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2019-05-03.
  7. ^ "Alarming proportions of child and youth suicide in Kazakhstan". Tengrinews.kz. 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2019-07-01.