The Rwandan organization focusing on health, Health Development Initiative (HDI), has revealed findings from a 2024 study conducted among domestic workers in Kigali City, showing that around 287 individuals reported having had suicidal thoughts.
HDI made this announcement on Wednesday, as Rwanda and the world mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
The study, which surveyed 875 domestic workers in Kigali, found that:
- 287 said they had thought about suicide at some point,
- 84 reported having made plans to end their lives,
- 69 said they had actually attempted suicide.
This means that:
- 32.5% had suicidal thoughts,
- 9.5% had made suicidal plans,
- 7.8% had attempted suicide.
Most of the affected individuals were between the ages of 18 and 26, with women being more at risk than men (35.3% of women compared to 27.5% of men).
Between 2020 and 2023, the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) reported that the number of suicide attempts increased from 1,286 in 2020 to 2,311 in 2023.
Statistics from the Rwanda National Police in 2022 showed that 285 people died by suicide, with many of them reportedly struggling with mental health disorders, chronic illnesses, economic challenges, or relationship problems.
In response, the Rwandan government has implemented various measures to prevent suicide and support those experiencing suicidal thoughts. These include providing mental health counseling services at health centers and hospitals across the country.
World Suicide Prevention Day is observed every year on September 10. It was first marked in 2003, established by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
