FORCED MARRIAGE IN AFGHANISTAN: A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION AND A MODIFIABLE SUICIDE RISK FACTOR IN WOMEN`

Background: Suicide is among the leading causes of death in women worldwide. Afghan women were reported to have the lowest suicide rates in the world in 1960s; however, the rates have increased substantially in the past decades. This increase in suicide rate for other reasons overshadows the number of suicides that have been observed historically for decades in the wake of forced marriage; nevertheless, Afghan women still commit suicide to avoid forced marriages. Method: naturalistic observational report of copycat suicides in one of the northern provinces of Afghanistan. Results: In this particular region of Afghanistan, every year three to four women take their own lives by jumping from a bridge (ironically name “Bridge of Friends”). Conclusion: Suicide is an increasingly common public health burden in Afghanistan especially in women; forced marriages are can predispose women to taking their lives. Copycat suicides are among few instances where a public education and assistance can be effective in lowering the rate of suicide. We advocate that improving women’s rights would not only improve their quality of life, but also could be a suicide prevention method in this select vulnerable population in Afghanistan. We also discuss the challenges in studying suicide in Afghan women.