A round table discussion on “Combating Suicide with Care and Compassion” was hosted by the Women’s Wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind – Vasco at Hotel Supreme hall on 20 September. Mrs Salma Makandar began by reciting verses of the Qur’ān; it was followed by the Inaugural address by Mrs. Shaistha Shah, President Women’s Wing JIH Vasco. She said the ever increasing cases of suicide among teenagers especially girls and a housewife in Goa were a matter of grave concern that needed to be addressed.
The host for the Round- table discussion was Mrs. Sameema Asif, Administrator “Aashiyana Home“. The discussion revolved around identifying the vulnerable sections of the population who attempt suicide, identifying the factors and reasons that lead an individual to take this step and defining the roles that stakeholders can play in prevention of suicide.
Mrs. Asif raised the question of the impact of suicide on an individual family as well as the whole society. The discussion also touched upon the different approaches that social organisations have adopted to tackle the issue of prevention.
A purposeless life without higher goals and lack of direction in life was identified as the root causes which then are expressed in the form of depression and failed marital relationships. Among the teenagers lack of parental guidance accompanied with the parental pressure to perform beyond their natural abilities was the main reason for them to attempt suicide. Emphasis on material life and physical beauty rather than inner strength and religiosity leads people to gauge success in life on material parameters which is always beyond human control. The ups and downs in life are but natural but the changed sociological environment and lifestyle has disconnected people from this reality. The desire for a life without difficulties is like asking for the sun without light.
Mrs Shaheen Khan, President Women’s Wing JIH Mapusa, referring to the Durkheim’s Hypothesis that religion itself is important as an independent factor in studying suicide, said that several studies have shown that the rate of suicide among religious people especially Muslims is the least. She said that a cross national analysis has shown that Islam does have an independent effect in curbing suicidal tendencies. She went on to give examples from the Muslim world that many of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) were severely oppressed and deprived of basic rights but none of them was depressed or considered life a failure. She said what governed their lives was a proper understanding of life and its purpose. And as long as one is involved in fulfilling that divine purpose in life he or she shall not be disturbed by the difficulties and challenging situations of life. She said it is because people do not have any divinely ordained plan for their lives and live by man-made, self-defined and socially imposed criteria of success that they are vulnerable and prone to suicidal tendencies.
Mrs. Tafsin Shaikh compered the programme and proposed the vote of thanks.