In Tajikistan, there has been a rise in cases where young mothers with multiple children take their own lives, sometimes together with their children. Experts see this not as madness, but as an extreme form of despair and a protest against harsh family and social realities. Specialists say the main triggers include conflicts with in-laws, patriarchal traditions, economic dependence, early marriage, domestic violence, and lack of support.
Tajikistan ranks among the countries with the lowest suicide rates globally, including among women, and has one of the lowest rates in Central Asia. Yet experts say it is not the number of cases but the manner in which women are taking their lives that is cause for concern.
According to specialists, women are increasingly resorting to desperate, public acts of suicide — a trend they say should serve as a warning to both the government and society.
Official data lists mental disorders, family conflicts, and poverty as the main causes of female suicides. However, research indicates that the root problem is often not medical in nature but tied to severe life hardships and domestic circumstances.
“Self-immolation was, in a sense, a public act of protest. In 40% of cases, suicides were demonstrative or intended as a form of blackmail. The women aimed to draw attention to their plight and highlight the unbearable conditions of their lives,” said Davron Muhammadiyev, Doctor of Sciences in Medicine and author of the study.
While self-immolation was once the most common method, today women more often drown themselves.
Ongoing conflicts with in-laws, especially mothers-in-law, patriarchal traditions, economic dependence, and lack of support remain the main causes.
According to psychologist Nisso Azizova, women who take their children with them often believe that without their mother, the children will suffer more.
Sociologist Gulnora Beknazarova adds that many in such situations see no future even for their children.
Experts list early marriage, domestic violence, having many children without personal choice, and lack of education or employment as key risk factors. Condemnation alone does not solve the problem — it can deepen isolation.
Davron Muhammadiyev stresses the need for a comprehensive approach: involving religious leaders and community elders, reviving women’s councils, ensuring responsible media coverage, and introducing preventive technical measures like protective barriers on bridges. Without systemic action, such tragedies will continue.
