Sharp decline in workers’ suicides in Sharjah

The number of workers committing suicide has dropped in Sharjah, thanks to the new labour rules. Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Press conference held to announce the May Day programmes, Y.A. Rahim, President of the Indian Association of Sharjah, said that the number of suicides has been reduced over the last two years in Sharjah. Previously, there were five or six cases of suicide every month, but during the last year the have been only one or two cases each month, at most, have been reported. According to him most suicide cases occurred due to financial issues such as late payments, ill-treatment by employers, illness, lack of medical insurance, poor accommodation and lack of entertainment. He attributed the sharp drop in suicides to the new labour law that force employers to deposit salaries of their labourers into their accounts, as well as improvements in their living conditions. There are now zero reported protests by labourers, largely due to effective labour laws that ensure on-time payments and protect them from exploitation by employers. The Indian Association in Sharjah, working in coordination with the Indian consulate, repatriates bodies of deceased workers by using the Indian Community Welfare Fund. He also noted that the efforts and initiatives being undertaken by the LSDA will play a significant role in reducing the number of suicide cases to labourers. The LSDA is working to ensure happiness and a decent life for labourers who work hard to achieve developments in the UAE. “At least they would feel that someone is looking after them,” he said, adding that 400 workers from Sharjah will benefit from the three-day event.