2019 Statelessness & Citizenship Review 1(1) and erasure — that they have now faced for decades. Many Bidoons carry intergenerational traumas; COVID-19 has made these struggles worse. This is compounded by a lack of access to proper mental health care, which is a challenge for most people in Kuwait. 40 In addition to cultural stigma and a lack of education on mental illnesses, there are difficulties in accessing proper care. The Kuwait public hospital for psychiatric and psychological care is not equipped to handle large numbers of patients. 41 Many people seek care in private mental health clinics, which are expensive even for citizens with average incomes. 42 This makes them inaccessible for many Bidoons who already struggle financially. The Bidoon must manage an already grave mental health crisis, but this was exacerbated by COVID-19. During the pandemic, Bidoon suicides increased, reaching at least five within a period of 12 months, from one or two yearly. 43 In February 2021, a 12-year-old boy, Ali Khaled, died by suicide in his home in Sulaibiya. 44 Within the series of suicides that have taken place, this case involved a child, which shocked many people. 45 While the Bidoon community and public were mourning his tragic death and expressing their outrage at the state actions and inaction that led to a child’s suicide, a 26-year-old Bidoon man, Yaqoub Abdullah, died by suicide a month after Ali Khaled’s death. 46 Suicide rates among the Bidoon have been deeply troubling over the last two to three years, with others experiencing suicidal ideations and failed attempts. 47 However, the Government has continued its previous policies, ignoring the severe impacts they have had on the Bidoon. RECENT DEBATES ON THE STATUS OF THE BIDOON When the pandemic started, medical staff were key frontline workers in every country. In Kuwait, some of these workers are Bidoon, many of whom are employed by the Ministry of Health with no benefits and comparatively lower salaries than their colleagues. 48 Bidoon medical workers are barred from joining residency programs to specialise, while there are also Bidoon medical graduates 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Conversation with Bidoon activists (n 11). Hind Almazeedi and Mohammad T Alsuwaidan, ‘Integrating Kuwait’s Mental Health System to End Stigma: A Call to Action’ (2014) 23(1) Journal of Mental Health 1, 1–3. Conversation with Bidoon activists (n 11). This observation was made by the author in the course of her research. Nadda Osman, ‘Outcry in Kuwait over Suicide of Stateless Bidoon Child’, Middle East Eye (online, 23 February 2021) <https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/suicide-stateless-bidoonchild-kuwait-prompts-outcry-online>. ibid. Khitam Al Amir, ‘Kuwait: Young “Bidoon” Man Hangs Himself from a Tree’, Gulf News (online, 28 March 2021) <https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/kuwait-young-bidoonman-hangs-himself-from-a-tree-1.78170152>. ‘Kuwait: Rising Signs of Despair Among Bidun Highlight Cruelty of Draft Law’ (Public Statement, Amnesty International 21 November 2019) <https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1713622019ENGLISH.pdf>. Conversation with Bidoon activists (n 11). This phenomenon has also been observed by the author in the course of her research. 128