Child Labour in Iran

 

Child Labour in Iran

You can find useful information about Child Labour in Iran in the above Motion Graphic. The text below will give you additional information.

Child labour is generally the product of a society’s dysfunctional and unfair socio-economic structure. Child labourers come from environments where there is economic poverty, neglect or a lack of guardianship due to a variety of circumstances including parental addiction, illness or disability, imprisonment, death, divorce or other problems that necessitate children working for the livelihood and survival of themselves and their families.‎Early entry to the work environment through family members, gangs or exploitative groups exposes child labourers to various forms of exploitation, abuse, violence and misconduct that will affect the rest of their lives.

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Introduction

Kameel Ahmady is a British-Iranian researcher working in the field of social anthropology, with a particular focus on gender, children, ethnic minorities, and child labour. Kameel was born in Iranian Kurdistan (also known as East Kurdistan). He obtained his Master’s degree in Social Anthropology and Visual Ethnography from the University of Kent, UK. His academic pursuits include specialized courses in Middle Eastern Politics and Research Methods from other British institutions. Known for studying harmful traditions, Ahmady serves as both a supervisor and developer for his teamwork research publications in Farsi, Kurdish, and English. In 2017, he was honoured with “Honour” prize by the UK based IKWRO organization at the University of Law in London. Subsequently, in 2018, at George Washington University, Global P.E.A.C.E. foundation bestowed upon him the “Literature and Humanities” award in recognition of his contributions to the field. Among his group works are titles such as ” Conformity and Resistance in Mahabad,” ” Another Look at East and Southeast of Turkey,” “In the Name of Tradition,” “A House on Water,” “The Echo of Silence,” ” Traces of Exploitation in Childhood,” and more….

FAQ About Child Labour

  • Who is the working child? In sociological discussions, the term ‘working child’ refers to a child who is compelled to work at a challenging job for an extended period because of their family’s financial need, the addiction of a parent or protector, or the absence of a head of household.
  • What are the working child’s characteristics? The working child is usually living without the protection and care of parents and social institutions, in the most difficult conditions, and is vulnerable to various types of violence and abuse by employers, peers and the adults around them. They are usually deprived of proper nutrition, physical and mental health, and formal and institutional education.
  • What are the causes of child labour in Iran? The dysfunctional and unfair socio-economic structure of a society is typically the cause of child labour. Parental addiction, illness or disability, imprisonment, death and divorce, and other family conditions may mean that children must work inhumane jobs to support themselves and their families. Child labourers are commonly neglected or left without caretakers. They are exposed to various forms of exploitation and abuse through early entry to society from family members, gangs, or groups that systematically exploit people. They also suffer from violence and damaging behaviours that negatively affect their futures. Therefore, because of the incompetence of authorities, problematic economic policies and a lack of necessary protections, children are exposed to various forms of psychological, physical and sexual harm.
  • What are the statistics, and how many children in Iran are considered scavengers? Even though there are more than a million working children in Iran, no precise and convincing data exist in this regard due to political and ideological sensitivities. According to some statistics, Tehran is home to 20,000 working children, 4,000 of whom are scavenger children.
  • Are there legal definitions of child labour? The ILO defines ‘child labour’ as economic activities that have the potential to negatively impact children’s physical, mental, moral or social health as well as their abilities to learn. These situations include when children are compelled to drop out of school, fail to enrol from the start due to financial or cultural hardship, or are required to work and study for long periods each day. All of these situations involve violations of a child’s fundamental rights, including the right to play, the right to an education and the right to a free education. As a result, anyone under the age of 18 who is in these situations will fall under the definition of ‘child labourer’.