When the child labour and exploitation spreads in a given country, that country is sick, eaten by a cancer that destroys its future. In a violent and primitive economy, those who pay the highest price for earning the basic need of any human being, something to feed themselves on and have a little patch to sleep on, while working as slaves, are the children.
In Iran, despite our race for “modernity” and “new technologies” under the Islamic banner of the geriatric ayatollahs, we have sunken into violence and primitive economy. In 1979, we were some 35 million in Iran. In 2016, we are above 80 million and counting. Thus, in forty years, child labour and exploitation has proportionally gone up, but no government policy protects them and no ayatollahs take up their case.
The notion of “Islamic compassion”, so much bragged about by our theocracy and Velayat-e Faqih, does not include caring for the poor and unprotected native children. And it turns to the barbarism when it comes Afghan refugee children.
In a recent and documented article, Hamid Yazdan Panah updates about child labour and exploitation in our country. The English version can be read on the Global Voices website following this link: Where is the outrage over Iran’s exploited children?
The Farsi version, with author’s permission, is to be found in our Farsi section:
غضب همگانی درباره کودکان استثمارشده ایران کجاست؟
Child Labour A Recurring Issue
In Iran, child labour is a recurring issue (see below). It can only be alleviated by citizen vigilance and government’s backing. In Iran, the theocracy cannot care less about it. However, in many towns across the country, there are microscopic groups that do what they can, using their meagre resources to help the children. They tend to stay discreet and to work in the shadows, thus avoiding the wrath and the jealousy from officialdom, that is the local Shiite hierarchy which destroys their lives under false accusations.
Our Farsi translator, before being persecuted as being “the enemy of Islam” – Mohareb -, and becoming a refugee himself, had to answer to a Revolutionary Court for protecting an Afghan refugee family. He was denounced to the authorities by a pious neighbour for a favour.
By publishing this article, we wish to tell all who help the children that they are not lonely. Not much under the circumstances, I am afraid.
Next time you buy fruits, or admire a carpet in bazaar, or pass by a building site, look for the invisible: a frail silhouette with tiny hands at your service.
Albertine Ahmadi
Please find below a few links to the exploited children and child labour issues:
فیلم / مستند یک روز زندگی کودکان کار مشهد
اخراج 760 هزار مهاجر افغان از ایران
دبیرخانه انجمن های مردم نهاد در دزفول تشکیل شود
۱۵۸ کودک خیابانی در شیراز شناسایی شدند
کودکانی که بیش از یک کارگر کار می‌کنند
“کودکان کار” اسیر در دور باطل فقر و بهره‌کشی
سودجویی از نوجوانان کارگر زیر چتر قانون
[irp posts=”5701″ name=”Iran The Grotesque”]
