Spread of Coronavirus in Iran and Special Threat to Child Laborers amid Government Institution Inaction

With the onset and spread of coronavirus in Iran, the situation of child laborers is facing a special risk; children whose numbers, according to statistics announced by Iranian media, are at least 500,000 across the country, of which over 98 percent are breadwinners for their families.

Hamed Farmand, a child rights activist, said on Tuesday, March 17, in an interview with Voice of America, referring to the fact that child laborers are a group of children engaged in activities on the streets, workshops, or mines: These children can be carriers of coronavirus to their homes, homes that from the perspective of health infrastructure have been exposed to serious harm, and these children can expose not only themselves but also their parents to the risk of contracting this virus.

This child activist also said: The public health situation of these children, who are in a vulnerable group in society, is currently under serious threat due to the unsafe living environment, their work, and inadequate health conditions.

While the Iranian government has not taken the necessary preventive measures to support this section of society since the spread of coronavirus, some civil organizations have started working in recent days to support these children and provide necessary training to some children to prevent them from contracting this virus.

In this regard, Hamed Farmand told Voice of America: Government institutions not only do not help child laborers in the current situation, but by implementing plans such as collecting street children, they cause double harm to this section of society.

This child rights activist described public support for civil organizations opposed to the child collection plan as an initial executive step as a civic responsibility, and called on the Iranian people to support these organizations whose activities are in line with the Child Rights Convention so that a positive step can be taken to support child laborers and street children.

Source: Voice of America