158 Child Laborers Identified in North Khorasan

The Deputy Director of Social Affairs at the General Department of Welfare in North Khorasan announced the identification of 158 child laborers since the beginning of the current year.

According to statements by “Hossein Khalilzadeh,” these children are engaged in street vending and commercial activities on streets and public thoroughfares. The support organization, in its initial phase, identifies the guardians of these children and communicates with their families regarding child labor in order to prevent them from continuing this practice.

He added that child laborers who lack family guardians or have inadequate guardianship will be placed in children and adolescent homes across the province. According to his statements, there are 15 centers in North Khorasan, including one infant care facility and 14 childcare homes for children ages three to eighteen, which currently provide care for approximately 220 children and adolescents.

Hossein Khalilzadeh announced that among the 158 identified child laborers, the families of 120 of them have been identified. Unfortunately, these families are in dire economic conditions and are forced to send their children to street vending and begging to make a living.

Khalilzadeh, while expressing that organizing these children falls beyond the sole capacity of this support organization, added: “In this regard, cooperation from various organizations and agencies is essential so that after identification, these children can be enrolled in schools and financial assistance can be provided to their families. Furthermore, to prevent child labor in certain cases, this support organization also provides employment facilitation assistance to their families.”