The Islamic Republic's systematic violation of children's rights by sending them to war zones

New reports once again show that the organized violation of children's rights in the form of Pathways to Light camps has become a tool for advancing the Islamic Republic's ideological policies.

Contrary to Iran's official commitments in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international laws prohibiting the participation of children in military activities, new reports show that the deployment of students to war zones and operational areas in the country has intensified this year.

According to recent reports on social media, at least 210 students from Qom, Semnan (Sorkheh), Yazd (Khatam) and Parand in Robat Karim have been sent to so-called “Paths of Light” camps in recent days. In addition, official statistics indicate that 10,000 male and female students from Qom province have been sent to these areas since the beginning of this year alone, a statistic that has raised more concerns among human rights organizations than ever before.

According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, 90 male students from Khatam city have left for the southern regions of the country in a four-day convoy. The commander of the Khatam Resistance Corps has announced that the students will visit Abadan, Khorramshahr, Arvandrud, and Hoveyzeh (areas where the effects of the war are still evident).

In another report, state media reported, without specifying the exact number, that a group of students from Qom had been sent to the areas of war operations. It was also reported from Robat Karim that 120 male students from the city of Parand had been sent to the "areas of war operations of the Eight-Year War" in another convoy.

In the city of Sorkheh, a group of students have also been sent to similar camps, according to Basij-affiliated media. The head of the Sorkheh camp organization has refused to provide statistics, emphasizing that this is the "second phase" of the deployment this year, which raises questions about the true scale of this ideological operation.

It should be noted that, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, individuals under the age of 18 are considered children and their use in military activities is prohibited. Iran, which has been a signatory to this convention since 1994, has violated its obligations in areas such as child labor, judicial punishments, marriage, and military training.

However, human rights organizations have repeatedly emphasized that the Path of Light camps, especially for students who are considered underage, include: "exposure to violent scenes and remnants of war, receiving ideological and paramilitary training, presence in unsafe areas, and unwanted exposure to political propaganda," which is a clear example of the instrumental use of children for the militaristic goals of the Islamic Republic.

In addition to the legal aspects, the bitter history of numerous incidents in these camps (including bus overturns that have resulted in the deaths and injuries of students in recent years) has always been criticized by families and children's rights activists.

Despite these warnings, the government continues to emphasize increasing these deployments, a move that, despite the precarious economic and social situation, demonstrates a dangerous and ideological prioritization.

Educational and sociological experts emphasize that placing children and adolescents in real war environments has long-term effects on their mental health, their view of violence, and their worldview. However, the Islamic Republic government presents this program as part of “raising a revolutionary generation.”

This is despite the fact that Christian, Baha'i, Sunni and other minority families have repeatedly complained in recent years about religious and ideological pressures in schools, forced participation in government programs and educational restrictions. The forced or semi-forced sending of students to war zones is considered part of this set of controlling policies that violate children's rights and have turned the country's educational environment into a tool in the service of official ideology.