Iranian Official: 85% of child laborers in Tehran are Afghan migrants

Ali Kazemi, the Secretary of Iran’s National Child Rights Authority, stated that out of the 3,200 identified child laborers in Tehran, 85% are foreign nationals.

He added that undocumented children have been deported from Iran, and the country’s laws have been emphasized to other children.

On Saturday, October 12, in an interview with an Iranian media outlet, Kazemi explained that a lack of education and financial difficulties forced these children to work on the streets of Tehran.

He further mentioned that the Bureau of Foreign Nationals had deported undocumented child labourers due to violations of national laws regarding children. Although Kazemi did not specify the nationality of the undocumented children, Iranian authorities often use the term “undocumented nationals” to refer to Afghan migrants without residency permits.

Kazemi also highlighted that depriving children of education and forcing them to work on the streets is criminalized in Iran. He noted that those who fail to follow the law may have their residency permits revoked by the Bureau of Foreign Nationals and could be sent back to their home countries.

This comes amid an intensified crackdown on Afghan migrants by the Iranian government. On October 9, the commander of East Tehran’s police force announced that at least 500 undocumented migrants are rounded up and deported daily from the province.

The ongoing deportation of undocumented children, particularly Afghan migrants, underscores the growing humanitarian challenges faced by vulnerable populations in Iran.

With limited access to education and economic hardship pushing children into labor, the need for protective measures becomes more urgent, especially in ensuring the rights and well-being of these displaced communities.

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