Child Labor

Today, we are facing an increasing phenomenon known as child labor. Child labor deprives children of many of their basic rights. Children who enter the labor market for income are more exposed to violence and physical, psychological, and even sexual harm. Additionally, many of these children are deprived of the right to education and training. According to the International Labour Organization, 250 million children aged 5 to 14 are deprived of childhood each year globally. Of these, 120 million have entered the labor market and are engaged in full-time work. Child labor can include work in factories, mines, prostitution, agriculture, assisting in family businesses, having personal businesses, or unconventional jobs. The most unacceptable forms of child labor are military use of children and child prostitution, while less controversial and usually legal cases include seasonal work during school holidays, work outside school hours, and child acting or singing. Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child calls on the countries party to the Convention to recognize the child's right to be protected against economic exploitation and to engage in any work that is harmful or interrupts their education or is detrimental to their physical, mental, spiritual, moral health, and social development. In paragraph two of this article, member countries are required to create necessary laws and educational and social conditions such as setting a minimum age for work, appropriate regulations for work, and enforcement penalties to ensure compliance with this article. Article 79 of Iran's Labor Law does not recognize the employment of children under 15 years as legal and prohibits it. If an employer hires a child under 15, they are in violation of this law and face a monetary penalty for the first offense, a monetary penalty and imprisonment for the second, and for the third offense, in addition to these penalties, the factory or workshop will be closed, and the work permit of the violator will be revoked. However, this law does not cover workers employed in family workshops where the employer is a spouse or first-degree relatives, which causes many children to fall outside the protection of this law. Additionally, Article 36 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that countries party to the Convention will protect children against all forms of exploitation that endanger any aspect of the child's welfare, and the protection of children and prevention of their exploitation under any name is the responsibility of every individual in society and the government. There are many reasons for child labor, including poverty and poor economic conditions of the family, lack of government support and suitable educational-training facilities, migration, and parental addiction. Among these, migrant children, especially those living 'illegally,' face greater difficulties in accessing basic economic and social services. Evidence shows that migrant child laborers receive lower wages and are exposed to more harm. Countries that are members of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are obliged to protect all children against child labor, including migrant children, and in this regard, governments are required to uphold and respect the interests of the child.