End of Discrimination Against Afghan Children Residing in Iran?

Hundreds of thousands of Afghan migrant children residing in Iran are deprived of the right to education, and this issue has become a significant social problem in the country. The recent decision by the government to eliminate tuition fees for Afghan children in public schools, along with Ayatollah Khamenei's stance on the enrollment of Afghan migrant children (both legal and illegal) in schools, are seen as positive signs of a changing perspective regarding the education of migrant children in Iran. However, the fundamental question is how much these actions and approaches will genuinely change the educational system in Iran towards the non-discriminatory acceptance of migrant children. For over 30 years, migrant families have struggled with numerous legal, administrative, social, and cultural problems, and discrimination and a contemptuous view of migrant groups have become part of the political, administrative, and public culture in Iranian society. Education is one of the critical areas where the most discriminatory interactions with migrant families, especially Afghans, occur. Afghan children residing in Iran are victims of humiliating and inhumane policies and interactions that are rarely reflected in the media and public opinion in Iran. The discrimination and barriers lead many of these children and youth to experience a bitter and painful childhood and numerous frustrations. According to official data from the Statistical Center of Iran, the population of Afghan migrants in the 2011 census was about 1.5 million, with over 550,000 of them of school age. Although this statistic does not reflect all demographic realities of Afghan migrants in Iran, it clearly reveals the quantitative dimensions of Afghan youth's presence in Iran. A significant portion of these children and other illegal migrants of school age do not enter the educational system or abandon their studies due to problems, neglect, and discrimination. The head of the board of the Refugee Women and Children Support Association (Hami) speaks of 300,000 to 450,000 Afghan children who are out of education (IRNA, September 2, 2014). Migrant children and youth are the first and largest victims of government policy against migrants and also of unofficial actions and xenophobic behaviors of public opinion. The refusal to issue birth certificates or residence cards, charging tuition and extra fees from migrant families in public schools, establishing special schools for migrants, openly refusing to enroll in public schools, excessive expulsions, or discriminatory behaviors within educational environments, and pressures from some Iranian families to not accept migrant children in schools are part of the daily realities of migrant children's lives in Iran. The xenophobic atmosphere in schools and administrative and financial barriers make continuing education practically unbearable or impossible for a large portion of these children. While according to international charters and covenants, all children in the world, regardless of family status, race, religion, nationality, or ethnic affiliation, have the right to education in their place of residence. The Iranian Constitution also recognizes the principle of compulsory education for all children. This means that no child can be deprived of education due to their family's status and nationality. Some officials have attempted over the years to relate the issue of education for Afghan migrant children to the United Nations or to encourage migrants to return by depriving them of educational, administrative, and health facilities. In the view of a significant portion of them, Afghan migrants are considered 'refugees,' and their presence in Iran is temporary due to the specific conditions in Afghanistan. Such understanding and policy, which means holding the education of children hostage and depriving them of their natural rights, is not only illegal and inhumane but will also have very negative long-term consequences for Iranian society. All international experiences show that over time and with the prolongation of the migration experience, the possibility of migrant groups returning to their homeland significantly decreases. Migrants, despite difficulties, connect with the new society in countless ways and simultaneously distance themselves from their mother society. The return to the homeland, in the psychology of many, exists more as an illusion or dream and less as a real project. It is from this important reality that immigrant-receiving countries around the world strive to accelerate the integration processes of migrant groups and prevent their isolation and marginalization. The current experience of the diaspora (Iranians residing in other countries) and their establishment in many countries is a clear example of this trend. Millions of Iranians have left their homeland over the past four decades and settled in various parts of the world. Very few among them may one day return to Iran, and their children belong more to the society in which they live than to Iran. They have been able to legally access their right to education, enroll in schools in their host countries, continue their education to higher levels, and sometimes work in the most important economic, scientific, or executive centers. Foreign migrants in Iran must also be able to enjoy minimum living and social conditions. This right especially includes migrant children's access to education, healthcare, and other essential social services without discrimination. They, as members and citizens of society, should have equal human rights with Iranian children and be protected by law. Over the years, deprivation and discrimination have led Afghan children and youth residing in Iran to be subjected to economic, social, and ideological exploitation. Some of them join the ranks of child laborers in Iran with meager wages and without legal protections before reaching the legal working age. Some young migrant girls, excluded from the educational system, are forced into early marriages. In fact, impoverished migrant families have little choice among the options of child labor for low wages, sending daughters into marriage, or continuing their costly and difficult education. Military organizations also exploit the poverty, deprivation, and illiteracy of migrant families by recruiting Afghan youth, including sending them to fight in Syria and Iraq. Living on the margins and facing a difficult and frustrating life in a society that lacks experience and culture in accepting and integrating migrants creates a social and psychological environment conducive to various forms of social harm and dysfunction. All evidence indicates that over the past three decades, Iranian society, from political actors to intellectuals and the media, has paid little attention to the problems of migrants. Government policy and the silence or inaction of intellectuals and the media in the face of the expansion of forms of discrimination against migrants have significantly contributed to the spread of xenophobic culture in Iran. Iranian society needs a serious rethinking of its perspective and approach to foreign migrants and the formation of a new collective conscience and awareness in this regard. The first step is to understand the blatant discrimination and internal suffering of migrants and to pay attention to their most fundamental demands, including the right to education at all levels. Recognizing the right to education means distancing from any form of discrimination based on nationality and family conditions of migrant children. Changes in official policies towards migrants are an important step towards positive transformation in their living conditions, especially in accessing essential social services. However, this fundamental change will not occur merely by announcing this or that policy. The government, civil organizations, and the media must diligently oversee the implementation of the law and genuinely respect the right to education for migrant children.