The head of the Social Committee of the Tehran City Council has stated that a number of 'homeless and sex worker' women sell their newborns after childbirth near some hospitals in 'south and central Tehran' for prices ranging from '100,000 to 200,000 tomans.' According to Fars News Agency, Fatemeh Daneshvar said on Saturday, November 6, that 'most' of these newborns are 'HIV positive' and due to 'various diseases' and improper care, they do not have a long lifespan. Ms. Daneshvar noted that these infants are purchased by various gangs, including beggars. She pointed out that the officials of these hospitals bear 'no responsibility' and accused the Welfare Organization of failing to take action to prevent the sale of infants despite 'repeated calls' from social workers at these hospitals. The head of the Social Committee of the Islamic City Council of Tehran also mentioned that some infants of 'runaway girls' are sold for 'higher prices.' In recent months, reports have emerged about the poor conditions of the children of homeless women and drug addicts infected with HIV, and some media have reported on plans for the 'sterilization' of these women. However, Parviz Afshar, the spokesman for the Drug Control Headquarters, announced that the responsible agencies do not have a plan for the 'sterilization' of these women, but a plan for 'controlling births in high-risk populations' is under consideration. He did not provide further details on this plan. According to the head of the Department of Maternal and Infant Health at the Ministry of Health, in 2014, 'five percent' of maternal mortality was due to addiction. In recent years, numerous reports have been published in Iranian media about the buying and selling of children. For instance, the Jam Jam newspaper reported in October that working children in Tehran are bought and sold based on their gender and experience for prices ranging from '100,000 tomans to five million tomans' and are mostly used for begging. Meanwhile, the Legal Department of the Iranian Judiciary has declared the buying and selling of children, 'even under the guise of adoption,' as a 'criminal act.' In this context, the death of nine infants in a Tehran hospital 'due to hospital infections' and the rapid increase of HIV among Iranian women have been highlighted.
The 'Buying and Selling' of Infants Around Some Hospitals in Tehran
Women in Tehran, particularly those in vulnerable situations, are reportedly selling their newborns for low prices, often to gangs. Many of these infants are HIV positive and face dire health conditions. This issue raises significant concerns about social welfare and the treatment of marginalized populations in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
In Tehran, vulnerable women, including homeless and sex workers, are reportedly selling their newborns for low prices, often to gangs. Many of these infants are HIV positive and face serious health challenges.
- Infants are sold for prices ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 tomans.
- The Iranian Judiciary has declared the buying and selling of children a criminal act.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran faces significant social challenges, including rising drug addiction and health crises, which disproportionately affect marginalized women and their children.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%