In the 18th century AD, as a result of the Industrial Revolution and the employers’ tendency to hire cheap and unskilled labor, as well as the migration of people from rural areas to cities in search of suitable jobs, the unemployment rate increased dramatically and a phenomenon emerged that later became known as a major problem in modern societies. The phenomenon of “child labor” and its exploitation in the cycle of forced labor.

This phenomenon, despite all global efforts, remains one of the fundamental challenges of societies, especially in developing and poor countries. Although in the past 20 years, the number of child laborers in the world has decreased significantly, according to statistics published by the International Labor Organization and UNICEF, more than 150 million children in the world are still deprived of their childhood and forced to work.

According to the International Labor Organization’s report, in 2018, 152 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 were victims of the phenomenon of “child

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The ratio of child poverty and child labor.

Poverty and prevailing traditions in families are the most important factors that perpetuate child labor; poverty, helplessness, and economic failures create conditions in families that force them to send their children to the labor market to provide for their daily needs and expenses. The heads of these children, due to starting work themselves from a young age, retire early due to reasons such as illness, and as a result, it is these children who have to bear the burden of life.

But why in a society like Iran, with existing capacities, does the phenomenon of poverty exist and lead to child labor, is a question that can be answered in the country’s political economy, unequal distribution of economic opportunities, centralization, lack of support for job opportunities, economic monopolies, and rent-seeking behaviors, which have created deep poverty and class divisions in society and one of the most important consequences of such a trend is the increase in the number of child laborers; in other words, the roots of child labor and exploitation

Child laborers and caretakers of workers

According to official statistics, there are 24 million households in the country, of which approximately 22 million have children. About 7.5 million of these households are working families, with approximately 12 million children, or half of the country’s children, being the children of working families. These workers work in public and private sectors, on a permanent, daily wage or seasonal basis. However, 85% of them are in the private sector and are not protected by labor laws, meaning they have no job security and are at high risk of falling below the poverty line. According to a recent report by the Iranian Parliament’s Research Center, 27 million Iranians are living below the absolute poverty line, which means social and economic inequalities have widened the vulnerability of working families and their children, affecting their education, health, welfare, and most importantly, their livelihoods. Last year, the Child Labor Support Network, in a statement on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labor on June

The crisis of unemployment for parents and child laborers.

Unemployment is the main problem in today’s societies, which has a direct relationship with poverty and social inequalities. It can create the grounds for social harms and secondary problems in society, as the growth of unemployment can lead some individuals to engage in illegal activities and underground economy. However, another major danger of unemployment is the increase in the number of child laborers. A family that does not have job security and is constantly threatened by the nightmare of unemployment and loss of income, may force their child to work in order to reduce the existing damages and ensure security. This is while the increase in the number of child laborers and their employment leads to a decrease in the wages of adults and an increase in their unemployment rate. This is because although child labor is less productive compared to an adult’s work, it is chosen due to the lower wages, which in turn leads to a decrease in the wages of adults and as a result, child labor and adult unemployment expand simultaneously.

Child labor, migration, and marginalization

Migration is a multi-faceted phenomenon that needs to be examined from various perspectives and dimensions. However, the majority of migrants move with the aim of achieving a better life and opportunities, and this is not limited to just rural areas and small towns. In fact, the main reason for residents of rural areas and small towns to migrate with their families is the concentration and unfair distribution of opportunities, where they have significantly less access to facilities and opportunities compared to larger cities. They migrate to big cities in order to end their deprivation and find suitable jobs and income, but because they cannot afford the cost of living in the city, they end up living on the outskirts. This not only exposes their families to various harms, but also subjects them to the deep crisis of unemployment and low wages. As a result, many children from these families are forced into the cycle of labor, especially since there are no suitable facilities for education and training on the outskirts of the city, and they are at risk of harms such

Child labor and illiteracy crisis of parents

Cultural poverty, illiteracy, and addiction are among the factors that contribute to the phenomenon of child labor. Addiction has a direct correlation with poverty and unemployment, and illiteracy, ignorance, and cultural poverty are also the undeniable result of unequal distribution of educational facilities. Many parents, who themselves have not had access to proper educational facilities, do not have a deep understanding of the importance of educating their children and their right to education, and may even hinder their children’s continued education; and in order to compensate for some of the family’s expenses and prepare their children for entering the stage of responsibility, they involve their children in the cycle of work. The noteworthy point here is that there is not only a lack of effective support for these children who are prevented from education due to cultural reasons and common family traditions, but also the lack of educational facilities and facilitators in the areas where they live has caused this trend to continue. For example, some high school girls in deprived provinces such as S

The main victims of inequality.

Children, especially child laborers, are the main victims of social inequalities and discrimination. This is because they are forced into labor due to the inefficiency of the system and lack of proper social support, and then they are faced with violent and criminal treatment by the same system that created the conditions for them. Programs such as the organization of child labor and street children have been implemented over the years, but have caused significant psychological and emotional harm to child laborers and have not led to a decrease in their numbers.

Child laborers also face unjust and unequal conditions in their work environments. There are many employers who, in the midst of a sick economy and lack of proper supervision, hire children at low wages and subject them to harmful physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse.

Child laborers often work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions and are exposed to various dangers, including physical and psychological harm. Despite working long hours, they may not even have one warm meal a day, which can lead to various illnesses