Systematic abuse of children in Iran on the occasion of “World Day against Violence against Children”

On November 20th, 1889, the efforts of child rights defenders around the world bore fruit as the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly. According to this treaty, any individual under the age of 18 is considered a child. The convention consists of 54 articles and aims to ensure that no child suffers from discrimination. It prioritizes the best interests of children in decision-making, guarantees their right to life and development, and allows them to express their opinions freely.

After the adoption of this treaty, the United Nations designated November 20th as “World Children’s Day” with the goal of raising awareness about the rights and needs of children. Despite being one of the most respected international documents, signed by the majority of countries, and committing member states to always consider the rights of children in their decision-making and planning, the cycle of violence against children continues, and innocent children are still victims in many parts of the world. It

Global determination to fight against violence against children

In 2017, the World Health Organization released a shocking report on the widespread violence against children in the world, particularly in low-income and developing countries. Studies in this report showed that one in every four children in the world is a victim of torture and abuse, and disabled children are four times more likely to experience various forms of violence.

In November of the same year, the United Nations Children’s Fund also warned in a report about the situation of millions of children in the world who are subjected to torture and violence and have no refuge. According to this report, only one percent of children who are victims of sexual abuse have access to specialized help. Three-quarters of children between the ages of two and four, which is about 300 million children in the world, are under the pressure of physical, mental, and emotional torture, and every seven minutes a child loses their life in the chain of violence.

Claudia Cappa, the author of this report, spoke about the situation of children

Children, victims of the hidden coronavirus virus.

The closure of schools and home quarantine of children and families without prior preparation put them in a situation they had never experienced before. The fear and stress caused by the coronavirus pandemic in families and its transmission to children, economic difficulties, unemployment, and the long hours of all family members being at home created new challenges and greatly reduced the threshold for tolerance and ability to control anger in individuals. In these circumstances, many children who were already experiencing mental distress and restlessness due to the disruption of their normal daily routine, were also burdened with the stress of their own and their family members’ illness and death due to COVID-19. In many households, they not only did not receive any psychological and emotional support, but were also at risk of increased exploitation, violence, and abuse, from physical and verbal abuse to sexual abuse. This was happening at a time when their access to counseling centers and mentors was limited and they had no safe haven. According to UNICEF, they were the “hidden victims

Children in Iran are trapped in the midst of violence and coronavirus.

According to the World Health Organization’s definition, any type of physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, or behavior that causes harm to a child’s health, survival, growth, or dignity is considered “child abuse”. Available evidence and documents show that about seventy percent of child abuse occurs in the home environment and by close relatives of the child. In other words, many children are victims of various forms of violence in homes that are supposed to be a safe place for them. These children are under the control of incompetent parents or guardians and are considered “neglected”. Member countries of the Convention on the Rights of the Child have committed to protecting them from any potential harm due to being in a dangerous situation.

In Iran, the responsibility of protecting social victims falls on the Welfare Organization, and the Social Emergency Organization, as a subsidiary of this organization, is responsible for following up on reports of violence, including child abuse, and supporting children at risk and victims. However, in many cities in Iran,

Structural violence against children

Member countries of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child have committed to considering the best interests of children in all their decisions and planning, not allowing them to suffer from discrimination, and recognizing their rights to life, growth, freedom of expression, and beliefs. According to this international document, which Iran also joined in 1993, children must have access to free and comprehensive education and have the ability to use health and hygiene services. Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child obligates member countries to protect children from all forms of violence, neglect, abuse, exploitation, and sexual abuse, using all legal and executive means. However, in Iran, not only is there no serious will to combat child abuse, but it is also supported structurally and systematically. An example of this is the recognition of the right of fathers and grandfathers to have custody over their children and allowing child marriage in Iranian laws. On the other hand, the concentration of educational and welfare facilities