The tragedy of Nian’s death, a seven-year-old girl from Boukan who lost her life under the torture of her father’s girlfriend and brother, once again exposed the deep wounds of vulnerable children in the face of domestic violence. This event is not an exception, but another link in the long chain of child abuse that is silenced by ineffective laws and social taboos. Despite living in a “dangerous” situation, according to Article 11 of the Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents adopted in 1399, Nian was deprived of her most basic rights – from seeing her mother to attending school. Even reports from neighbors to social services were unable to prevent the tragedy. These deprivations are not accidental, but rather a sign of the deep gap between the law and its implementation; a gap that victimizes more and more children every day.

Violence in the shadow of family and the culture of silence.

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Violence against children in Iran is often hidden under concepts such as “family honor” and fear of “shame.” As seen in cases like “Romina Ashrafi” (14 years old, who was killed by her father with a sickle) and “Ava Q” (a 4-year-old girl from Urmia who was killed due to the torture of her stepmother), we have now seen that many children not only become victims of physical or sexual abuse, but also of systematic indifference from responsible institutions. Despite repeated reports from neighbors, Ava’s father, with a history of imprisonment and addiction, continued to live under the protection of the law.

Parents or relatives are not only saviors, but also accomplices or observers of these violence. Cultural and economic pressures, from the financial dependence of mothers (without custody rights) to the fear of social exclusion, prevent the disclosure of crimes. Even if a child has the courage to speak out, institutions such as welfare, with limited budgets and specialized staff, often prefer not to intervene in order to “preserve the family unit.” Another example is the case of “Hasti” (an 8-year-old girl from the Molavi neighborhood in Tehran who was a victim of sexual abuse by a 56-year-old man). In this case, the mother chose to remain silent out of fear of shame and lack of a safe haven. This silence continued until Hasti lost her life due to an infection caused by the sexual abuse. These cases show how “preserving honor” has become a tool for the continuation of crime.

Incomplete laws and invisible statistics.

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The Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents, approved in 1399, still has serious flaws despite advancements such as criminalizing child marriage.

“Psychological child abuse” is defined in an ambiguous manner and is practically unprovable.

Supervisory institutions such as social emergency, instead of being independent, are under the government and do not have sufficient budget.

Article 6 of this law, which mandates reporting of child abuse for everyone, lacks practical mechanisms.

On the other hand, the lack of transparent statistics is indicative of the reluctance of institutions to confront this crisis. Every year, many children in Iran are killed due to domestic violence, but the Iranian statistics center has even removed the term “child abuse” from its reports.

Cases like murder are never recorded due to the influence of families or fear of becoming publicized. Victims either die in silence or, like “Setayesh Ghoreishi” (13 years old), have their bodies burned with acid by a 16-year-old neighbor who kidnapped and murdered her.

In many countries, such as Sweden, any report of child abuse requires an immediate investigation by the police and independent social workers. However, in Iran, even reporting to social emergency services rarely leads to legal intervention.

The Necessity of Change: From Law to Culture.

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1- Urgent review of laws.

Iran’s accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

The precise definition of child psychological and economic abuse in the law, taking into account severe punishments for abusers…

Establishment of “Specialized Children’s Courts” with trained judges and the presence of psychologists in the process of handling cases.

2- The existence of independent regulatory institutions.

Transforming social emergency into a non-governmental organization with quick access to law enforcement personnel.

The use of social workers in each neighborhood with the right to immediate entry into suspicious homes.

3- Universal education: Breaking taboos.

Including educational units about children’s rights and parenting skills from kindergarten to high school.

Using the capacity of clergy in mosques to condemn child abuse is not justified under the title of “religious punishment”.

4- Supporting mothers and children at risk.

Creating “Safe Houses” with government funding in each county, along with legal and employment services for mothers.

Repealing the law of automatic custody for fathers, which forces mothers to remain silent.

Global experience.

In India, a program called “Neighborhood Savior” is being implemented, in which local volunteers are trained to identify child abuse. This program has resulted in a 40% decrease in violence. Emulating such programs can also be effective in Iran.

Media: A voice that should not remain silent.

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Domestic media and virtual space play a key role in exposing cases such as abuse, but pressure on journalists to remain silent remains high. In 1402, a number of journalists were arrested or threatened for covering child abuse. Supporting independent media and lifting filtering on social networks can help victims’ voices be heard by society.

End of speech: Children, forgotten treasures.

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Death is not a cry, but a silent scream from the thousands of children who are buried alive every day in the unsafe homes of Iran. As long as the law prioritizes protecting the “honor of the family” over the well-being of the victims, as long as a judge can release a father who killed his own child by citing the “right to discipline,” and as long as a teacher refrains from reporting child abuse for fear of being labeled as “breaking the sanctity of the family,” the cycle of Romina and Nian will not end. Children are not the property of individuals or groups, but rather the trust of society. Saving them requires determination beyond slogans: from passing revolutionary laws to changing deep-rooted beliefs.