Afghani child laborers in Iran has increased since Taliban’s takeover

According to human rights activists cited by Iranian media, the number of Afghan child laborers in Iran has increased 20 times since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on 15 August 2021.

On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labor on June 12, Fatah Ahmadi, Iran’s deputy minister of justice for human rights and international affairs, issued an alert against the Taliban presence in the country, which is allegedly causing uncertainty for Afghan families and exacerbating the dangers of child labor in Iran, according to Khaama Press.

According to Ahmadi, who was quoted by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s News Agency (IRNA), the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan has forced several families to migrate to Iran with their children, where they are being recruited as laborers.

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has triggered a humanitarian crisis.

According to the Afghani Khaama Press News Agency, several labor resources, industries, and public and private business companies have ceased to exist, resulting in poverty, inflation, and an increase in the number of drought-stricken people. Currently, more than half of Afghanistan’s population is unsure where they will get their next meal.

Despite the fact that the number of working children in Afghanistan has increased since the Taliban took power, the agency claims that the group has yet to respond to the increase in Afghan working children in Iran.