Nowruz Under Oppression: A Nation Struggling to Survive
The arrival of the New Year and spring should bring renewal and hope, but for millions in Iran, Nowruz has become a painful reminder of deepening poverty and injustice. The joy of traditional New Year shopping has faded, and once-abundant holiday feasts have been reduced to bare necessities. Millions of working families—teachers, nurses, laborers, and retirees—can no longer afford even the basics for survival. What was once considered a modest yet stable standard of living has now become an impossible dream.
This is not a natural crisis; it is the direct result of decades of plundering, repressive economic policies, and systematic corruption under the Islamic Republic. Wages have been deliberately kept at starvation levels, forcing workers into a relentless cycle of poverty and despair. According to reports from the Joint Statement of Independent Organizations on the Minimum Wage for 1404 (2025), the monthly cost of living for an urban household will exceed 60 million tomans. Yet, the government-mandated minimum wage will not even cover a few days of expenses. These policies are not just failures of governance; they are a deliberate strategy to deepen absolute poverty and widen inequality, keeping millions struggling for survival while wealth remains concentrated in the hands of a corrupt elite.
These conditions reveal that families who, just a few years ago, had hoped to sustain a basic livelihood are now crushed under the weight of unbearable living costs. Nurses sleep in their cars because they cannot afford rent. Workers, after decades of exhausting labor, are left with nothing but hunger and destitution in retirement. Parents, drowning in financial hardship, must make impossible choices daily between rent and food, medicine and their children's education. In the end, many are forced to sacrifice even the most basic necessities of life.
Official data confirms that the approved minimum wage covers less than 30% of a household’s expenses, and with inflation projected to rise further in 1404 (2025), this destructive gap will only widen. But beyond wages, the most fundamental human right, access to food, has become a crisis for millions. Reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank indicate that the number of Iranians unable to afford a healthy diet has doubled between 2017 and 2022[1]. A 1401 (2022-2023) study on food insecurity found that 55% of urban residents in Iran are now suffering from food poverty[2]. With the deepening economic collapse of the past two years, this number has undoubtedly risen even further. In 2023, the former Director-General of the Social Welfare Studies Office at the Ministry of Labor confirmed that 57% of Iranians suffer from malnutrition, and over 14 million children do not receive adequate nutrition. This is not just a sign of rising poverty; this is a calculated deprivation of an entire generation, stripping them of their health, growth, and even their basic survival [3].
Studies have repeatedly shown that chronic financial stress takes a devastating toll on cognitive function. Those burdened by constant economic hardship experience a significant decline in their ability to think clearly, concentrate, and make decisions, comparable to losing 13 IQ points or an entire night of sleep deprivation.[4] This means that families fighting to survive are not just struggling financially; they are being systematically drained of the very mental capacity needed to escape poverty. Poverty is not just a lack of money; it is an assault on the mind, a destruction of hope, and a calculated mechanism to trap individuals in a cycle of helplessness and despair. The sharp rise in addiction, child prostitution, and suicide, particularly among children, exposes the brutal reality of this crisis. This is not merely an economic failure; it is a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe deliberately manufactured by a system designed to oppress, exploit, and abandon its most vulnerable.
Amid this social and economic collapse, children stand at a crossroads, their futures stolen before they even have a chance to shape them. Poverty is not just about hunger or lack of healthcare—it deeply wounds a child’s mental and emotional well-being, leaving scars that last a lifetime. Research confirms that early-life poverty disrupts brain development, weakening the very regions responsible for learning, memory, and emotional regulation.[5] Children born into deprivation face irreversible setbacks, struggling with cognitive delays, mental health challenges, and barriers to education, placing them at a permanent disadvantage compared to their peers. This is not an accident; it is a system designed to keep generations trapped in poverty, robbed of opportunity, and silenced by desperation. The soaring rates of depression, substance abuse, and child suicide in Iran are not isolated tragedies; they are the direct and brutal consequences of state-driven neglect and systemic injustice.
For countless children in Iran, poverty is a life sentence to labor. Instead of playing, learning, and dreaming of a future, they are forced into work, stripped of their childhood, and denied their fundamental rights. Reports confirm that a staggering percentage of children from wage-earning families enter the labor market just to help their families survive, sacrificing education, personal growth, and any hope for a better life. According to the Parliament Research Center[6], 15% of Iran’s children are engaged in labor, and 10% do not attend school. The Social Affairs Organization of Iran further reports that 70-80% of child laborers have families, and for 50-60% of them, their earnings are the family’s primary source of income [7]. These children are not just working. They are being exploited, abused, and subjected to inhumane conditions that violate every basic right they should be guaranteed.
Child labor is not an economic necessity; it is state-engineered theft of an entire generation’s future.
Iran’s income levels have collapsed, leaving the country far behind even struggling economies. According to the World Bank, Iran’s gross national income per capita has been cut in half over the past decade [8]. The minimum wage for a worker in 1403 (2024) was 7.1 million tomans, roughly $143 at the exchange rate at the time. Meanwhile, the cost of living for a wage-earner household was estimated at nearly 35 million tomans. Even with the planned wage increase to 10.4 million tomans [9] in 1404 (2025), assuming the dollar stabilizes at 92,000 tomans, the real value of wages will drop to $113, even lower than six months ago. In reality, this wage increase does nothing to restore lost purchasing power, and the crisis is not just ongoing—it is accelerating, driving even more families into deeper poverty.
Workers' organizations have fought relentlessly for years to stop the deliberate erosion of wages and living standards. Their demand is clear: a minimum wage that actually covers the cost of living. Yet, year after year, this demand is dismissed, and even the meager legal minimums are circumvented through manipulative policies, ensuring that labor exploitation remains at its most extreme. Instead of addressing these fundamental grievances, the state has responded with repression, mass layoffs, threats, imprisonment, and fabricated charges, turning a basic demand for survival into grounds for persecution. In this profoundly unjust system, workers have no right to determine the value of their own labor. They are the vast majority, yet their wages are dictated by the privileged few who control capital, industry, and government. While employers, capitalists, and the ruling elite, who make up a tiny fraction of the population, freely inflate the prices of goods and assets to maximize their wealth, workers are forced to accept wages that do not even cover their basic needs.
This deliberate policy keeps workers trapped in a brutal cycle of poverty and exploitation, where even the bare minimum for survival is dictated to them, leaving them with no agency over their own livelihoods. This is not an economic failure. It is a system designed to uphold inequality and crush those who produce the wealth of the nation. Yet the struggle continues. Despite repression and the systematic suppression of demands, a large segment of society remains engaged in a relentless fight for survival and their most basic rights. The absence of independent labor unions and professional organizations representing wage earners has allowed this deprivation to persist. One of the most crucial battles for Iran’s wage earners has been the fight to recognize their demands by establishing and strengthening independent unions, syndicates, and other worker-led organizations.
Now, more than ever, this voice must be amplified. Change will not come from isolated or temporary protests. It will only be achieved through widespread solidarity and unwavering support for demands that are essential to human dignity and the protection of children's rights. This crisis is not just about a single group. It is about the lives and futures of millions.
The question is clear. Will we remain silent and allow this suffering to become the norm, or will we stand with those fighting for change?
A fair wage, a decent livelihood, and a life with dignity are fundamental human rights. Inequality and discrimination strip people of these basic rights. By standing for fair wages and economic justice for workers, teachers, nurses, retirees, and all wage-earners, we can build a future where children are not forced to bear the cost of poverty and exploitation.
[1] https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/icp/brief/foodpricesfornutrition
[2] https://eghtesaad24.ir/fa/print/283771
[3] https://www.iranintl.com/202307155485
[4] Mani A, Mullainathan S, Shafir E, Zhao J. Poverty impedes cognitive function. Science. 2013 Aug 30;341(6149):976-80. doi: 10.1126/science.1238041. PMID: 23990553.
[5] Luby J, Belden A, Botteron K, et al. The Effects of Poverty on Childhood Brain Development: The Mediating Effect of Caregiving and Stressful Life Events. JAMA Pediatr. 2013;167(12):1135–1142. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.3139
[6] https://borna.news/fa/print/1504984
[7] https://www.asriran.com/fa/print/979380
International Women's Day: A Call for Action Against Gender-Based Oppression in Iran
Over a century ago, pioneers of the women’s rights movement declared March 8 as International Women’s Day, a day to honor those who have fought and sacrificed for freedom and equality. Today, it remains a global call to action against gender discrimination, yet the persistence of systematic oppression against women is a stark reminder of the long road ahead. In the 21st century, despite extraordinary advancements in science, technology, and communication, half of humanity continues to suffer from systemic oppression—nowhere more starkly than in Iran, where women face relentless repression, economic marginalization, and systemic efforts to erase their presence from public life.
To be born a woman in Iran is to be born into a battlefield. From childhood, women are confronted with a system designed to deny them a natural and dignified life. They are forced into a constant struggle, not only to cultivate their talents and aspirations but also to push back against the deeply entrenched patriarchal structures that attempt to erase them. Iranian women are not just denied rights; their abilities and contributions are actively silenced. This daily battle for identity and survival has made Iranian women the vanguard of social change. They are deliberately pushed out of public and economic spaces, making their fight not just one for survival but for visibility, recognition, and basic autonomy.
For over 45 years, Iranian women have been at the forefront of resistance, enduring immense psychological, physical, and social harm. They have fought not only against wage inequality and economic hardship but also against a system that reduces them to mere extensions of men, stripping them of political, economic, legal, and cultural agency. From the streets to workplaces, from artistic spaces to courtrooms, they have continued to push forward despite relentless repression. The "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement is not just a slogan—it is a testament to their defiance and unwavering demand for justice.
Yet, the price of resistance is unbearably high. Women who dare to demand equality face brutal retaliation. Women activists across various fields are under immense pressure, facing imprisonment, torture, and even execution for daring to claim their rights. Today, three prominent women activists, Pakhshan Azizi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Varisheh Moradi, are facing execution for their unwavering commitment to justice. Their fate is a test for the global human rights community: will the world stand with them, or will it remain silent in the face of state-sanctioned violence?
The oppression of women in Iran is not just a social or political issue—it is also an economic weapon. With a crumbling economy, the burden of financial instability falls disproportionately on women, making them more vulnerable to domestic abuse and systemic violence. The deliberate exclusion of women from the workforce and the erasure of their contributions further reinforce their subjugation. The absence of government protection and economic support traps many in cycles of dependency and suffering, leaving them with no means to escape exploitation and brutality.
This injustice does not only harm women—it has irreversible consequences for children. A society that strips women of their rights deprives children of safety, stability, and hope. Even when a woman finds ways to survive and rebuild, the trauma inflicted on children lingers for a lifetime. No child can truly be free in a world where their mother is oppressed. The fight for gender equality is inseparable from the fight for the rights and well-being of children, particularly in societies where poverty and discrimination deepen cycles of inequality.
More than a century after the first global call for gender equality, discrimination against women persists—but so does resistance.
Despite decades of oppression, Iranian women have continued to lead the fight for justice. They have defied repression, demanded their rightful place in society, and shown extraordinary resilience in the face of relentless brutality. Their defiance has transcended labor rights, legal battles, and artistic expression, culminating in a revolutionary movement that has captured the world’s attention. The uprising led by women, embodied in the words "Woman, Life, Freedom," is recognized globally as the first women-led revolution in history. It is a testament to the unyielding demand for freedom, equality, and dignity for all—an uncompromising stance that Iranian society refuses to negotiate.
On this International Women’s Day, we call on human rights organizations, policymakers, and activists worldwide to act. The international community must amplify the voices of Iranian women, demand the release of political prisoners, and hold the Iranian government accountable for its crimes against women. Silence is complicity.
The United Nations has declared this year’s theme: 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.' But in Iran, these fundamental principles remain under attack. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that Iranian women and girls are not excluded from this global vision of justice and equality.
The fight for women’s rights is a fight for human rights. A society that denies women their rights is a society that denies justice, equality, and dignity to all. As long as Iranian women are oppressed, as long as their voices are silenced, the struggle for freedom and equality remains unfinished.
This International Women’s Day, let us stand in solidarity with the women of Iran. Their fight is our fight, and their freedom is a cause that belongs to us all.
A Call to End Violence Against Women: Fighting to Defend Dignity and Protect Futures
Defending the rights and dignity of women is a fight for humanity itself, and ending violence against women is key to securing a safer and brighter future for children, especially girls, who deserve to grow up in a world of equality and opportunity.
On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we stand united to amplify the voices of women and girls who endure violence and systemic oppression, while also recognizing the countless children whose lives are profoundly shaped by its devastating ripple effects. When women suffer, children suffer -physically, emotionally, and socially- perpetuating cycles of trauma and inequality that stretch across generations. We reaffirm our commitment to building a society where safety, dignity, and justice are not privileges but fundamental rights for all.
Violence against women extends far beyond the home; it is a profound violation of human rights, born from entrenched inequality and discrimination, an undeniable form of gender apartheid that demands immediate and collective action.
Across the world, nearly one in three women[1] have faced physical or sexual violence, most often at the hands of someone they trusted. This disturbing reality highlights the systemic nature of this crisis, which thrives in silence and impunity. For far too many women, this violence ends in tragedy: in 2023 alone, 51,100 women were murdered by partners or family members, a horrifying statistic that reminds us that every 10 minutes, a woman’s life is violently taken[2]. These figures represent not just statistics; they signify a call to action against the global epidemic of gender-based violence.
Harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriage, and honor killings, coupled with modern threats like cyber harassment, show that the forms of violence against women evolve, but their purpose remains the same: to oppress and control. For girls, the flow of discrimination is institutionalized from the very beginning, within families, schools, and eventually across all aspects of society, including the economy, law, and politics. This pervasive inequality shapes their lives, reinforcing cycles of oppression at every turn.
In Iran, violence against women is not just pervasive; it is institutionalized, woven into the very fabric of society by a system designed to oppress. These laws are rooted in traditions drawn from an interpretation of Islamic teachings that not only deny women equal rights but also strip them of any inherent value or recognition of their fundamental rights. This systemic oppression ensures that women are relegated to a subordinate status, perpetuating their marginalization at every level of society. Physical, psychological, sexual, and economic abuse, along with controlling behaviors, devastate women’s lives both inside and outside their homes. Yet, those responsible for such horrors often go unpunished. The Iranian government, far from protecting women, stands as one of the most powerful enablers of these violations.
Women in Iran endure systemic abuse daily, and the very laws meant to protect them instead reinforce their oppression. A chilling example reveals this stark injustice: a man who murdered his wife received only an eight-year prison sentence[3], while women accused of similar crimes face execution.[4]
Online abuse, including cyberstalking, harassment, revenge pornography, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is another pervasive issue. This violence often transcends personal relationships and is weaponized by the Iranian regime to silence women and crush dissent[5]. The message is clear: no space, not even the virtual one, is safe for women seeking autonomy.
Discrimination and abuse by the Iranian regime extend into law enforcement and detention facilities. Reports suggest women’s prisons are far worse than men’s revealing a twisted logic[6]: as a woman, stepping out of the boundaries of a male-dominated society is seen as a double offense. Women are punished not once but twice, first for their alleged crime and again for being a woman who dared to commit it and to defy governmental law that demanded their submission.
Sexual violence has been wielded as a weapon of repression throughout the 45 years of the Islamic Republic's rule. Since the "Woman, Life, Freedom" revolution, reports have exposed the systematic use of sexual violence against women and girls arrested during protests, with the regime justifying such atrocities as tools to silence dissent[7]. Every day, countless women resist the regime’s oppressive laws, including the mandatory hijab, turning something as simple as their choice of clothing into an act of defiance. This daily struggle places thousands of women in constant conflict with a regime determined to control their autonomy and silence their resistance. This is not just violence; it is a war against women's bodies and voices.
The Iranian regime's oppression does not stop at the individual level. Structural and institutional violence, upheld by discriminatory laws and practices, ensures women are marginalized at every turn. Denied legal protection, excluded from equal opportunities, and forced into submission, women in Iran are fighting a system designed to erase them. This is a battle for survival, not just recognition. Confronting such injustice demands more than acknowledgment; it calls for transformative, global action.
Perpetrators must be held accountable, and the international community must stand with Iranian women by supporting bold, well-funded strategies to dismantle the regime of oppression, while empowering women’s rights movements to lead the fight.
Children who grow up under suppressive regimes like the Iranian regime are not only subjected to countless child rights abuses, but they also witness gender-based violence up close. They see violence at home that goes unpunished and systemic oppression wielded by those in power. When they watch regimes target their mothers, their sisters, and their teachers, they are robbed yet again of safety and stability. This systemic violence grips entire generations, teaching children that inequality is inevitable and normalizing cycles of abuse.
True justice will come only when the structures of inequality, whether in homes, communities, or entire nations, are torn down and replaced with systems built on equality, freedom, and respect for all. This means not only restoring dignity and freedom to women but also securing a safer, brighter future for their children. A world where no child grows up in the shadow of oppression and abuse.
As child rights activists, we must and will fight tirelessly to dismantle all systems of violence, whether they exist within homes or are enforced by oppressive regimes.
Our mission is to demand that politicians and governments end their support for the suppressive Iranian regime. To the people of the world, we seek your solidarity and unwavering support for those fighting for freedom and justice. We must stand firmly with Iranians, particularly Iranian women, by advocating for political strategies that weaken and dismantle the regime of oppression while empowering women’s rights movements. This movement has already proven its strength and resilience, it can and will lead the fight, provided the international community ceases protecting the oppressors and, for once, stands on the right side of history.
[1] https://data.unwomen.org/global-database-on-violence-against-women
[2] https://www.un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day
[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64319487
[4] https://iranhr.net/en/articles/6606/
[5]https://themedialine.org/by-region/female-influencers-in-iran-targeted-by-cyberattacks-blame-the-iranian-government/
[6] https://wncri.org/2021/12/09/the-conditions-of-women-iran-prisons/
[7]https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/iran-security-forces-used-rape-and-other-sexual-violence-to-crush-woman-life-freedom-uprising-with-impunity/
A World That Deserves Children Surely Deserves Us All
November 20: Anniversary of the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Universal Children's Day
November 20 marks World Children's Day, a significant date in the fight for children's rights. It was established 70 years ago in 1954 as Universal Children's Day, and five years later, in 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. In 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child and it was signed by 193 countries making it the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.
Since then, the world has changed dramatically. Advances in science, technology, and industries have transformed daily life, making it almost unrecognizable compared to the late 20th century. Electronic devices like computers and mobile phones, combined with the rise of the internet and social media, have revolutionized communication and living standards for many, though not all. On the day the convention was adopted, nations pledged to prioritize children’s rights and their best interests. Yet, despite this global commitment, the world has become increasingly unsafe and dangerous for children. Every five seconds, a child dies somewhere in the world[1]. Over 160 million children, nearly 1 in 10 worldwide, are engaged in child labor, with many forced into hazardous conditions, including through trafficking[2].
In its 2024 appeal, UNICEF has requested an urgent $9.3 billion to support at 93.7 million children in 155 countries[3]. Through this effort, UNICEF aims to assist:
147 million people, including 93.8 million children
80.8 million women and girls, of whom 50.1 million are girls
14 million people with disabilities, including 9.3 million children with disabilities
UNICEF's programs aim to vaccinate 17.3 million children, provide treatment for 7.6 million children suffering from acute malnutrition, support 26.7 million children, adolescents, and caregivers with community-based mental health and psychosocial services, reach 14.8 million women, girls, and boys with gender-based violence prevention and response interventions, and ensure that 19.3 million children gain access to formal or non-formal education, including early learning programs.
One in every five children is stripped of their childhood[4] due to war, displacement, hunger, homelessness, lack of education, child labor, exploitation, and other crises. In Gaza, since October 7, 40% of children have been killed, while over half a million children remain trapped under bombardment, hunger, and homelessness.
To grasp the magnitude of this injustice, consider the stark contrast: According to a Bloomberg[5] report, on November 6, the world’s 10 wealthiest individuals collectively gained nearly $64 billion in a single day. This glaring disparity, where billions of dollars are amassed in mere hours, while countless children are trapped in poverty and deprivation, losing their lives every five seconds, exposes a system that prioritizes profit over the basic rights and well-being of the most vulnerable.
This deep inequality is clearly evident in Iran, where the conditions for children are deeply troubling. Nearly 7 million children are engaged in labor[6], while 2 million are unable to enroll in school. 40% of children lack access to adequate food, clean drinking water, and medical care[7],[8]. Dropping out of school is increasing, with many refugee and migrant children excluded from education altogether. Child suicide is on the rise, driven by poverty, family oppression, and mistreatment by school officials[9]. Drug and substance abuse has reached alarming levels among elementary school children, and the exploitation of children in pornography and sexual abuse is disturbingly widespread. These violations of children’s rights are the result of systemic oppression and a dictatorial regime that prioritizes power over humanity. Addressing these issues requires confronting the root cause: dismantling systems of exploitation and creating a safe and just society for children.
As the Middle East faces escalating unrest and the Iranian regime pushes for regional conflict, it is critical to reflect on the Iran-Iraq War and the regime’s devastating use of children during that time. Iran has a long-documented history of involving children in armed conflicts. During the eight-year war with Iraq, over 33,000 high school students were killed, 2,853 were injured, and 2,433 were taken prisoner, according to the "Foundation for Preserving and Promoting the Values of the Sacred Defense." Children as young as nine were recruited into paramilitary organizations, as reported by Child Soldiers International. This exploitation stems from a 1980 decree by Ayatollah Khomeini, which led to the formation of the Student Basij. This organization recruited children from elementary and middle schools for military training and operations. A tragic example is Mohammad Hossein Fahmideh, a 13-year-old child soldier who sacrificed his life during the First Battle of Khorramshahr in 1980 by detonating a grenade belt under an Iraqi tank. His story is celebrated as a symbol of martyrdom, perpetuating a narrative that glorifies the use of children in warfare.
To maintain legitimacy and glorify the culture of martyrdom, the Iranian regime has institutionalized efforts to preserve the memory of war martyrs like Fahmideh. Since 1997, the student branch of the Basij Force has organized annual tours called “Travelers to Light,” taking students to battlegrounds in southern and southwestern Iran. These tours aim to “familiarize the future makers of Iran with epic legends” while instilling loyalty to the regime’s ideology.
More recently, 2,400 high school girls have reportedly been involved in similar programs, raising concerns about the regime’s continued use of children to advance its political and military agenda. The preparation of children and youth for another potential war draws disturbing parallels to the past.
Iran signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1994, which prohibits the use of children in military activities. However, like other obligations under the Convention, including the prohibition of child labor, child marriage, and the execution of minors, this commitment has been systematically ignored. The regime’s recruitment of individuals under 18 for military training and operations flagrantly violates international laws and children’s fundamental rights.
In the face of such atrocities, even dozens of international conventions and treaties cannot bring about meaningful change on their own. True transformation demands addressing the root causes of injustice, seizing power from those who plunder public wealth, and creating a safe and secure future for all children. Only through decisive action and systemic change can we create a world where children are free to thrive and realize their full potential.
A world capable of providing for and nurturing children, ensuring their well-being, rights, and opportunities, is a world that is truly good for everyone.
November 20, 2024
[1] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-or-youth-died-once-every-44-seconds-2021-un-report#:~:text=A%20child%20or%20youth%20died,seconds%20in%202021%20%E2%80%93%20UN%20report
[2] https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-labour
[3] https://www.unicefusa.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/Humanitarian-Action-for-Children-2024-Overview.pdf
[4]https://www.unicefusa.org/what-unicef-does/emergency-response/conflict#:~:text=Some%20400%20million%20children%20%E2%80%93%20about,war%20or%20other%20violent%20conflicts.
[5]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-07/trump-s-election-win-supercharges-net-worth-of-world-s-richest-by-64-billion
[6] https://www.iranintl.com/en/202308011543
[7] https://iranfocus.com/life-in-iran/50275-iran-1-5-million-children-on-verge-of-dropping-out-of-school-14-million-without-proper-food/
[8] https://iranfocus.com/life-in-iran/49972-thousands-of-iranian-children-will-miss-the-new-school-year/
[9] Unpublished report by Child Rights Activists in Iran (in preparation). More information at https://www.craii.org/
Every hour, 40 children under five lose their lives to the devastating effects of unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene
Every 60 minutes, 40 children under five lose their lives to the devastating effects of unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Global Water and Sanitation Crisis
2.2 billion people still live without access to safely managed drinking water.
2 billion people lack basic hygiene services, including 653 million with no facilities at all.
Children in fragile contexts are 3 times more likely to practice open defecation, 4 times more likely to lack basic sanitation services, and 8 times more likely to lack access to basic drinking water.
(Sources: WHO/UNICEF, 2023; UNICEF, 2024)
Peace or oppression: Marking the International Week of Science and Peace, we reflect on science’s dual potential.
This week, as we observe the International Week of Science and Peace and the International Day of Science for Peace and Development, we reflect on the ways science and technology shape our world. Established in 1986 and 2001, respectively, these observances highlight the profound impact of science on international peace, security, socio-economic development, and human rights. In December 1988, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution[1] emphasizing the need to direct scientific achievements toward socio-economic progress and the advancement of human rights. The resolution called for diverting resources and talent away from the arms race to address humanity's pressing challenges in a more peaceful and secure world.
While these initiatives highlight the transformative potential of science to promote peace and sustainable development, they also expose a troubling reality: science and technology are frequently weaponized to perpetuate inequality, suppress human rights, and exploit vulnerable populations, including women and children. Scientific advancements frequently fall into the hands of profit-driven corporations, authoritarian governments, and other powerful entities, with scientists working under their direction, turning tools of liberation into instruments of control.
Throughout history, science and technology have been exploited in several critical ways. First, they serve the agendas of powerful nations and their proxies, often at the expense of impoverished and developing countries, enforcing dominance through war and bloodshed. Second, by transforming the universal 'right to benefit from science and technology' into an exclusive 'privilege,' they reinforce systems of exploitation, leaving the majority of society marginalized. The stark disparity, where the combined wealth of a small group of billionaires surpasses the assets of billions of people, demonstrates how these systems worsen inequality and increase human suffering. Children bear the heaviest burden of these injustices. Those in war zones, suffering from poverty and malnutrition, forced into labor, or deprived of education, healthcare, and housing are casualties of a deeply unequal world where science and technology are misused to fuel conflict instead of being used to promote peace and improve the lives of future generations.
In oppressive authoritarian regimes like the Iranian government, science is misused to maintain state control and suppress the population rather than to advance society. The regime exemplifies this through its contributions to global conflict and unrest[2], alongside its deployment of advanced surveillance technologies such as facial recognition[3],[4] and digital monitoring[5]. These tools are used to suppress dissent, target women protesting compulsory hijab laws, and uphold systemic gender apartheid. By combining street-level surveillance with digital methods to monitor encrypted platforms, intercept communications, and infiltrate universities, educational centers, and even high schools, the Iranian government has institutionalized persecution and violated fundamental human rights, including the rights of children.
Iranian universities, lacking academic independence, are deeply intertwined with the regime’s oppressive agenda. Their research extends beyond military objectives to the strategic use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, internet science, and cyber technologies. This alignment is orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)[6], its Cyber Command, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), and the Iranian Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), which use university resources to develop sophisticated systems for surveillance and control. This systematic co-opting of academic institutions suppresses independent thought, prioritizes state propaganda and oppression over the public good, and reinforces mechanisms that violate ethical standards and fundamental rights.
These are stark reminders of how authoritarian regimes adapt science and scientific innovations to consolidate power and enforce repression rather than promote peace and justice.
Iran’s systematic targeting of women highlights the intersection of gender-based oppression and technological control. Despite this repression, Iranian women continue to fight for justice and equality; however, their courage requires ongoing international support to ensure that digital technology serves as a tool for empowerment rather than oppression.
Access to education, knowledge, and the ability to utilize and expand these resources to improve living conditions, promote peace, and secure equal rights are fundamental and inherent rights for all individuals and societies. Yet, oppressive regimes and exploitative systems systematically deny these rights.
This cycle of repression must end. Transforming it requires immediate and collective accountability, with societies and individuals taking decisive control over how science and technology are developed and used. By demanding ethical oversight and redirecting advancements toward justice and equality, we can create a peaceful, equitable, and dignified world, especially for children, whose well-being reflects the dignity of humanity as a whole.
A dignified life for children is a dignified life for all.
[1] https://undocs.org/A/RES/43/61
[2] https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/irans-game-drones
[3] https://www.wired.com/story/iran-says-face-recognition-will-id-women-breaking-hijab-laws/
[4]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/14/academics-in-us-uk-and-australia-collaborated-on-drone-research-with-iranian-university-close-to-regime
[5] https://www.mei.edu/publications/mahsa-amini-and-future-internet-repression-iran
[6] https://www.trellix.com/blogs/research/the-iranian-cyber-capability/
June 12: World Day Against Child Labor
It is a dark tragedy that, in the 21st century, we still recognize "World Day Against Child Labour." This is a stark reminder of our failure as a global community to protect the most vulnerable in our society—our children. As we mark this day, we must confront the harsh reality that millions of children, 1 in 5 worldwide, are still enduring hazardous conditions, their dreams, hopes, and childhoods taken away from them.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), "child labor" is work that is "mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful" to a child and deprives them of their childhood.
Let us remember that child laborers are:
Children who work in agriculture, including farming, fishing, and livestock, perform tasks beyond their age-appropriate abilities.
Children who work in factories facing hazardous conditions, poor ventilation, and exposure to toxic materials.
Children who work in garment factories sew clothes for long hours in poorly ventilated sweatshops.
Children who assemble electronics, often in confined spaces with inadequate safety measures.
Children who toil in brick kilns, carrying heavy loads and enduring extreme heat to produce bricks for construction.
Children who work in mines extracting materials like cobalt and gold, enduring harsh conditions for minimal pay, often without protective gear.
Children who perform domestic servitude, working as maids and caretakers, and are often subject to abuse and exploitation.
Children who are bought, sold, and moved for sexual exploitation.
Children who are forced into marriage, losing their childhoods to become wives and mothers while still children themselves.
Children who are exploited for criminal activities, including theft and drug trafficking.
Children who are used in armed conflict, serving as soldiers, scouts, cooks, and more. They are conscripted as child soldiers, trained to fight and kill in conflicts they cannot understand.
These examples of exploitation highlight the ongoing injustice that demands urgent and unwavering action to eradicate child labor once and for all.
Marching towards a world unshackled by the chains of violence, discrimination, and inequality
The range of violence against women is vast and complex, spanning diverse forms, frequencies, and intensities. From brutal acts, such as honor killings, sexual assaults, and rapes, to coercive practices like forced circumcisions, forced marriage, and the denial of the right to choose a partner depict violent dimensions. Non-physical manifestations include legal deprivations of women's rights, impacting their personal choices, children's rights, and access to legal, social, and economic rights. Inequality manifests in various dimensions of human rights, taking on assumed forms, and subtle forms of violence persist within a system aptly described as 'patriarchal' or, in other words, a system dominated by capitalist structures.
Through the strategic use of education, religion, and media, the system actively shapes and disseminates a cultural narrative and relational structure that opposes the empowerment of women and perpetuates male dominance. Though manifesting in diverse ways across countries and nations, these influential tools fundamentally contribute to the cultivation of a culture steeped in class-based and hierarchical values. Essentially, they depict certain segments of human society as inherently inferior, perpetuating gender-based discrimination and encapsulating the most violent dimensions of these inequalities.
In nations such as Iran, the lamentable prevalence of violence and oppression against women has become disturbingly explicit, seamlessly woven into the fabric of the dominant culture. This influence extends to the very core of legal frameworks and societal interactions. Women, unfortunately, find themselves in a diminished status, with their rights contingent upon the directives and approvals of men who, under religious pretexts, consider themselves owners of these rights.
Emerging from the earliest stages of childhood, these pervasive assaults cast a lasting shadow over the lives of women.
Enforcing mandatory dress codes labeled as "hijab," advocating and coercing religious practices, imposing religious and traditional concepts on children as they enter school, and compelling them to conform to prevailing societal norms that cast them as "subordinate." The indoctrination of a submissive self-image, coupled with acceptance and surrender to this system from the outset, perpetuates these teachings. The alarming prevalence of child marriage, a criminal act against children irrespective of gender, stands out as one of the most egregious forms of these oppressions.
The parallel fate of women within the lower echelons of society is evident. Yet, one crucial point deserves attention: Changes in the circumstances of women within societies imply corresponding shifts in the conditions of oppression children face. Whether in their individual capacities or as mothers and caretakers, women emerge as direct advocates for their children's rights.
With the advent of the "Mehsa Revolution" and the active engagement of women in Iran, a remarkable solidarity unfolded, transcending gender lines as almost all women and men joined forces against the oppressive regime and dictatorship. Aptly dubbed the "Women's Revolution," this movement is renowned for the groundbreaking role played by women, guided by aspirations focused on dismantling the entire framework of discrimination and inequality. This characterization finds recognition among domestic activists and resonates with the international community and observers alike.
The far-reaching impacts of this movement extend beyond the tangible, evident in the persistent resistance against compulsory "hijab" and the growing emphasis on the right to individual attire choices.
At the heart of the issue lies the undeniable truth that all manifestations of violence against women are deeply rooted in a systemic structure, where the very foundation relies on the "exploitation of human capital" and the "profit-driven commodification" of individuals. Within this paradigm, women find themselves relegated to subordinate roles, labeled as secondary or tertiary entities. The singular remedy to this societal ailment lies in the conscientious dismantling of the deteriorating foundations underpinning this corrupted system.
In the realm of social change, the women's movement, pioneering women's organizations, and allied movements find themselves intertwined, sharing a common destiny. Their collective power emerges not through isolated efforts but through a unified commitment. Joining forces with the movement for freedom and equality becomes the catalyst for addressing not only the injustices and violence against women but also the broader spectrum of societal segments and constituencies.
As advocates for the movement defending "children's rights," we align ourselves seamlessly with revolutionary movements and fervently call for cooperation and partnership in advancing the objectives of our targeted groups within our movements.
Marching toward a world unshackled by the chains of violence, discrimination, and inequality.
Long live freedom and equality.
Long live the right of childhood.
November 25, 2023
Unveiling the Shadows:
Child rights violations in Iran and the urgent call for change.
Child rights violations in Iran and the urgent call for change.
On November 20, 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and 30 years later, on November 20, 1989, they adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since 1989, The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified by 195 countries, making it the world's most widely ratified human rights treaty.
Despite its existence, the Convention on the Rights of the Child has significant flaws, notably its conditional and regionally influenced perspective on children's rights, subject to the discretion of governments and rulers. Iran's conditional adoption in 1993, allowing non-compliance if conflicting with domestic laws or Islamic standards, raises concerns about the effectiveness of such conditions in improving children's conditions over the past 30 years. This conditional approach undermines the very rights the Convention aims to protect.
Violation of children's fundamental rights in Iran
In 1991, Iran committed to safeguarding children's rights by signing and ratifying the Convention; however, after three decades, the fundamental rights of Iranian children persistently endure violations. Despite the Convention's commitment, many Iranian children and families face poverty, lacking essentials like nutrition, healthcare, housing, and a conducive environment. Implementation gaps persist, hindered by socio-political obstacles, and governmental reluctance to engage with civil institutions exacerbates the challenges, shifting responsibility to societal, private, and charitable sectors. A notable violation concerns the right to free and quality education, emphasized in Iran's constitution. Regrettably, many children are denied access, while those within the formal education system encounter subpar conditions. This aspect requires a fundamental transformation to align with child-centric principles. In our perspective, the Convention signifies the baseline for children's rights, not the pinnacle. Unfortunately, these foundational rights face lapses in adherence within Iran. We ardently advocate for a paradigm shift, fostering a renewed perspective and approach to secure and cherish the rights of every child in the country.
Governmental and Adult-Centric Perspective, Two Major Flaws of the Convention.
The Convention's shortcomings are twofold. Firstly, it reflects the views of government representatives, not those of the people, particularly children's rights advocates, who would have crafted a more progressive document. Secondly, the prevailing perspective on the treaty stems from adults' understanding of children's rights, lacking the crucial viewpoint of children themselves. This oversight, coupled with legal constraints that tie the treaty to individual countries' laws, creates a significant flaw. Children's rights should be universal, not constrained by local laws and norms. The Convention sets the minimum standards for children's rights, yet even these basics go unfulfilled in Iran. The United Nations, while representing global nations, is constrained by the policies of individual countries, often influenced by global powers. This challenge is evident in conflicts like Palestine, where the UN struggles to play an effective and humane mediating role, leading to the suffering of people, especially children.
Society must act as a lever of pressure on the government.
Society should serve as a lever of pressure on the government to uphold universally recognized children's rights. In Iran's challenging political landscape, where civil society faces constant threats, advocacy efforts, including movements by teachers and workers, become crucial. The protection of these fundamental rights should be a global imperative.
As advocates for children's rights, we seek active participation in shaping the rights and aspirations of children. Children's rights extend beyond domestic laws and conventions; they embody their current interests and demands, free from compromise or expediency.
Join us in fostering a world where every child's rights are not just protected but actively championed. Echoing the sentiments of children at the Children’s World Congress On Child Labour in 2004 in Florence:
"We are as much the future as we are now."
November 20, 2023