In a move that has sent shockwaves through the child welfare community, the Tehran municipality recently ordered the evacuation of the Nasser Khosrow Children’s House by the end of July.
This significant establishment, located in Tehran’s 12th district, has been a beacon of hope and assistance for underprivileged children for the past twenty years, particularly those forced into labor.
Throughout its tenure, the Nasser Khosrow Children’s House has consistently provided indispensable services such as education and medical care to countless working children. However, recent revelations by Tahereh Pajuhesh, the CEO of the Children’s Protection Association, bring to light that the Tehran Municipality plans to reclaim this property to settle a debt. There has been no official documentation shared by the municipality regarding this ownership transfer.
This isn’t the first time Tehran Municipality has taken controversial actions. Recently, the municipality also sealed other prominent centers like the Navid Mehr Children and Family Support Center, spanning Tehran’s 17th and 18th districts, and the House of Humanities Thinkers in the 13th district. The latter faced its closure under the directive of the current Mayor of Tehran, Alireza Zakani, even in the face of opposition within the Tehran City Council.
The Children’s Protection Association, in response to the evacuation order, has issued a statement demanding the municipality to provide an alternative location for the children displaced by the center’s closure.
The association also emphasized their intent to challenge the order and seek alternative legal avenues. Nasser Khosrow Children’s House, a center funded wholly by public donations and voluntary services, has garnered support from several activists, including Atena Daemi, a former political prisoner and children’s rights advocate. She highlights the continuous pressure faced by organizations like Nasser Khosrow from Tehran Municipality.
Many such organizations have felt compelled to ally with the authorities for the sake of continuity in their noble endeavors. Daemi claims that while Tehran Municipality reaps hefty profits in the name of these NGOs, they seldom provide them the necessary resources.
The ramifications of shutting down institutions like the Nasser Khosrow Children’s House are profound. These organizations not only cater to the immediate needs of working children but continue to support them into adulthood, helping them transition from forced labor. An anonymous children’s rights activist shed light on the Municipality’s role in child labor exploitation, suggesting a potential vested interest in the closure of such centers.
Highlighting the depth of the issue, Daemi pointed out the corrupt practices where child labor brokers allegedly bribe the municipality for work permits, thereby facilitating and profiting from child labor.
This series of events presents a distressing panorama of the state of children’s rights and welfare in Tehran, leaving many awaiting the next steps in this unfolding saga.
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