The International Labor Organization (ILO) designated June 12 as World Day Against Child Labor in 2002 to raise awareness and prevent child forced labor. This day arrives as millions of children in Afghanistan, under Taliban rule and amidst an economic downturn, are forced into hard labor. Many girls under eighteen have also had to work due to the ongoing deprivation of education and economic hardships. Some working children in Kabul state that they are compelled to take on multiple jobs and have been forced to abandon school due to dire economic conditions.
Some Kabul residents report that the Taliban not only deprive people of necessities but also arrest and beat child laborers in the streets. This has instilled fear among working children, forcing them to work secretly to avoid detention.
Najib, a twelve-year-old child laborer in Kabul, is a sixth-grade student at a public school. The harsh economic situation has forced him for several years to work alongside his porter father, polishing shoes and burning incense. He needs to earn between 50 to 100 Afghanis daily to support his six-member family. He says, “My father doesn’t have a steady job, and I have to work to at least bring home some bread.”
Najib leaves home at 6:00 AM daily after having some dry bread and hot water and strives to earn 30, 50, or even 100 Afghanis a day. He adds, “Since the Taliban came, my father’s work has completely declined, and he often remains unemployed. I try to earn at least 100 Afghanis a day, but it’s not always possible.”
Najib mentions that the poor economic conditions have forced him to undertake two jobs simultaneously and quit school: “School is over for us. If I go to school, who will work? My father can’t cover the household expenses alone. We would starve.”
Del Agha, a nine-year-old, sells plastic and burns incense in the streets of Kabul. He has been working for two years due to economic hardships. Del Agha’s father is sick and unable to work, forcing him and his brothers to work hard to support their eight-member family. He says, “My father has been sick for many years, and my brothers and I have to work.”
He further explains that he has never had a good day in his short life, spending all his time in the streets without knowing which days are holidays and which are workdays. “I just know that I shouldn’t go to school for even a day.”
Basit, another child laborer, has also been driven to work due to economic hardships. His family’s dire situation and fear of starvation compel him to work as a shoe polisher. Basit struggles to earn 50 to 70 Afghanis a day, saying, “Earning money is very hard. If I try very hard, I might make 70 Afghanis a day.”
He adds that his extensive work often prevents him from attending school regularly or causes him to arrive late. Being late often results in punishment from the headteacher. “On some days when I go to school, I arrive late and get punished by the headteacher with a ruler.”
Meanwhile, many girls under eighteen who have been deprived of education have also turned to various hard labor jobs after schools were closed.
Nargis, a twelve-year-old girl, was forced to drop out of school after completing the sixth grade. Her family’s dire economic situation forced them to migrate to Iran, where she now works in a factory, helping her parents to provide for their family. Nargis explains that her family left Afghanistan due to the closure of schools and a lack of jobs. She now works in a factory packing toys. “The work isn’t hard, but it’s very tiring,” she says.
Nargis dreams of becoming a doctor, but she fears that if she remains in Iran without access to education, she might end up doing hard labor for the rest of her life.
The Taliban previously announced financial assistance for reducing the number of child laborers and beggars, but according to the children and women involved, they have not received any aid. Instead, they face arrest and imprisonment if they continue working.
Several Kabul residents confirm witnessing Taliban fighters arresting child laborers. They recount that the Taliban mistreated the children during the round-ups, forcibly dragging them into their vehicles.
Nilab (pseudonym) told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that she witnessed the Taliban rounding up child laborers in the Dasht-e Barchi area of Kabul two days ago. “I was walking home with my friend when chaos erupted in the market. I saw the Taliban forcefully gathering many child laborers, beating them, and throwing them into their vehicles.”
According to Nilab, the Taliban even take children working alongside their fathers: “During the round-up, they forcibly took a child who was selling vegetables with his father. No matter how much his father begged and clung to his son’s feet and clothes, he couldn’t save him from the Taliban.”
Since the Taliban took power and many entrepreneurs fled the country, the economy and job market have faced a significant decline, leading to widespread unemployment. Consequently, the number of child laborers and beggars has increased.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
روز جهانی مبارزه با کار کودکان؛ از دشواریهای کار تا تحمل بازداشت و شکنجه طالبان