The Islamic Revolution Approach

The Islamic Revolution Approach

A Sociological Analysis of the Criminalization of Child Labor in Iran: The Interaction of Poverty, Institutional Power, and Penal Policy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mahshid Akbarieh 1
Roya Asiayi 2
1 M.A. student in Criminal Law and Criminology, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Law, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Child labor in Iran represents a serious violation of children’s rights and reflects a complex interaction between structural poverty, fragmented institutional power, and punitive approaches to social problems. This article aims to analyze how the interplay of these three dimensions contributes to the reproduction and persistence of child labor in Iran. The main research question asks how poverty, institutional weakness, and penal policy interact to criminalize working children rather than protect them. Using a directed qualitative content analysis of 17 academic articles and policy reports, the study argues that coercive and security-oriented responses, combined with multidimensional household poverty and lack of institutional coordination, reinforce cycles of marginalization and exclusion. The findings reveal that unstable economic policies, fragmented welfare institutions, and the securitization of child labor are key obstacles to addressing this social crisis, underscoring the need for a shift toward social, rights-based, and preventive approaches.
 
Introduction
Child labor constitutes one of the most critical social problems in contemporary Iran and reflects deeper structural failures in social policy, economic governance, and institutional coordination. Beyond the immediate violation of children’s rights, the persistence of child labor raises broader concerns regarding social justice, sustainable development, and the legitimacy of public policy. Despite the existence of legal prohibitions and Iran’s accession to international instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the prevalence of child labor has not declined and, in some contexts, has intensified. This study departs from approaches that treat child labor merely as an outcome of household poverty or cultural factors. Instead, it conceptualizes child labor as a socially produced phenomenon shaped by the interaction of poverty, institutional power, and penal policy. The central research question is how this interaction leads to the criminalization and marginalization of working children rather than their protection. The study argues that child labor in Iran is reproduced through structural inequalities, fragmented governance, and coercive state responses that prioritize public order over child welfare.
 
Materials and Methods
The research adopts a qualitative, interpretive methodology based on directed content analysis. Seventeen academic articles, policy studies, and official and semi-official reports published between 2001 and 2024 were selected through theoretical sampling. Sources were drawn from Iranian academic databases and institutional publications related to child labor, social welfare, criminal justice, and public policy.
The analytical framework integrates three complementary perspectives: labeling theory to examine how working children are constructed as deviant subjects; Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction to analyze structural inequality and symbolic violence; and critical public policy theory to assess how social problems are framed and governed. Coding was conducted in several stages, including open coding, axial categorization, and thematic synthesis aligned with the three core dimensions of poverty, institutional power, and penal policy. Validity was enhanced through iterative comparison between theory and data, while transparency was ensured by systematic documentation of the coding process.
 
Discussion
The findings demonstrate that poverty in Iran operates as a multidimensional condition encompassing income insecurity, lack of access to education, health services, housing, and social protection. In the absence of effective welfare mechanisms, families often rely on children’s labor as a survival strategy. Rather than addressing these structural drivers, state responses frequently focus on visible manifestations of poverty, particularly street-based child labor.
Institutional analysis reveals significant fragmentation and lack of coordination among welfare agencies, municipalities, law enforcement bodies, and judicial institutions. No single authority bears clear responsibility for child labor, resulting in inconsistent policies, overlapping mandates, and gaps in protection. Civil society organizations, although often more effective in engaging with children and families, operate under restrictive conditions and limited support.
Penal policy further exacerbates these dynamics. Children engaged in labor are frequently subjected to policing, detention, and removal under the guise of urban order or crime prevention. Such practices reinforce labeling processes, expose children to symbolic and physical violence, and undermine trust in public institutions. Instead of functioning as protective mechanisms, penal interventions contribute to the reproduction of exclusion and vulnerability.
 
Conclusion
This study concludes that child labor in Iran cannot be effectively addressed through punitive or fragmented approaches. The criminalization of working children reflects deeper structural failures rooted in poverty, weak institutional coordination, and security-oriented governance. Sustainable solutions require a paradigm shift toward integrated social policies that prioritize child welfare, institutional accountability, and rights-based interventions. Replacing penal responses with preventive, participatory, and welfare-oriented strategies is essential for breaking the cycle of poverty, exclusion, and criminalization that currently defines the experience of child labor in Iran.
 
Keywords
Child Labor
Criminalization
Poverty
Penal Policy
Institutional Power
Iran
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