Official Syrian reports claim child labor in Syria has witnessed an increase of 30 percent during the current crisis, according to education researcher Dr. Adab Abdelhadi, adding that rates are expected to reach 40 percent.
Abdelhadi said that 10 percent of the children are engaged in illegal work and are being exploited in light of the total lack of oversight from any official or charitable body, noting that current laws preventing child labor are not being complied with.
Abdelhadi noted that children were being subjected to sexual exploitation and working in illegal industries, some of them for 15 hours a day, due the living conditions which have affected Syrian families. She said that the concerned authorities must bear the burden of educating children and preventing them from working, while also eliminating the phenomenon of begging. She said that there was a need to view children with compassion and take an interest in their condition and circumstances.
The researcher said that child labor has an economic, social, psychological and health impact, leading to deviations among a large segment of children and cases of illiteracy, ignorance and a difficulty to participate in society.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
