Concluding Observations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
E/C.12/IRN/CO/2 para 20
Full recommendation
The Committee recommends that the State party take steps to strengthen its national
legislation prohibiting child labour in accordance with international standards, in all sectors,
including in agriculture, domestic service, and clay/brickmaking. The Committee also
recommends that the State party ensure that the implementation of legislation pertaining to
child labour is effectively monitored and enforced, including through labour inspections in
agriculture and the informal sector, ensuring that employers exploiting child labour are held
accountable and that victims of child labour are rehabilitated and are ensured access to
education. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake awareness-raising
campaigns with a view to eradicating child labour.
Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1
A. The State party should take steps to strengthen its national legislation prohibiting
child labour in accordance with international standards, in all sectors, including
in agriculture, domestic service, and clay/brickmaking
The Iranian legislation prohibits employment of children younger than 15 years old2 and
employers are allowed to hire children above the age of 15 as juvenile laborers or young
worker after the juveniles undergo medical exams carried by the Ministry of Labour.3
However, such medical exams are to be retaken regularly and juveniles are prohibited from
being employed in hazardous professions or performing hard labour.4 Despite these
provisions, businesses with fewer than 10 employees are exempt from certain legal
obligations5 such as maximum hour requirements,6 pay disability benefit for workplace
injuries7 or mandatory regular medical testing for juvenile laborers.8 Such exemptions have
been considered by the Committee on the Rights of the Child as increasing the risk of
economic exploitation of children. 9 Additionally, Iranian child labor law does not cover
domestic work and permits children to work in agriculture and some small businesses from
the age of 12.10
1
CRC.19.1.S.1; CRC.19.1.P.1; CRC.19.1.O.1
Labor Law of Iran, art. 79, available at http://www.mcls.gov.ir/fa/law/267
3
Labor Law of Iran, Article 80, available at http://www.mcls.gov.ir/fa/law/267
4
Articles 79 to 84 Labor Law of Iran, art. 79, available at http://www.mcls.gov.ir/fa/law/267
5
Law on businesses with fewer than 10 employees and their exemptions according to article 119 of Iran’s labor law passed
on 19 January 2003 available at http://www.mcls.gov.ir/icm_content/media/law/634643017437412500.pdf
6
Businesses with fewer than 10 employees are exempted from articles 51, 56 and 58 of the labor law
7
Businesses with fewer than 10 employees are also exempted from articles 31 and 32 of the labor law
8
Businesses with fewer than 10 employees are also exempted from articles 81 and 82 of the labor law
9
CRC/C/IRN/CO/3-4,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRC%2fC%2fIRN%2fCO%2f34&Lang=en
10
U.S. State Department Human Rights Report 2019, Iran, https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-country-reports-on-human-rightspractices/iran/
2
1