complaints.59 Additionally, the Government did not refer specifically as to how these mechanisms address abuses and violence in the case of children in street situation and how redress and remedies are tailored to their various situations.60According to Iranian authorities, more than three million children are working across Iran, a significant number of them in the street.61 62 While the number of child laborers is rising,63 only about 9,000 have been reportedly identified and given shelter in 2018.64 The lack of legal safeguards for child laborers added to the lack of services and avenues of redress expose street children to economic exploitation and contribute to maintain the unchecked enrollment of children to work in the streets. In its 2019 National Report to the Universal Periodic Review, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that “on average, 60% of street children and child laborers are of foreign nationality”. 65 In 2019, the deputy of the Islamic Republic’s Welfare Organization reportedly stated that about 90% of children working in the streets of Tehran were foreigners. 66 Statistics have shown that a about half of street children are of Afghan descent.67 68 69 Indeed, the Islamic Republic of Iran is hosting one of the largest diasporas of Afghan refugees in the world, 1.5 to 2 million of them being reportedly undocumented.70 Article 20 of the Constitution restricts the protection of the law and the guarantee to enjoy all human, economic, social and cultural rights to citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Refugees, although not being citizens, may obtain legal recognition by registering under the Amayesh system. An Amayesh card provides access to governmental services, including employment, healthcare and education. Reportedly, no new Amayesh card registrations have been given since 2007.71 Reports have shown that Afghans have been subjected to widespread and systematic discrimination in the Islamic Republic of Iran. 72 73 74 Registered Afghan migrants have been reportedly facing adverse economic conditions, notably to maintain their Amayesh status, unemployment, lack of access to formal education and other socioeconomic rights. 59 Persia Educational Foundation, https://www.persia.education/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PEF_Irans-ChildrensReport.pdf 60 Islamic Republic of Iran response, Universal Periodic Review, 2019, https://undocs.org/en/A/HRC/43/12/Add.1 61 Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/thousands-of-children-forced-to-work-beg-in-the-streets-in-iran/30142546.html 62 Everything about Child Labor in IRNA Round Table, Islamic Republic News Agency published on 28 July 2012. 63 Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/thousands-of-children-forced-to-work-beg-in-the-streets-in-iran/30142546.html 64 Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-child-labor-homeless-abuse/29193727.html 65 National Report, UPR 2019, Islamic Republic of Iran, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/WG.6/34/IRN/1 66 Radio Farda, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/thousands-of-children-forced-to-work-beg-in-the-streets-in-iran/30142546.html 67 Moradi, A.; Sajadi, H.; Mohagheghi, H.; Vameghi, M.; Hoseini, S.; Ghaed, Gh. (2015) Social Health of Child Labourers in Non-Profit Centers for Promoting Children’s Rights in Tehran in 2014, Iranian Journal of Rafsanjan Medical University, 14: 977-988. [in Farsi] REFERENCED BY RESEARCHGATE ARTICLE 68 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report 2019, Iran, https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-country-reports-on-human-rightspractices/iran/ 69 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318729333_Transnationality_of_Child_Poverty_The_Case_of_Iranian_and_Afgh an_Street_Children_in_Tehran 70 Report of the UN Secretary General, January 2020, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IR/Report_of_the_SecretaryGeneral_on_the_situation_of_human_rights_in_the_Islamic_Republic_of_IranA4320.pdf 71 DFAT Country Information Report Iran, April 2020, https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/country-informationreport-iran.pdf 72 Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/11/20/iran-afghan-refugees-and-migrants-face-abuse 73 Radio Liberty, https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-migrant-boy-s-rough-treatment-in-iran-sparks-anger/30077657.html 74 Arab News, https://www.arabnews.com/node/1687721 6