Syria’s children forced to work
A report recently released by Save the Children and UNICEF has found the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Syria are pushing an ever increasing number of children into exploitation in the labour market.
The conflict, now in its fifth year, has plunged thousands of families into poverty and is forcing many children into the labour force. The report shows more Syrian children are becoming the bread winners for their families.
“The Syria crisis has dramatically reduced family livelihood opportunities and impoverished millions of households in the region, resulting in child labour reaching critical levels,” says Dr Roger Hearn, Regional Director for Save the Children in the Middle East and Eurasia.
“As families become increasingly desperate, children are working primarily for their survival. Whether in Syria or neighbouring countries, they are becoming main economic players.”
Omar’s* (pictured above) father was killed in the conflict. When his older brother joined an armed group, 12-year-old Omar found himself responsible for his family and had no choice but to start working to support his mother and younger brother.
Omar works in a fuel market in northern Syria. Every day he goes to the market with his bucket and sponge to collect fuel that has spilled onto the ground. Using the sponge he soaks up the fuel, squeezes it into his bucket and sells what he has collected at the end of every day.
There are thousands of children like Omar, who have little choice but to join the hazardous labour market at such a young age. In Deir-ez-Zor governorate in eastern Syria, most out-of-school children were reported to work filtering crude oil and operating generators.
A violation of children’s rights
Child labour exposes children to violence and exploitation, and it can condemn them to a lifetime of poverty and exclusion. Worst forms of child labour, such as the use of children in armed conflict or sexual exploitation, can amount to grave violations of child rights. According to the United Nations, children as young as eight years old are being recruited.
With the conflict enduring for such a long period of time, education also remains a huge problem for the children of Syria. Very few are attending school, and it’s reported that those that have returned are suffering from the psychological trauma.
Our report, Small Hands, Heavy Burdens, finds that a spiralling number of children are employed in harmful working conditions, risking serious damage to their health and wellbeing. Read the report here.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
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