Iranian street-children run high risk of contracting AIDS

Shahrzad News -- “More than 32% percent of street-children and child-labourers are sexually abused, and most suffer from physical and psychological disorders,”

According to Dr. Farshid Yazdani, a senior member of the Iranian Society for the Care of Children, street-children and child-labourers are 45 times more likely to catch the HIV-AIDS virus than the rest of the population. 1% of the 75 million population have AIDS.

Meanwhile Tehran Daily reported research carried out by Dr. Mohrez, a senior lecturer at the University of Health and Rehabilitation, which found that 5.4% of all such children have AIDS. One third of these are in the 10-14 age-group, the rest between 15 and 18. The doctor went on to warn of problems stemming from the fact that 72% of child-labourers were fully or partially illiterate. “More than 32% percent of street-children and child-labourers are sexually abused, and most suffer from physical and psychological disorders,” said Dr. Mohrez.

Managing director of the Society for the Care of Children Dr. Shiva Dolatabadi defended her organisation and other children’s charities, saying that they were working tirelessly to reduce the number of street-children and to provide care for those at risk. However, she said, “we still need an organised plan and a national campaign aimed at tackling children’s problems.”