“RED TV”
The trainer in the field of child protection and psychological support, Hanan Karim, warned of the widening risks facing working children and those on the roads in Lebanon, in light of poverty, exploitation, violence and sexual harassment, stressing that protecting these children requires cooperation between the state, associations and competent authorities, at a time when the priority of protecting children under bombardment is high.
During an interview on the “3:15 Meeting” program on RED TV, Karim explained that she worked in specialized programs, especially with children working on the roads, noting that the majority of these children are foreigners.
She said, “Poverty is a fundamental factor that drives some families to send their children to work on the street,” noting that the poverty rate in Lebanon has reached 40%.
She pointed out that some parents who do not have official papers send their children to work in order to secure a source of livelihood, while some parents consider that their children are better able to withstand mistreatment from employers.
Karim pointed out that the problem is not limited to economic conditions, warning of the presence of gangs that exploit children by employing them, in addition to some of them being subjected to sexual harassment.
Regarding the work of associations, she explained that “associations have more field information than some ministries due to their direct work on the ground,” noting that they monitor the presence of children on the roads and monitor their conditions from afar before communicating with them and collecting information about their circumstances.
She added that associations do not always have the authority to remove the child directly from the road, explaining: “We as associations do not always have the authority to remove the child from the road, but we inform the relevant official authorities to take action.”
She stressed the importance of educating children on the roads about how to protect themselves from violence, and the necessity of informing the competent authorities when they are exposed to any violation.
On the legal side, Karim said that Lebanese law sets the age of 14 for children to work, provided that this does not interfere with their education, but she confirmed that this law is violated in many cases.
She explained that the reasons for child labor are not limited to parents sending their children to work, as there are cases of orphaned children, and others of children separated from their families for various reasons, including immigration.
Speaking about the distribution of roles among the concerned parties, she said that “in days when there are no crises, we can give a role to all concerned parties,” considering that the current circumstances impose a different order of priorities.
She added: “It is easy to make observations and ask about the role of the state, but today we are faced with different priorities in light of Lebanon’s exit from the war,” stressing that “the priority today is to protect children who are under bombardment.”
Karim also pointed out the seriousness of living conditions, saying that there are many families today facing the risk of hunger, and that the state or associations cannot be held responsible alone, because these entities constantly need funding so that they can continue their work.
Between poverty, homelessness, exploitation, and separation from the family, Karim stressed that the issue of children working on the roads cannot be dealt with from one angle, but rather needs continuous protection, field monitoring, and cooperation between associations and official institutions, to ensure reducing violations and providing a safer environment for children.
