Theatrical Play on Child Labor

The children’s play “Butterflies on the Street” about child labor is on stage at Honar Hall in Tehran.  

The musical drama written and directed by Nasser Avijeh deals with children who instead of going to school have to work like adults. The play is a reflection of their wishes and dreams, ILNA reported.

It is the story of working children who gather at a slum in the suburb of a city and talk about their harsh conditions. The often share their wishes and dreams but a sudden incident changes everything.

Avijeh, who also acts in the play, has researched the issue spending time with poor children at a social center, talking to them in the street and hearing about their problems.

“Most of them dream of a home and family. In the play I talk about the bitterness of child workers although it is softened for the children audience,” he said.

Arash Salgi has composed the music and Roudabeh Hamzehi has written the lyrics. The cast includes Ilia Zamaninejad, Arvin Bazrafshan, Asghar Faridi-Masouleh, Amin Nikpanjeh, Mahbod Feyzi, Sirvan Amini and Mahak Fattahpour.   

The show will run until September 22 and have a special performance for working children.

Last year more than 2 million children in labor were officially identified in Iran while unofficial estimates put the number at 7 million including immigrant children from Pakistan and Afghanistan, IRNA reported in February quoting Shahrbanoo Amani, a lawmaker.

Children working in farms and selling flowers in the streets, shining shoes, cleaning windscreens…are the more visible manifestations of child labor that many experts believe is very close to slave labor.