Shafaq News/ A troubling rise in child labor has gripped the bustling markets of Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, particularly in recent years. Children under the legal working age are increasingly seen hauling heavy loads and performing grueling tasks, as families suffer from dire economic conditions.

Ahmed...

In the heart of the city, the Sheikhallah Bazaar has become a focal point for child labor, where boys like 11-year-old Ahmed from Nineveh toil daily. Speaking to Shafaq News, Ahmed explained his harsh reality. "The difficult conditions and poverty in the Tal Afar area pushed us to come to Erbil," he said. "I started by selling plastic bags, then began pushing carts and carrying shoppers' items."

"The load on the cart is heavy for me, but I have no choice. People are merciless—sometimes they put as much as 50 or 70 kilograms on the cart. If I can't lift and carry it, they’ll hire someone else," he said.

As the eldest of three siblings, Ahmed is his family’s sole provider. His father is a man with disability so unable to work, leaving Ahmed to earn 15 to 16 thousand Iraqi dinars a day (11-12$). Despite the grueling work, he clings to his dream. "I am still studying and hope to become a doctor in the future," he said, a rare glimmer of hope amid the struggle.

Hassan…

Hassan, another child from Nineveh, aged 13, shared a similar story of labor and survival. "I want to support my family, and that's why I work here," he said. Earning between 10 and 13 thousand dinars daily, Hassan's income helps his family survive.

Legal Gaps Fuel Exploitation

Shafaq News reported that many of the children working in Sheikhallah Bazaar are from Nineveh, displaced by poverty and hardship to Erbil. Some of these young workers have even been robbed at gunpoint, adding to their already dangerous working conditions. During the summer months, when school is out, the number of child workers spikes, though many have already dropped out of school to work full time.

Hoshyar Malo, head of the Kurdistan Human Rights Organization, condemned the practice of child labor, stressing that Iraqi labor law prohibits children under the age of 15 from working. "A child should receive care, parental attention, and education," he told Shafaq News. "For those aged 15 to 18, certain types of family work are permitted, but night labor, cart-pushing, and strenuous tasks are all forbidden."

However, Malo acknowledged the grim reality facing many families. "Is it reasonable for families to send their children to work at this age without a compelling reason?" he asked. "There is an urgent economic need for these families, compounded by cultural norms that dictate a child must work to become a man."

He concluded, "When we prohibit something, we must provide alternatives. If three children from a single family are working in the market, it’s a source of income for them. If we ban them from working, there must be viable alternatives for these families in parallel with the ban."

Notably, Article 121 of the Iraqi Constitution grants the Kurdistan Region of Iraq the authority to exercise legislative, executive, and judicial powers. For any laws passed by the Government of Iraq after 1991 to apply in the Kurdistan Region, they must be endorsed by the Kurdistan Parliament.

Under the Iraqi Education Law and the Law on Compulsory Education, children are required to attend primary school for 6 years, typically up to age 12. This creates a gap where children aged 12 to 15 are particularly vulnerable to child labor, as they are not mandated to attend school but are also not legally permitted to work. In contrast, the Kurdistan Region mandates 9 years of compulsory primary education, extending to age 15, in line with international standards.