Afghanistan: Poverty Forces Nearly 6,000 Kids into Labor in One District of Nangarhar

Nearly 6,000 children are reportedly forced into labor in the Sorkh Rod district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Amu TV reported yesterday citing Taliban officials.

Many of these children work in brick fields under harsh conditions and for minimal pay, with some as young as 10 years old. Economic hardship has driven families to make the difficult decision to send their children to work, depriving them of educational opportunities.

“My wish is to go to school,” said Bilal, a young laborer, reflecting the sentiments of many. Bushra, another child worker, lamented, “I don’t have the opportunity to study. What can we do? It’s a necessity.” Parents cite poverty as the primary reason for their children’s labor, with Zarwali, a local laborer, revealing his debt of 50,000 to 60,000 Afghanis. Despite the Taliban’s claims of improving economic conditions in Afghanistan over the past three years, Faridullah Haqqani, the Taliban’s director of Labor and Social Affairs in Nangarhar, confirmed that approximately 5,879 children are engaged in hard labor in Sorkh Rod alone. Concerns are growing among residents, who believe that thousands more children may be working under similar conditions throughout the province.