Challenges Faced by Iranian Children Today

Iranians are enduring tough challenges under an oppressive government, rising inflation, a national mental health crisis, escalating wars and regional conflict. In the midst of these hardships, many Iranians are finding hope in the message of Jesus Christ – but the challenge of living out this hope in a Muslim country is great, especially so for the children who continue to be indoctrinated by Islam at school.

Those who have to escape, continue to face persecution and hardship, only this time as refugees.

How Many Iranian Children are There?

There are no accurate statistics on the number of children in Iran. Taking into account all available sources, our best estimates indicate there some 8-10 million children aged 5-12 in Iran.

Up-to-date figures for Iranian refugees in any given country are also hard to come by; even more difficult is determining the number of children. Figures normally total all Iranians in each country but this would include Iranians who have emigrated – as official residents, their quality of life is drastically better than that of the refugees. According to Macrotrends, there were more than 3.7 million Iranian refugees in 2022, a 9.91% increase from 2021.

Pressures on Childhood in Iran

The children of Iran are facing unprecedented challenges.

In addition to enduring oppressive regimes, pervasive propaganda, escalating poverty, and the devastating impacts of war and hopelessness, Iran is facing a growing mental health crisis. As a result, the majority of children – especially those in homes without the hope of Jesus Christ – are likely to have at least one adult in their lives struggling with depression, anxiety, or addiction. The risk of that child suffering trauma as a result of their home life is great.

Furthermore, the large number ‘sighe’ (temporary marriages) mean an untold number of children (quite likely millions) are born to a second or temporary wife putting their future at risk if the father was to choose to abandon them or their mother. This does not account for children born to prostitutes. There are an estimated 1 million prostitutes in Iran today (likely even more). Prostitution in Iran starts from the age of 12.

These trends together with the pressures of poverty have led to an estimated 100,000 street children and more than 700,000 working children in Iran.

We must act urgently to turn the course for a generation growing with poverty, abuse and trauma.

Read more about the working children of Iran

Read more about prostitution, underage marriages and addiction in Iran

Challenges for Christian Children in Iran

Conversion from Islam is illegal in Iran. The consequences range from harassment and interrogation to the confiscation of property, imprisonment, torture and death. Though children do not face the heaviest arm of the law, they are still at risk, even if only in exposing their parents’ faith.

Christian children have to live with the constant worry of accidentally putting their parents at risk of arrest. Conflicting teachings between home and school create a crisis of identity and faith.

At school my 10-year-old son has to study the Qur’an and all the supporting Islamic teachings and texts. Right from the first class at school they make them study the Qur’an. As they progress through the years they also have to recite the ‘namaz’ (Islamic prayers).

They tie all sorts of rewards to their memorization and reciting of the namaz, from free time to excursions to the ability to participate in sports. They also have to study the Imams and Islamic prophets, details of their lives and familial setup through to their teachings.

It’s so hard for my young child to have to absorb all this and it conflicts with everything we are teaching him at home. It’s especially confusing when it comes to the giants of the Old Testament such as Abraham or Moses who also feature in the Qur’an but with totally different narratives on their lives.

What do Iranian Children Learn at School?

Besides a fairly standard blend of the arts, sciences and social studies, Iranian children are fed a heavy dose of religion and political indoctrination through their education.

Each morning begins with a military chant: “Death to America! Death to Israel!”. The walls are covered with images of the Ayatollahs and those who have died in jihad. Textbooks continue the messaging with constant praise for the Imams, and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad.

In addition, every child has to take Islam classes where they learn to recite verses from the Qur’an, pray their namaz, and learn the teachings and doctrines of Islam.

Refugee Iranian children living in Turkey are not exempt. Though the curriculum is not as aggressive, children are still required to study Islam and memorize scriptures and prayers.

In these difficult circumstances, there is an urgent need for Christian communities that can offer support, encouragement, and guidance.

Challenges for Refugee Christian Children

A growing number of Iranian refugee children face their own set of challenges. These children have fled their homes due to their parents’ faith or political beliefs but peers continue to taunt them for their conversion. They often live in isolation, experience poverty, and carry burdens no child should have to bear. They face physical and verbal abuse from children and teachers and live under the constant threat of deportation.

Every morning before school our son prays, ‘Jesus please protect me from being beaten today.’

Life for Christians living as refugees in another Muslim country is terribly hard.

When children go to school here, they suffer great emotional distress. As soon as the other children realize they are Christians, they persecute them – there is no other word for it. Even the other children torment them.

The teachers attempt to dismantle and discredit Christianity. Our children who love Jesus are not able to cope well with this and end up in debates with the teachers. So, the teachers begin to give these children a really difficult time at school.

They have no real freedom here. There is always the threat of being discovered and persecuted. When they go to the park, or other communal places, they get picked on because they are foreigners, and even more so if they are known to be Christians. Now families are facing the added challenges of being forced into refugee camps, separated from each other, and deported back to Iran.

Meeting Children’s Needs with Community and the Gospel

There is a great need for a Christian community where Iranian children (both in and out of Iran) can find strength in their faith, learn God’s Word in ways that are meaningful and memorable, and know they are not alone.

These children need tools to help them stand firm in their beliefs, discern truth from falsehood, and grow as disciples of Christ who can share His love with others. While much has been done to reach Iranian adults with the gospel, there is still a significant gap when it comes to culturally relevant materials specifically designed to engage Iranian children.

With decades of experience reaching Farsi-speaking Muslims, Transform Iran has begun developing truly focused, quality resources for children aged 5-12. This is a critical age when children form their worldviews and make choices that shape their future and their sense of identity. With an estimated 10 million Iranian children in this age group, this is a crucial opportunity for ministry.

Learn more about our work in reaching the children of Iran