IN VIOLATION OF THE CRC, OVER 2,600 STUDENTS WERE SENT TO THE COUNTRY'S MILITARY ZONES

In violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and contrary to Iran’s own commitments to avoid using children in military-related activities, at least 2,614 students from Natanz, Badroud, Javanrud, Mehriz, Varamin, Savojbolagh, Borujerd, Jam, Margoon, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province were sent on so-called “Rahian-e Noor” (“Path of Light”) trips to former war zones across the country.

Separate groups of female students from various cities were transported in dozens of vehicles to Iran’s southern and western regions, including Hoveyzeh, Dehlavieh, Arvandkenar, Fath ol-Mobin, Shalamcheh, Abadan, Bazi-Deraz, and Gilan-e Gharb, with trip durations ranging from one to three days.

Local Basij commanders described these trips as “cultural-educational camps,” but child rights advocates warn they are ideological programs featuring militaristic content and war imagery, violating the very spirit of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Under that treaty, anyone under 18 is considered a child, and their participation in military activities or related training is strictly prohibited. Although the Islamic Republic joined the convention in 1994, reports show repeated breaches, including child labor, criminal punishment of minors, early marriage, and military-style indoctrination.

Experts have also raised safety concerns, citing risks such as vehicle rollovers and a lack of proper oversight during these long-distance trips.