Tajikistan's Under-Age Market Workers

As Tajikistan tries to curb child labour in the cotton fields, many children are hard at work at urban markets.

Tajikistan's Under-Age Market Workers

As Tajikistan tries to curb child labour in the cotton fields, many children are hard at work at urban markets.

Saturday, 11 July, 2009
IWPR

IWPR

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

They serve as porters, sell plastic bags, and do manual work.



Jahongir Rahmonov has been working at a market for the last ten years, although he has now graduated from the casual labour traditionally assigned to minors to working as a trader.



“As far back as I can remember, I never saw my father sober; he was always drunk,” he said. “So I was forced to go out and support the family.”



Abdujabbor Saidov, a representative of the mayor’s office in the southern city of Qurghonteppa, blames parents for allowing minors to take jobs.
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