Recently we witnessed collection of a large number of homeless, addicted women from across the Iranian capital and especially in Herandi district.
However, news from Iran and admissions made by officials indicate that such women do not receive suitable treatment in the so-called rehabilitation centers and those who manage to rehabilitate, don’t find jobs and have to go back to the first step of hopelessness and addiction.
Tamin24.ir, a state-run website, recently published an interview with a civil activist where she revealed that most of the women who are collected from the streets and taken to so-called rehabilitation centers, do not have identity cards and therefore cannot enjoy their citizenship rights. They cannot receive any government subsidies, medical services or social security benefits. Also, because they do not have identity papers and a suitable housing, they cannot find a job or any source of income to support themselves. Therefore, they go back to the cycle of social illnesses. If these women have a child, their children do not get identity cards either and therefore, will be deprived of schooling and education.
The civil activist interviewed also complained about lack of cooperation on the part of government officials who do not help these women obtain identification papers and be absorbed by society. She added, “Many of the rehabilitated women come back to this center because they cannot find a job.”
Earlier, a member of Tehran’s City Council announced that these centers do not have the minimum facilities to provide for the needs of the women and the situation is “unacceptable.”
