Children engaged in child labour in Azerbaijan

Children in Azerbaijan are found in the worst forms of child labor in dangerous work in the agriculture sector and street work. Children work in the agriculture sector, including in cotton, tea and tobacco production—although reports suggest that the number of child laborers in cotton, tea and tobacco has considerably declined in the past decade. Children working in agriculture may work long hours, in extreme temperatures and with dangerous tools and pesticides. They also carry heavy loads and risk injury, illnesses, animal attacks and insect bites.

In urban centers, children are involved in domestic work, commercial sexual exploitation, and street work such as begging, washing cars and street vending. Street children work long hours and may be exposed to extreme temperatures, violence, drug use, humiliation and abuse. They are also vulnerable to prostitution and trafficking.

Azerbaijan is a source, transit and destination country for children trafficked for forced labor and prostitution internationally. Children are also trafficked internally for prostitution and forced labor, including forced begging.

The government has few programs and civil society has limited space to enact interventions for children.

Pray for the small church there to get a vision for its place in caring for those who are abused because of their marginalisation. Pray for Christian workers to initiate creative programmes of care for children. Pray for God to respond with mercy to the cries of children in this nation.