Although child labor in the capital is not new, with the beginning of Ramadan, the number of these children on the roads of Kabul has increased.

These children say that they are forced to work hard due to economic challenges.

10-year-old Yahya, who is working in a vehicle workshop, said: "If our country was developed, life would be better and we would study; because of economic challenges we work here to find halal food.”
  
“I work in a mechanic shop. My father is a cart attendant and he is working in Sara-e- Shamali. I came here to learn something,” Mustafa, another child laborer, told TOLOnews. 
 
Meanwhile, several residents of Kabul urged the Islamic Emirate to provide education opportunities to these children.

“There are about 40 shops in this area. In each of them two or three children work as a student, they should learn, we want the government to provide educational opportunities to these children,” said Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Kabul.

"In order to prevent and reduce the activities of child labor, apart from financial aid, educational and cultural infrastructure should be considered,” said Asifa Stanikzai, a children rights activist.

Samiullah Ebrahimi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said that this ministry has gathered more than 25,000 child workers and beggars from the city in the past two years, and that their efforts continue in this regard.

“Almost 25,000 children were engaged in child labor and begging-- that is why the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs identified these children and has helped them through the Red Crescent Society,” he said.

Previously, Save the Children reported that child labor in Afghanistan has increased by 38% compared to last year.