There are parents who brutally beat their children. And there is no law in this country to protect the children. The shelter is the only one of its kind in Iran. Financed a year ago by the city of Tehran, it is intended as a resting place until the girls can return to their families. The shelter is still struggling to figure out what to do when a family reconciliation is out of the question.
Parental rights are strong in Iran, adoption is rare and foster care unheard of.
The small staff, all women, take turns sleeping in the shelter at night, and some girls have even run away from the shelter. The city has established offices for psychologists and social workers in public places even at the vast shrine built in honor of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to search for girls who seem to have no place to go. We are making a long- term investment for these girls, who will someday be mothers. The 24 girls, ages 12 to 17, currently living in the shelter learn basic language and math skills. They write poetry.