Analyzing the Rights of Children with Imprisoned Mothers in Iran

This study aimed to identify the various problems and needs of children with imprisoned mothers in compliance with domestic and international laws related to children’s rights. The research was conducted in two steps with the qualitative approach and qualitative content analysis. First, four domestic laws and documents and three international laws were analyzed to identify children’s rights. Second, 32 texts including interviews, reports, and lived experiences related to children with imprisoned mothers in Iran, published by domestic and foreign news agencies, newspapers, and databases, along with eight contents published on the personal Instagram page of a children’s rights activist were analyzed. The data analysis revealed that children with imprisoned mothers have received little attention in domestic and international laws. Children have unsuitable conditions and facilities in Iran’s prisons. Due to the minimum conditions and facilities available in prisons, their security environment, and keeping children with other prisoners, the prison is not a suitable environment for keeping children. It is, therefore, better to keep children together with their mothers in home-like institutions away from the prison environment.