Iran: Rising poverty, unemployment results in increase in selling newborns

While more and more people are being added to the army of unemployed in Kermanshah, western Iran, the phenomenon of newborn babies being sold on the black market has increased. From March 20 15 to this day there have been reports of babies being stolen from hospitals in this city and sold on the black market. 
“For years we have been witnessing the selling of newborn babies in various parts of Iran,” said an informed source in the Kermanshah City Council Social Commission. “We have been seeing this for 10 years and incidents have been recorded all over Iran.”
To this day two particular cases have not been publicized to prevent what has been described as popular protests, he added.
The Director General of the Tehran Governorate Social and Cultural Affairs said we have to accept that the selling of newborns is becoming more and more organized.
Siavash Shahrivar referred to the phenomenon of newborns being sold in poor neighborhoods.
“Some are saying there are no such cases in Tehran, while others believe such practices are seen in many neighborhoods. However, the truth is drug-addicted women and prostitutes become pregnant, and since they don’t have any custodians, and there is no individual to actually take care of the child, in some cases they take measures to sell their newborn babies,” he added.