The head of the State Welfare Organization of Iran detailed the wide range of services provided during the current crisis, announcing extensive psychological, social, and support services for vulnerable populations. He emphasized that public participation and community‑based activities form the cornerstone of crisis management within the organization.
According to the organization’s Public Relations and International Affairs Department, Seyed Javad Hosseini, speaking at the fourth virtual coordination meeting with NGOs on social engagement during crises and wartime, explained that crises fall into two categories: natural crises and those of a social, political, security, or economic nature. “The most critical of these is war,” he said.
He added that in such circumstances, governmental, public, and non‑governmental organizations play a protective role—preventing the downward social mobility of middle‑ and lower‑income groups, limiting the spread of social harms, and safeguarding vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, the elderly, children, individuals with mental health conditions, socially vulnerable people, child laborers, and isolated seniors.
Hosseini noted that the Welfare Organization has significant experience managing wartime support, including the 8‑year war, the 12‑day war, and the recent Ramadan conflict, which has now continued for about a month.
Vertical and Horizontal Services
He explained that the organization’s services fall into two categories: vertical and horizontal. Vertical services target approximately 8 million beneficiaries and include protecting their lives, ensuring access to medicine and food, and preventing disruption of rehabilitation services. Horizontal services are provided to the general public through emergency hotlines such as Social Emergency 123 and the counseling hotline 1480, which remain active during wartime.
A third set of activities focuses on community‑based programs carried out by social groups. The fourth component is the expansion of public participation, and the fifth involves producing educational and support content for both beneficiaries and the general public. He noted two shortcomings: adequacy and coverage—some elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable people are still not being reached.
Hosseini proposed a way forward: “Some sociologists say ‘small is beautiful,’ meaning the government should shrink. I believe ‘big is beautiful,’ meaning society must grow through organized social groups.” He explained that the organization has intentionally reached out to the public to activate volunteer and philanthropic capacities.
Key Groups in Crisis Situations
He stressed that during crises, groups such as university faculty, physicians, teachers, psychologists, counselors, academic associations, social media networks, and prominent cultural, athletic, political, and national figures must be organized into community‑based initiatives. Priority for services goes to those exposed to bombardment, families with isolated seniors or persons with disabilities, children with autism, individuals with chronic illnesses, and poor families unable to evacuate.
Hosseini added that NGOs can help by recruiting volunteers and engaging in neighborhood‑level identification and support of vulnerable households.
He highlighted the scope of services under the Welfare Organization, noting that it is the only body—besides prisons—licensed to operate residential care centers. Around 200,000 children, adolescents, seniors, and persons with disabilities currently live in these facilities.
He detailed the numbers:
10,000 individuals live in quasi‑family centers;
41,940 supported children are covered;
42,041 families with multiple births receive support;
300,000 female‑headed households are under coverage;
90 centers serve child laborers and street children;
10,000 individuals are in Article 16 centers;
19,000 are in Article 15 centers;
536 TC centers and 955 empowerment and protection centers are active;
in total, 1,105 addiction‑related centers provide services to 30,000 people.
Additionally, 179 people receive services in 86 safe houses, health, and support centers.
Home‑Care Services for 27,000 Elderly and Disabled Individuals
He continued: a total of 5,300 residential centers serve 200,000 people, with 130 centers relocated and 24,000 individuals moved under a family‑based care approach. Furthermore, 27,000 elderly people and individuals with severe or very severe disabilities receive home‑care and home‑visit services through 492 centers.
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