Child labour

In 1992 Turkey was one of the initial six countries to undertake direct action to combat child labour through IPEC programs and assistance. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Turkey and the ILO was signed in 1992 and was extended till September 2006. There was a total number of 101 action programmes implemented from 1992. IPEC projects carried out over the last 12 years have reached approximately 50,000 children. Sixty percent of these children have been withdrawn from work and placed in schools. The remaining 40 percent have benefited from improved working conditions and health, nutrition and vocational training services. Furthermore, approximately 25,000 families have received counselling services and assistance. The strategies developed and objectives of the Programme are coherent with national policies and objectives and reinforce and strengthen existing national structures.

The Context of the Child Labour Problem in Turkey

The problem of child labour is one that Turkey , as every country in transition, needs to address. The problem needs to be viewed in terms of demography, educational levels, economics and social development. The population of Turkey is estimated to be 63,416,000, with 25.4% in the 6-17 year age group. According to the Household Labour Force Survey conducted by the State Institute of Statistics jointly with ILO in October 1999, there are approximately 16,088,000 children in the age group 6-17, of which 1,635,000 (10.2%) are employed. Of these children 61.8 % are boys and 38.2% are girls. In the same age group approximately 78.8% of the children attend school. As for the reasons for children working, the greatest number cited was 38.4% who worked to help support economically the family household followed by 19.7%

A comparison of results of the 1994 Household Labour Force Survey with the results of the survey conducted in 1999 shows an important decrease in the percentage of working children in the 6-14 age group, from 8.5% in 1994 to 4.2% in 1999.

As a country, Turkey is in transition from a rural to an urban setting and from an agricultural to an industrial economy. The trend of migration to major metropolises, together with the disintegration or non availability of familiar social support network, means the phenomenon of working children is becoming more apparent, particularly, the numbers of children working in marginal sectors and on the streets in order to help support family income levels.

IPEC, Turkey Strategies 2004 - 2005

Strategic Objective : To contribute the progressive elimination of child labour in Turkey in particular the worst forms. Operational Objectives:
• To contribute the effective implementation of ILO Convention No: 182.
• To contribute successful implementation of time bound programme for the elimination of worst forms of child labour.
• To mobilize the mechanisms and resources within the country to combat child labour.

In order to realize the operational objectives, the following initiatives will be taken:
• Developing technical cooperation programs
• Organizing workshops, seminars, and symposiums for Government, Workers and Employers organizations, other NGOs and civil society.
• Benefiting from national and international consultancy services
• Negotiating with possible donors
• Cooperating with other UN organizations and other international organization.

Indicators:
• National legislation harmonized with international conventions and provision and application of sanctions.
• ncrease at the policies directed at the root causes of the problem of child labour include efforts to increase family incomes, provide social welfare and security to families and reduce the cost of education for poor families.
• Increases in the number of institutions jointly develop projects to combat child labour.
• Increase in the replication of the successful models by GOs and NGOs.
• Development of a statistical system to follow up the incidence of child labour in particular the worst forms.
• In line with the aim of gradual elimination of worst forms of child labour, a quantitative decrease in the number of children engaged in the worst forms of child labour.
• Extension of the compulsory education period to 11 or 12 years.
• Increase in the number of working children directed to the formal and non-formal education.
• Establishment of direct or indirect linkages of child labour policies to development policies.
• Increase in the number of local programs intervening to solve the problem at local levels.
• Increase in the attention and support of international organizations and development institutions to collaborate with national institutions to combat child labour.