A New Step in Turkey towards Eliminating the Worst Forms of Child Labour:
"The Project for Eradicating the Worst Forms of Child Labour"

Child labour, especially its worst forms, is among the issues to which Turkey, who is currently undergoing a process of change, has to find a solution. International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 182 calls for urgent and effective action to prohibit and eradicate the child labour in its worst forms for all children who are under 18 years of age. The Turkish Government ratified this convention in 2001. In accordance with the convention, and in corporation with workers' and employers' organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) has identified the three worst forms of child labour in Turkey as child labour in seasonal agricultural work, in hazardous conditions in SMEs, and in the streets. The identification of child labour in those environments, as the worst forms of child labour, is based on available data and on the vast field experience in the country.

In 2002, the Child Labour Unit of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security had developed a policy and programme framework aiming to eliminate child labour within a defined period. The strategic goal of the "Time - Bound Policy and Programme Framework" is the elimination of child labour, giving particular attention to the worst forms of child labour with a special emphasis on girls. The Time-Bound Policy and Programme Framework include a fundamental objective of eradicating child labour within 10 years.

The Project for the Eradicating the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Turkey, a project which has been designed by the Child Labour Unit of the MoLSS Directorate-General for Labour and in which it is the beneficiary organisation, is being conducted with the financial contributions of the EU and the technical support of the ILO Turkey Office. The project, which has a budget of 5.3 million Euro and a duration of two years, is being implemented in 7 provinces of Turkey, namely Ordu, Sinop, Van, Elazığ, Erzurum, Kastamonu and Çankırı.

By March 2007, in the 7 provinces in which the project is being implemented, the "Provincial Project Coordination Offices" (PPCOs) have reached a total of 3,083 children.  Of those children 2.704 are regularly attending to PPCOs and receiving various rehabilitation and educational services as well as various material aids.

Various school articles such as uniforms, bags and stationery materials have been provided to the children registered with the PPCOs towards their costs of education. The necessary materials for the children's personal care have also been provided by the PPCOs. In these centres, activities are carried out both to contribute to children's social and cultural development and to support their school education through reinforcement lessons.

In addition to those above, in order to follow up the attendance and success of the children, who are reached and referred to education, a "School Based Monitoring System" has been set up.

One should also be aware of the fact that the problem of child labour cannot be solved through the efforts of one institution alone. To solve this problem, all governmental authorities, NGOs and universities must come together and, in cooperation, perform the duties that are officially in their mandate. Child labour can be eliminated through joint action, and the objective of the Provincial Action Committees that have been established to contribute to the development of social dialogue between institutions.

Activities Planned and Started under the Project are as follows:

• A field survey covering a total of 99,356 households in the seven provinces with their 94 districts, 103 towns and 330 villages has been conducted to identify the working conditions of children who work under worst conditions in the selected provinces;
  
  
• Provincial Programme Coordination Offices have been established and made operational in the seven provinces;
  
  
• Provincial Action Committees (PAC), headed by the province governors, have been established to prevent and eradicate child labour in the selected provinces, and meetings are held;
  
  
• Despite original target  of 1,500 working children to be reached during project life time, by end of the first year of implementation, 3,083 children working or at risk of working  have been reached of whom  2,704 are receiving various services from the Offices. Around 200 families have been targeted to receive vocational training for an easier access to labour market and activities are being carried out in this respect;
  
  
• The "Child Labour Monitoring System" has been made operational in the selected provinces for the identification , monitoring and referral of working children;
  
  
• Support is provided to families' for their easier access to employment opportunities and for their entry into the social security system;
  
  
• Continuous support is provided for awareness-raising and creating ownership at national and local level and for the development of social dialogue between the parties concerned.

Total Number Of Children Reached To - Date And Benefiting From The Services From The Beginning Of The Project

Total Number Of Children Who Are Already In Education And Referred To Education From The Beginning Of The Project