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Activities to eliminate child labour in seasonal hazelnut harvesting discussed in a stakeholders meeting
Activities carried out to eliminate child labour in hazelnut harvesting season of 2017 and implementation of relevant legislative arrangements were discussed in a meeting participated by national and local stakeholders
15 December 2017
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The stakeholders meeting took place in Ankara on 22 November 2017 to evaluate activities carried out during 2107 hazelnut harvesting season in the context of the Project “An Integrated Model for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture in Hazelnut Harvesting in Turkey”* implemented jointly by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
With contributions from national and local stakeholders, the meeting discussed project activities carried out during 2017 harvesting season. Two separate open discussion sessions were also organized to share opinions and suggestions related to the implementation of the Ministry of National Education Circular no. 2016/5 on “Access to Education of Children of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Families”, and the Prime Ministerial Circular no. 2017/6 on “Seasonal Agricultural Workers”.
Numan Özcan, the Director of ILO Office for Turkey, touched upon the Child Labour Report recently published by the ILO and the Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour held in Buenos Aries with the aim towards ending child labour in all its forms by 2025. Özcan stated that in line with the global targets, the project being jointly implemented by the ILO Office for Turkey and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has made significant progress for the elimination of child labour in seasonal agriculture.
Pointing out the significant achievements in combatting child labour, Şeref Kazancı, the Deputy Director General of Labour from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, underlined the importance of the National Programme for Combating Child Labour for future interventions. Kazancı stressed that the Prime Ministry Circular will enable efficient implementation of mapping and monitoring activities for seasonal agricultural workers in 2018. Kazancı added that their support for ongoing activities will be maintained.
Representatives from the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Development and Ministry of Interior; local authorities from project provinces Ordu, Düzce, Sakarya and Şanlıurfa; and representatives from Province/District Directorates of National Education, and Provincial Directorates of the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) were present at the meeting.
* The project was launched in 2012 by the ILO and Ministry of Labour and Social Security to eliminate worst forms of child labour in seasonal hazelnut harvesting. The project took start in Eastern Black Sea region province Ordu, and following the successful completion of its first phase its scope was enlarged so as to cover Düzce and Sakarya provinces in Western Black Sea Region and also the south-eastern province of Şanlıurfa where there is seasonal outmigration for agricultural works. The overall aim of the project is to contribute to the elimination of worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in line with the framework laid down in Government’s National Employment Strategy (2014-2023). It includes the removal of children from worst forms of child labour, building local capacity to prevent the labour force participation of children under this risk, and raising the level of awareness on the issue.
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With contributions from national and local stakeholders, the meeting discussed project activities carried out during 2017 harvesting season. Two separate open discussion sessions were also organized to share opinions and suggestions related to the implementation of the Ministry of National Education Circular no. 2016/5 on “Access to Education of Children of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Nomadic and Semi-nomadic Families”, and the Prime Ministerial Circular no. 2017/6 on “Seasonal Agricultural Workers”.
Numan Özcan, the Director of ILO Office for Turkey, touched upon the Child Labour Report recently published by the ILO and the Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour held in Buenos Aries with the aim towards ending child labour in all its forms by 2025. Özcan stated that in line with the global targets, the project being jointly implemented by the ILO Office for Turkey and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has made significant progress for the elimination of child labour in seasonal agriculture.
Pointing out the significant achievements in combatting child labour, Şeref Kazancı, the Deputy Director General of Labour from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, underlined the importance of the National Programme for Combating Child Labour for future interventions. Kazancı stressed that the Prime Ministry Circular will enable efficient implementation of mapping and monitoring activities for seasonal agricultural workers in 2018. Kazancı added that their support for ongoing activities will be maintained.
Representatives from the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Development and Ministry of Interior; local authorities from project provinces Ordu, Düzce, Sakarya and Şanlıurfa; and representatives from Province/District Directorates of National Education, and Provincial Directorates of the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) were present at the meeting.
* The project was launched in 2012 by the ILO and Ministry of Labour and Social Security to eliminate worst forms of child labour in seasonal hazelnut harvesting. The project took start in Eastern Black Sea region province Ordu, and following the successful completion of its first phase its scope was enlarged so as to cover Düzce and Sakarya provinces in Western Black Sea Region and also the south-eastern province of Şanlıurfa where there is seasonal outmigration for agricultural works. The overall aim of the project is to contribute to the elimination of worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in line with the framework laid down in Government’s National Employment Strategy (2014-2023). It includes the removal of children from worst forms of child labour, building local capacity to prevent the labour force participation of children under this risk, and raising the level of awareness on the issue.
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