Event held in Şanlıurfa on Combating Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture

An event on combating child labour in seasonal agriculture was hosted by the Governorship of Şanlıurfa on 29 November 2018 in Şanlıurfa under “An Integrated Model for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture in Hazelnut Harvesting in Turkey Project” jointly implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services. The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, Ministry of National Education and ILO Office for Turkey, teachers of Ministry of National Education and relevant representatives of provincial directorates in the context of the 2018 Year to Combat Child Labour and the Project.

In order to maintain the momentum of combat in Şanlıurfa to eliminate child labour in seasonal agriculture, the participants were informed on the legislation on child labour, National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2017-2023), and Circular No. 2016/5 of the Ministry of National Education on the Access to Education of Children of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Families. Attention was drawn to the role of education, field work and in particularly child labour monitoring in the context of combating child labour in seasonal agriculture. The participants shared information on their on-going work and expressed their recommendations in light of their findings and experience.

Participating in the event were the members of the provincial and district boards for monitoring the children of seasonal agricultural workers, nomadic or semi-nomadic families, branch heads in charge of primary education in District Directorates of National Education, and relevant representatives of the Provincial Directorates of Turkish Employment Agency, Family, Labour and Social Services, Youth and Sports, Agriculture and Forestry.



“An Integrated Model for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture in Hazelnut Harvesting in Turkey”

The project was first implemented in 2012-2015 in Ordu under the partnership of the General Directorate of Labour of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Turkey; then expanded to the provinces of Düzce, Sakarya and Şanlıurfa in 2015-2018, and is scheduled to run until end 2020.

The overall objective of the Project is to contribute to eliminating the worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in line with the Government’s National Employment Strategy (2014-2023) and National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2017-2023). Through the strategic intervention model developed under the Project to ensure that children are withdrawn from worst forms of labour and prevent children under risk from entering the world of work, it is also aimed to contribute to the processes of policy development and implementation, and to strengthening the national and local capacities and raising awareness.