Planning of activities to eliminate child labour in seasonal hazelnut harvesting
Activities to eliminate child labour in seasonal hazelnut harvesting and relevant legislative arrangements were discussed in a meeting participated by national and local stakeholders
28 June 2017
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The meeting of stakeholders taking place in Ankara on 2 June 2017 focused on the planning of activities to be carried out during 2107 hazelnut harvesting season in the context of the Project “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 activities to be carried out during 2017 harvesting season. There were also two separate sessions organized to solicit 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, said they have formed a good working team with local authorities in project provinces, and the issue is now locally owned, adding that it would be beneficial to carry out similar activities in different regions as well. Özcan touched upon the importance of the Circular issued by the Ministry of National Education in solving the problem, and said the National Action Plan in Combating Child Labour prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will guide future activities in this field.
Nurcan Önder, the Director General of Labour from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, stressed that the common aim under the project is to remove the children of seasonal agricultural workers from work and to ensure their school enrolment and attendance. Ms. Önder said their support will continue. Pointing out to significant achievements in preventing child labour thanks to inter-agency cooperation and coordination, Ms. Önder added that there are further measures in this regard in the National Programme for Combating Child Labour covering the period 2017-2023.
Participants to the meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, Ministry of National Education, and Ministry of Development; 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).
* 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 activities to be carried out during 2017 harvesting season. There were also two separate sessions organized to solicit 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, said they have formed a good working team with local authorities in project provinces, and the issue is now locally owned, adding that it would be beneficial to carry out similar activities in different regions as well. Özcan touched upon the importance of the Circular issued by the Ministry of National Education in solving the problem, and said the National Action Plan in Combating Child Labour prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security will guide future activities in this field.
Nurcan Önder, the Director General of Labour from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, stressed that the common aim under the project is to remove the children of seasonal agricultural workers from work and to ensure their school enrolment and attendance. Ms. Önder said their support will continue. Pointing out to significant achievements in preventing child labour thanks to inter-agency cooperation and coordination, Ms. Önder added that there are further measures in this regard in the National Programme for Combating Child Labour covering the period 2017-2023.
Participants to the meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, Ministry of National Education, and Ministry of Development; 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).
* 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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