The way for sustainable solutions in the fight to eliminate the child labour discussed in the COVID-19 context
The summer season of the hazelnut harvest in the Black Sea region of Turkey will keep up with the new COVID-19 protective measures and dynamic support provided within the “An Integrated Model for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFLC) in Seasonal Agriculture in Hazelnut Harveting in Turkey Project”. The new actions and lessons learned were discussed in the Steering Committee and Stakeholders meeting of the project held on 9 June 2020. The project is implemented by the close cooperation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for Turkey and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services of Turkey. The project aims to assist the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in seasonal agriculture in hazelnut harvesting in Turkey.
13 July 2020
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Although in decline, yet child labour is a remarkable problem in seasonal agricultural work. During peak work periods, children do not maintain regular school attendance and fall behind in their classes and are unable to make up for this when they return to school. For these reasons and as the children who engage in this type of work are very young, this sector was considered a priority. In addition to the very nature of the seasonal agricultural work exposing families to all types of risks, to which children are the most vulnerable, the COVID-19 crisis may lead the rise in child labour.
Children already in child labour may be working longer hours or under worsening conditions. In various regions, many of them may be forced into the worst forms of labour, which causes damage to their health and safety. Supplement to the already disadvantageous conditions, the pandemic’s devastating effects become increasingly more visible, the availability of health and social services decreases, more children are pushed into the workforce.
In an online meeting to discuss how to meet the risks posed by the challenges of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis as well as keep past gains under the Mr.Numan Özcan, Director of the ILO Office for Turkey, Ms. Nurcan Önder, DG of Directorate General of Labour,Mr. İbrahim Demircan, Head of Unit on Employment Policies, DG of Labour, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Service as well as some representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Education, District Governorships, Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) were gathered in an online meeting the issues in all aspects.
Özcan, “The necessary protective measures in the fight with the pandemic shall be seen as an opportunity for the necessary long-awaited socio-economic improvements in decent work conditions in the hazelnut harvesting. The sustainable solutions to chronic problems may become reality, backed with our support to ensure the decent living and working conditions for all” added.
National country responses to the COVID-19 challenges, “E-METIP system” (The Ministry of Education Seasonal Agricultural Workers Information System) and updated activities to fight the elimination of child labour in seasonal agriculture were addressed by Nurcan Önder, Director General of Labour of the Ministry of Family. Önder, “Our fight with coronavirus pandemic continues, in order to protect seasonal agricultural workers, their families, at the same time to ensure continuity of agricultural production, we are taking all kinds of measures” said. Önder addressed that the project will be implemented in line with the government’s National Employment Strategy (2014-2023) and National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2017-2023).
This year’s summer term trainings will take place on open-air with social activities respecting the necessary measures on hygiene and social distance. Besides, breakfast, lunches, stationary items will be provided to the children accompanying their families. Children’s working in the field will be strictly monitored and the information will flow frequently among the METIP coordinators, officers of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services and the ILO Office for Turkey.
The project aims to follow a process-oriented implementation modality leading directly to a policy making/program approach for long-term, self-reliant, capacity building rather than on immediate short-term performance improvement.
Fight against child labour has been one of the major policy areas of the ILO Office for Turkey working for the support decent work standards and policies. Millions more children risk being pushed into child labour as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which could lead to the first rise in child labour after 20 years of progress, according to a new brief released last month by the ILO and UNICEF.
Children already in child labour may be working longer hours or under worsening conditions. In various regions, many of them may be forced into the worst forms of labour, which causes damage to their health and safety. Supplement to the already disadvantageous conditions, the pandemic’s devastating effects become increasingly more visible, the availability of health and social services decreases, more children are pushed into the workforce.
In an online meeting to discuss how to meet the risks posed by the challenges of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis as well as keep past gains under the Mr.Numan Özcan, Director of the ILO Office for Turkey, Ms. Nurcan Önder, DG of Directorate General of Labour,Mr. İbrahim Demircan, Head of Unit on Employment Policies, DG of Labour, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Service as well as some representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Education, District Governorships, Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) were gathered in an online meeting the issues in all aspects.
The sustainable solutions to chronic problems may become reality
Reminding the risks posed by the current context, Numan Özcan, said: “The updated decisions and proposals issued dated back to 3 April 2020 by the Ministry of Interior, the General Directorate of Provincial Administration will guide the project and the informative as well as preventive actions taken with regard to the the COVID-19 in close collaboration with the all relevant corporations in the region”.Özcan, “The necessary protective measures in the fight with the pandemic shall be seen as an opportunity for the necessary long-awaited socio-economic improvements in decent work conditions in the hazelnut harvesting. The sustainable solutions to chronic problems may become reality, backed with our support to ensure the decent living and working conditions for all” added.
National country responses to the COVID-19 challenges, “E-METIP system” (The Ministry of Education Seasonal Agricultural Workers Information System) and updated activities to fight the elimination of child labour in seasonal agriculture were addressed by Nurcan Önder, Director General of Labour of the Ministry of Family. Önder, “Our fight with coronavirus pandemic continues, in order to protect seasonal agricultural workers, their families, at the same time to ensure continuity of agricultural production, we are taking all kinds of measures” said. Önder addressed that the project will be implemented in line with the government’s National Employment Strategy (2014-2023) and National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2017-2023).
Developing monitoring models in strong collaboration to eliminate child labour
The project aims to withdraw and/or prevent children from work in seasonal hazelnut agriculture in selected provinces of Ordu, Düzce and Sakarya through capacity building of public institutions, local governments, and local NGOs in combating child labour and promotion of corporate social responsibility; as well as developing monitoring models and partnerships to assist children’s development and education. As in the previous years, summer trainings will be organized for children whose families work in the hazelnut harvesting in Ordu, Düzce and Sakarya provinces of Black Sea Region.This year’s summer term trainings will take place on open-air with social activities respecting the necessary measures on hygiene and social distance. Besides, breakfast, lunches, stationary items will be provided to the children accompanying their families. Children’s working in the field will be strictly monitored and the information will flow frequently among the METIP coordinators, officers of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services and the ILO Office for Turkey.
The project aims to follow a process-oriented implementation modality leading directly to a policy making/program approach for long-term, self-reliant, capacity building rather than on immediate short-term performance improvement.
Fight against child labour has been one of the major policy areas of the ILO Office for Turkey working for the support decent work standards and policies. Millions more children risk being pushed into child labour as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which could lead to the first rise in child labour after 20 years of progress, according to a new brief released last month by the ILO and UNICEF.