Say Yes, July 2002: Working for Children

Twenty-eight non-governmental organisations (NGOs) formed the Turkish Children’s Rights Coalition (TCRC) at the beginning of January, 2001, their mission being to ensure the full implementation of children’s rights. Since 1994, when the Government ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the subject of children’s rights has grown daily more prominent in Turkey, encompassing health, education and recreation amongst many other socio-economic issues. As such, a broad variety of agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, are interested.

Aiming to enforce the rights of the child, everywhere, the TCRC plans to network all NGOs operational in Turkey, build local coalitions throughout the country and promote children’s rights issues. The TCRC also represents Turkey at international meetings on children’s rights. For this year, the coalition has been elected as Vice-President for the NGO/UNICEF CEE/CIS Regional Network.

The coalition has seven coordinators, elected by members, each of whom is responsible for the respective fields of Education, Health, International Relations, Communication, Legal Rights and Finance. Supporting the coordinators are five press representatives.

The TCRC upholds a simple list of five principles under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), accepted in January:

• Every child has a right to live in a perfect world.
• Without excluding any child, work for children so that they have enough knowledge and resources to start life.
• Families, societies and children themselves should endeavour to make a world where children can live in dignity, security, prosperity and where they have the opportunity to explore and develop themselves.
• To focus on children’s problems and find appropriate solutions.
• At the beginning of this millenium, to advocate for equality, justice, peace, health and happiness for Turkish children and children everywhere.

The first campaign of the TCRC was to promote Say Yes for Children, offering it’s support to UNICEF and the Turkish Government in order to contribute to the final total of more than sixteen million pledges. The campaign received almost universal support from the public, from celebrities and from the private sector and fundraising for it’s success proved to be a gigantic task. Other activities during the past year included:

• Training in Advocacy and the Conduct of Advocacy Campaigns;
• Setting up the Children’s Assembly with the Şişli Council, İstanbul;
• A painting competition for children;
• Helping to form a local coalition in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Region;
• Helping children to plan and form a coalition using techniques of drama and art;
• Supporting the Breastfeeding Campaign;

The TCRC has planned a series of short campaigns, panel meetings and discussions throughout the country with the cooperation of MONE. The support of recording artists and performers is being sought for a series of records, videos and radio and television promotions.

Read more about Say Yes for Children in the February 2002 issue of Say Yes. See UNICEF Turkey Programmes for 2001 - 2005 for more information about projects in Communication for Social and Resource Mobilisation.

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