Child labour

Child Labour is a violation of child rights and a significant threat to the health, education, development and well-being of children. Official statistics show that at least 720,000 Turkish children are working (4.4 per cent of the child population aged 5 to 17 years).

• almost half (45.5 per cent ) of working children are in the service sector, including those who work on the streets
• 30.8 per cent work in agriculture
• 23.7 per cent work in industrial manufacturing, particularly in small and medium size enterprises.

Various studies report a high prevalence of child labour among refugees, who are not included in official statistics.

Child poverty, shortcomings in social protection, plus an informal economy are the main reasons for child labour in Turkey. As nearly one third (30 per cent) of employment in Turkiye is in the informal sector it is difficult to implement laws and enforce business practices to ensure child rights are respected.

The Solution

UNICEF works with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of Family and Social Services, private sector, civil society and universities, to help eliminate child labour. Contributing to the realization of the goals of the National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (2017–2023), UNICEF’s work on child labour focus on

Strengthening key governmental capacities: UNICEF works with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, to strengthen the operational capacity of multisectoral provincial teams combating child labour, through improved identification, monitoring and referral services.

Child-sensitive social protection: UNICEF implements social protection (especially cash transfers) programmes for vulnerable children and families, and work with the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to improve employment and skills-development programmes to ensure the long-term resilience and income-generation capacity of families.

Business practices aligned with child rights and well-being: UNICEF partners with various private sector and business groups to address child labour and respect children’s rights. This includes family friendly policies in the workplace, child-sensitive marketing strategies and monitoring the businesses' impact on communities and the environment.

Certified vocational training and inclusive workplace learning for skills: UNICEF works with Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the private sector to improve the provision of inclusive, adequate, and employable technical/vocational education and training for young people.

Supporting evidence-based policy development and advocacy: UNICEF and its academic and civil society partners help researchers, NGOs and policymakers by carrying out studies on

• the socioeconomic aspects of labour markets and their impact on families and children

• employment patterns and vulnerabilities in different sectors
• wage payment and job placement systems and their impacts on families and children
• impact of child labour prevention programmes