Child Protection
In Turkey, UNICEF supports national child protection systems to ensure all children, including refugees, migrants, and the most vulnerable, are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation
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The Challenge
Many children in Turkey, particularly those belonging to the most disadvantaged groups, are still vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect despite positive strides.
The mass influx of refugees over the last years has placed a heavy strain on the national child protection system, challenging the capacity of authorities and civil society organizations to effectively prevent and respond to child protection risks and violations.
Refugee children are often at heightened risk of child protection risks and violations including economic exploitation, separation from their families, neglect, violence and abuse, psychological disorders and distress, isolation, discrimination, trafficking and child marriage.
UNICEF in Turkey targets these various groups of vulnerable children who are at risk of being left behind due to a range of protection concerns.
The Solution
Government of Turkey invested considerable efforts in developing comprehensive child welfare and protection policies.
The longstanding cooperation between UNICEF and the ministries of Family, Labour and Social Services (MoFLSS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and other national institutions focuses on further strengthening national child protection systems for child care and justice for children, with the aim of serving all children living in Turkey, including refugee children.
Our work focuses on four key areas: Improving Child Care Systems, Supporting Refugee Children in Need of Protection, Improving Systems For Justice for Children and Elimination of Child Marriage.