Hosted by Derya Yanık, the Minister of Family and Social Services, the '12 June World Day Against Child Labour' Panel has been held at the Nation’s Library in Presidency on the occasion of 12 June World Day Against Child Labour.

Ziya Selçuk, the Minister of National Education, Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, AK Party MP for Kocaeli and the President of the Parliamentary Child Rights Subcommittee, and members of Committees on the Rights of  the Child in 81 provinces have attended to the panel.

Stating that the fight against child labour is significant for them, Derya Yanık has said, "This is the subject of our common area together with both the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the Ministry of National Education. These activities will continue in the coming period. In addition, it is also important in terms of being a joint venture that we have made with the legislative side of our Assembly.” in her speech.

Underlining that there is no single solution to social issues, our Minister has said, “Unfortunately, sometimes a solution is not possible without all parties coming together. Child labour is one of them. Everyone needs to come together in the fight against child labour. Only then can we solve it. We would like to come together with all parties such as NGOs and professional organizations to continue, develop and make up for the deficiencies.”

We declare 2018 as the Year of Fight Against Child Labour

Our Minister has said, “The issue of child labour has been a problem all over the world at various times and in different forms throughout history. When we look at it from the point of view of our country, we fortunately do not have a history to be ashamed of.” and has stated that, they already maintain policies and services that will completely eliminate the problem and its consequences as the government, against the child labour problem that arises with the need for labour in industrial societies by correctly identifying the child labour topics in Turkey and  correctly analyzing their social causes and backgrounds.

Explaining that they are working on raising awareness about the prevention of child labour and what should be done with other relevant stakeholders, our Minister has expressed, “As the Ministry, we declared 2018 as the Year of Fight Against Child Labour. After 2018, we signed the joint declaration by struggling with the relevant ministries and social partners in order to realize this awareness in a concrete way. From 2017 to 2023, we prepared and implemented our National Program to Fight Against Child Labour.”

Children supported by 515 mobile teams

Emphasizing that the main starting points are the best interests of the child, Minister Yanık has added, “The best interest of the child is a legal obligation. We tried to implement policies defined and implemented based on the best interests of the child. With our mobile teams affiliated to our ministry in 81 provinces, we have tried to reach children at risk and provide the support services they need and we continue.”

Stating that they have tried to provide appropriate support to children by reaching them within their families, both at school and on the street, with 515 mobile teams, our Minister Derya Yanık has informed:

“Our mobile teams have worked one-on-one with students in 5.552 schools. We visit our children who benefit from our social service models and are evaluated at risk through our project named Children in Safe. Within the scope of these visits, we have listened to the individual needs of 65.000 children. After the interviews, we have determined the needs of our children and their families.”

We provide SED service for 138.647 children

Expressing that they have established Provincial Committees on the Rights of the Child in 81 provinces for the development and implementation of children's rights, Derya Yanık has continued:

“We feel the need to strengthen our institutional structure in the fight against child labour, and we continue to serve our families and children in our 360 social service centers across the country. We fight against child labour with our family social support personnel, whose number reaches 3.500. We also support their families so that our children grow up with family unity and integrity. We attach importance to the Social Economic Support (SED) program as part of our efforts to support children within their families. As the state, we support the family if the conditions force the family to leave their child in institutional care due to economic deprivation, so that family integrity is not compromised.”

Stressing that children do not stay away from education and social life in this way, the Minister has said, “In this context, we have provided SED services for 138.647 children. Guidance services are also provided. We also have a Family Training Program.”

Derya Yanık has remarked that they have provided training on combating child labour, business life and law module.

A question and answer event held with the members of Committees on the Rights of the Child in 81 provinces

In the closed to the press part of the panel, Derya Yanık, Ziya Selçuk, the Minister of National Education and Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, the President of the Parliamentary Child Rights Subcommittee answered the questions of the members of the Committees on the Rights of the Child in 81 provinces.

After the program, Derya Yanık, who was one-on-one with the members of the Committees on the Rights of the Child in 81 provinces and visited the exhibition in the Nation’s Library in Presidency, had a souvenir photo taken with the children.