55 Child Workers Killed on the Job in 2013

According to a statement released by Worker Health and Work Security Assembly, at least 55 child workers were killed from work-related injuries in 2013.

Entitled “our struggle arises from these small and callous hands which fabricate the life”, some of the highlights from the statement are as follows: 

“Addressing an official inquiry last week, Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik revealed that at least 5,960 child workers were detected across Turkey in 2012.

“European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle said Turkey has been successful in the prevention of child labor. He said that Turkey pledged to end child labor by 2014. He also reminded ILO’s adding of Turkey in the 2006 Child Labor Prevention Success List…This is a fact…”

“It is also a fact that Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu had a 10 year-old kid polish his shoes. Not only that he gave him pocket money, but also he said he did it to support him...

“It is also a fact that a court ordered the employers of dead child worker Muhammet Isa Soysal in 2011 to pay 47,000 liras as damages, saying that “if Soysal lived until 65, he would only earn the minimum wage”…

“It is also a fact that there is currently the legal basis for minors to work in dangerous and tough jobs...

“The employers of Ahmet Yıldız (13) were ordered to pay 30,040 lira with 24 installments…

“Koç Holding’s project aim to turn Turkey into a cheap labor heaven…

“It is also a fact that Education, Labor Ministries and EU Turkey Delegation held a conference shaping the future of high school around the needs of market economy… 

“It is also a fact that, according to Statistics Institution of Turkey, only 893,000 children work. But considering that 45 percent of seasonal workers are children. The toll is even larger… 

“It is also a fact that factors leading to child labor and its insecurity are poor family finances, migration, lack of access to education, 4+4+4 system, deprivation of money and capitalism’s need for cheap labor…” (EKN/BM)