Campaign demanding one free meal a day for students voiced at the parliament

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Labour Party (EMEP) Antep MP Sevda Karaca brought up the women's campaign demanding for one meal to be given to all students in the public schools of all levels in the parliament yesterday (June 5). 

"The women will continue to struggle for one free meal at schools. You will hear this voice everywhere, at the parliament, on the street, at the schools, at the hospitals, in bakeries, in market places..." Karaca said. 

"You thought the women would forget, we didn't"

"People are sitting on these chairs in the parliament who made some promises before the elections when women were collecting hundred thousands of signatures to the petition demanding a free meal for the students in all schools, and who later forgot about their promises," Karaca said. 

"The Ministry of Education had to start giving a free meal in preschool institutions following the campaign by women. 'But this is not enough, you have to give a free meal to all students in all public schools at every level of education,' told the women to you but you did not want to hear. You thought that the women would forget, but we did not," told the MP the general assembly. 

The minimum wage quickly dropped below the starvation line with the high inflation and the increasing food prices, the MP said. For a family with two children, the amount of money that they have to spend for the food that the children should consume at school is more than one third of their montly income. 

Karaca also argued that the right to education of the poor people has de facto been eliminated since all levels of education are commercialized. 

"There are 5 million child workers"

Karaca gave some data. Accordingly more than 2 million children gave birth in Turkey since 2001, and 21 thousand of them were younger than 15. Moreover there are around 5 million child workers in the country.

Saying that these are the realities and that the need for a free meal at schools is obvious, she asked why the parliament is not taking action. 

Karaca also reminded that there are only 60 days left until the opening of the schools. 

"This parliament should take a step in order to make sure that no children will be hungry at school when the schools open in September. The women will continue to struggle for a free mail at schools. A free and healthy meal at schools is a right!" the MP said. 

(EMK/PE)