Illiterate Children Work 54 Hours per Week

Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Institute (DİSK-AR) published a report of child labor in Turkey and stated that working hour of children was 54 hours per week.

 “The Fact of Child Labor in Turkey” Report emphasized that child workers were the most exploited ones because of cheap labor and unwaged labor.

According to the report, between the years 1999 and 2006, number of the children employed decreased to 890.000 from 2.270.000 but this decrease stopped between 2006 and 2012. In 2012, the number of child workers increased to 893.000.

Child labor

The report of DİSK-AR showed that child labor headed to the household.

 “The number of the children working in household was 4.447.000 in 1999. In 2006 it was 6.540.000 and the number was 7.503.000 in 2012.” (1)

The worst thing about child labor

Report emphasized these points:

* Children are exploited under the name of child labor in Turkey. It is the worst.

“According to the data of 2012, the number of children doing household works increased from 41% to 46% and increased from 362.000 to 413.000.

Within the same scope, the number of the children working in the fields increased from 326.000 to 399.000 so increased from 37% to 45%.

Tendency to increase

* Between 2006 and 2012 the number of the children both going to school and working increased to 445.000 from 272.000 with the increase of 64%.

* Between 2006 and 2012, the percentage of children both going to school and working increased from 2% to 3%.The number of the children doing household works increased to 50% from 43%. The number of the illiterate children decreased to 1.297.000 from 2.314.000 and the percentage of working illiterate children increased to 35 from 27. Besides, the number of the children doing household works deceased to 39% from 44%.

Workplace mortalities

* Workplace mortalities take life of children.

“According to the data of Istanbul Workers’ Health and Safety Council (İSİG), in 2013, 1235 workers were killed. 50 of them were children (18 of them were in the age of 14 and under of it, 41 of them were in the age between 15 and 17). The number was 54 in 2014 (19 of them were in the age of 14 and under of it, 35 of them were in the age between 15 and 17). One of 30 workers who died was child worker in 2014 (İSİG 2014, İSİG 2015). Child labor is an essential part of the employment and it is evident that workplace mortalities for children will rise.

* Children work in Turkey because of poverty.

Work hours

* According to the data in 2013 of Turkish Statistical Institute, work hours per week for children who are not going to school are 54,3 hours and this is above the average of Turkey.

* According to the data in 2013 of Turkish Statistical Institute, 52% of the children who are working for gainful occupation, do jobbing or working independently have 400 Turkish Lira as salary in 2012. (YY/BD)

(1) “According to the data of Turkish Statistical Institute, household works don’t include economic activity and are done by people living in the house. These activities include chore like shopping, cooking, doing laundry, ironing, caring for younger sisters and brothers or ill family members, cleaning the house and repairing the things in the house.”

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