TurkStat: Child Labor Increased in 2018

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The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has announced the 2018 figures on the children in the country.

The employment participation rate for children was 21,1 percent last year, with a 0.8 points increase compared to the previous year, it said.

According to the Address-Based Population Recording System, the population of Turkey is 82 million 3 thousand 882, the population of the children is 22 million 920 thousand 422.

Boys' participation rate increased to 30 percent

The employment participation rate was 30 percent for boys, increasing from 28.5 percent in 2017, and 11.8 percent for girls, the same as the previous year.

The government declared 2018 as the "Year of Fighting Child Labor" and issued a national program for that for the period between 2017 and 2023.

Rate of child population decreased

In 1970, when the children made up 48.5 of the population. This rate decreased to 41.8 percent in 1990 and to 28 percent in 2018.

Schooling rate became 91.5 percent

According to the statistics on education, net schooling rate for the children who are at the primary school age was 91.5 percent in the 2017/2018 education period. It was 91.2 percent in the previous period.

TurkStat figures indicate that there is no significant difference between boys and girls in terms of schooling.

Official marriages of girls decreased

In all official marriages, the share of the girls in the 16-17 age group dropped 3.8 percent from 5.8 percent in 2014, as stated by the TurkStat. (AÖ/VK)