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The Laborers' Health and Occupational Safety (İSİG) Assembly has released a report on the occasion of June 12 World Day Against Child Labor.
The report has shown that at least 26 child workers have lost their lives in the first five months of 2019. Accounting for 18 percent of Turkey's population, children's participation in labor force increased to 21 percent in 2018.
Referring to figures previously shared by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the Assembly has stated, "Though there are only labor force statistics on children between the ages of 15 and 17, the number of child workers increased by 7 thousand in 2018. Though it was declared the 'Year for Struggle Against Child Labor', 2018 became the year when the highest number children were subjected to occupational homicides."
CLICK - TurkStat: Child Labor Increased in 2018
According to the figures shared by the İSİG Assembly, the number of child laborers who lost their lives in occupational homicides were as follows by years: 59 children in 2013, 54 children in 2014, 63 children in 2015, 56 children in 2016, 60 children in 2017, 67 children in 2018 and at least 26 children in the first five months of this year.
"One of the reasons for the spread of child labor to such an extent in Turkey is other policies of the state in this field as well as a lack of inspection and policy of impunity," the Assembly has underlined further and added, "The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services detected violations of child labor only in 416 workplaces across Turkey since 2010."
CLICK - Child Labor Violations Detected in 416 Workplaces in 9 Years
Some highlights from the İSİG report are as follows:
(AÖ/SD)