[child-rights] Lessons learned from combating child labour in Turkey

***Learn more about this topic in the Conversation about child labour and
the right to education with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to
Education: http://www.hrea.org/conversations/child-labour.php


IZMIR, 7 November 2006 (ILO Online) -- 16 year-old Ahmet worked in the
furniture industry in 0zmir where his family had moved ten years before.
His father, a casual worker, rarely had work, leaving him unemployed most
of the year. His mother did some occasional cleaning work in other
households but spent most of the time with her family of seven.

Ahmet daily handled hazardous chemicals and dangerous machinery,
surrounded by noise and dust exceeding prescribed levels. He ignored his
own coughing and health concerns until an official visited his workplace
and asked him a few questions.

Afterwards, this official had a long talk with Ahmet's employer. He
happened to be one of the labour inspectors inspecting workplaces within
the framework of the IPEC Action Programme to eliminate the worst forms of
child labour in the furniture industry in the provinces of Ankara, Bursa
and Izmir implemented by the Labour Inspection Board (LIB) of Turkey.

After convincing the employer and his family of the need to do so, Ahmet
was first directed to a Social Support Centre (SSC) established by the
action programme. When Ahmet registered to the SSC, a complete medical
screening was carried out and a beginning pneumonia diagnosed. Ahmet
received medical treatment and went to an institution that enabled him to
complete his unfinished primary school education.

His working hours were re-scheduled so as to allow him to continue with
school. Ahmet graduated in a record one year's time which allowed him to
register with a training centre for apprenticeship leading to a proper
professional career in the furniture industry. What’s more, two
sisters and one brother of Ahmet are being closely followed by the SSC and
attend primary school.

As the inspection had not only revealed child labour, but also violation
of workplace regulations, the labour inspectorate also discussed workplace
improvements with the employer. As a result, a new ventilation system was
installed.

Thanks to ILO-IPEC and the Turkish labour inspectorate, more than 4,000
children in the target provinces have been withdrawn or prevented from
entering the worst forms of child labour. The project established a
credible and comprehensive child labour monitoring and reporting mechanism
and developed computer software to keep record on the extent and nature of
child labour and school attendance.

The labour inspectors adopted a holistic approach, thereby extending the
system of monitoring by adding referral and follow-up services. Through
collaboration with other institutions, under age working children have
been placed in primary schools while the elder ones were referred to
vocational training centres and non-formal education programmes, including
literacy courses. Families of children have also been followed and offered
assistance through counselling, vocational and skills training and income
generating activities.

"Working on elimination of child labour should be a routine part of the
work of labour inspectorates around the world. For inspectors, this means
helping tackle the problem of 126 million children engaged in dangerous
work", says ILO child labour expert Klaus Guenther.

However, labour inspectors often face enormous practical difficulties in
carrying out his essential element of their mandate. In an effort to
improve the situation, the ILO offers policy support for labour
inspectorates and support for training of labour inspectors on how to
tackle child labour.

Following the success of the project in Turkey, IPEC and the ILO’s
International Training Centre in Turin, Italy, organized a workshop on
labour inspection policies and child labour in Istanbul last week. IPEC
partners in Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Romania, Tadjikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
participated in the workshop.

"The meeting allowed a fruitful exchange of experiences between the
countries while learning from the Turkish labour inspection experience. It
also contributed to the establishment of a regional network in combatting
child labour", concludes Klaus Guenther.