Country profile TUR
Context
Context
| Year | Age group | Proportion | Gender | Indicator | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5-17 | 2.852 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 0.822 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 1.864 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 4.073 | Male | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 3.577 | Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
| 2019 | 5-17 | 3.831 | Male & Female | Proportion of children engaged in economic activity and household chores, by sex and age (%) | Source |
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2004-09-26 | C182 | Criminal Code - Article 229 (1) | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code","source_link":"https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2016)011-e"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | According to Article 229 (1) Any person who uses a child or person with physical or mental impairments as a means for begging shall be sentenced to a penalty of imprisonment for a term of one to three years. (2) The penalty to be imposed shall be increased by one-half, where the offense is committed by blood relatives or in-laws including third-degree or a spouse. (3) The penalty to be imposed shall be increased by one fold where the offense is committed within the framework of the activities of a criminal organization. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 2004-09-26 | C182 | Criminal Code - Section 227(1) | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code","source_link":"https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2016)011-e"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | Section 227(1) of the Criminal Code, prohibits encouraging, facilitating, or mediating a child to engage in prostitution |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 1927-03-20 | C182 | Law on Military Service - Article 2 | [{"link_name":"Law on Military Service","source_link":"https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b4d020.html."}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | Article 2 (Amendment: 2850 - 20/11/1935) (Amendment: 1st paragraph: 3358 - 16/04/1987) compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from 21 to 41 years of age. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 2004-09-26 | C182 | Criminal Code - Article 80 (1) | [{"link_name":"Criminal Code","source_link":"https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2016)011-e"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | Article 80 (1) (Amended on 6 December 2006 – By Article 3 of the Law no. 5560) Any person who procures, kidnaps, harbors, or transports a person from one place to another or brings a person into the country or takes a person out of the country, by (1) the use of threat, pressure, force or violence, (2) employing deceit, (3) abusing his influence, or (4) obtaining consent by exploiting control over another or the desperation of such other, to force them into prostitution or to work, provide a service, harvest their organs or to subject them to slavery or any similar practice shall be sentenced to a penalty of imprisonment for a term of eight to twelve years and to a judicial fine of up to ten thousand days. (2) Where an act is undertaken for the purposes referred to in paragraph one and such act constitutes an offense, the consent of the victim shall be presumed to be invalid. (3) Where a person under eighteen years of age is procured, kidnapped, harbored, or transported from one place to another for the purposes described in paragraph one, the offender shall be sentenced to a penalty described in paragraph one, even though no act instrumental to the offense has been resorted to. (4) Security measures shall be imposed upon legal entities in respect of the aforementioned offenses. |
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2004-04-06 | C138 & C182 | The Regulation on the Principles and Procedures Governing the Employment of Children and Young Workers | [{"link_name":"The Regulation on the Principles and Procedures Governing the Employment of Children and Young Workers","source_link":"https://www.csgb.gov.tr/medias/6947/30-soruda-çocuk-ve-genç-işçilere-oezel-çalışma-koşulları.pdf"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. | Workers under the age of eighteen cannot be employed in the following jobs, even if they are among the jobs permitted based on age records. • In preparation, completion and cleaning works, • In the production and wholesale of alcohol, cigarettes and addictive substances, • Wholesale and retail sales of flammable, explosive, harmful and dangerous substances, manufacturing, processing and storage of such substances and all kinds of works where there is a possibility of exposure to these substances, • In jobs performed in environments with high noise and/or vibration, • In jobs requiring work in extremely hot and cold environments, • In works carried out with substances that are harmful to health and cause occupational diseases, • In jobs where there is a possibility of exposure to radioactive substances and harmful rays, • In jobs that require a lot of attention and continuous standing, • In jobs where wages are paid through piecework and premium systems, • In jobs that do not allow him to return home or to his family at the end of work, except for jobs for educational purposes, • In jobs that exceed their physical and psychological qualifications with a workplace doctor's report, • In jobs that may result in lack of training, experience, or lack of attention to safety, • In money transportation and collection works, • In works performed during the night period specified in the first paragraph of Article 69 of the Labor Law No. 4857. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2003-05-22 | C138 & C182 | Labour Act - Articles 71, 72, 73 | [{"link_name":"Labour Act","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/2432/Labour%20Act.pdf"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 sets 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 allows countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. The exception to the hazardous work prohibition would allow, for example, young workers to receive on-the-job training in occupations that may involve hazards such as the use of potentially dangerous tools. | Article 72 of the Labour Act prohibits the employment of boys under 18 years of age and women of any age in work underground or under water, such as work in mine galleries, cabling, sewage and tunnel construction. It also notes that, by virtue of section 73 of the Act, it is prohibited to cause young persons under the age of 18 years to work at night in industrial works. Furthermore, section 71(3) of the Labour Act provides that jobs which are prohibited for children and young workers under the age of 18 years, as well as those prohibited for young workers between the ages of 15 and 18 years, shall be determined by regulations to be prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 1986-06-19 | C138 | Vocational Education Law - Article 13 | [{"link_name":"Vocational Education Law","source_link":"https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=3308&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5"}] | No | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | According to the law, individuals under the age of 19 cannot be employed in an apprenticeship without a formal apprenticeship agreement. This is stated in Article 13 of the law. Graduates of formal education programs of vocational and technical education schools and institutions and journeyman certificate holders are excluded from this provision, no minimum age is set for them. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 1973-06-14 | C138 | Basic Law of National Education - Article 22 | [{"link_name":"Basic Law of National Education","source_link":"https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.1739.pdf"}] | No | 4 | C138 requires member States to align the age of completion of compulsory education with the minimum age for admission to employment or work. | According to Article 22 – (Amended: 27/6/2019-7180/4) of the Education Law The compulsory primary education age covers children aged 6-14. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2003-05-22 ; 2004 | C138 | Labour Act - Section 71(1) ; Regulations No. 25425 of 6 April 2004 - Section 4, Appendix 1 | [{"link_name":"-Labour Act","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/2432/Labour%20Act.pdf"},{"link_name":"-Regulations No. 25425 of 6 April 2004","source_link":"https://edremit65.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2016_02/10014051_65kanununalknalimasrelerynetmel.pdf"}] | Yes | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | Under Section 71(1) of the Labour Act, children who have reached the age of 14 years and completed primary education may be employed on light work. Under the terms of section 4 of Regulations No. 25425 of 6 April 2004, the expression "light work" is defined as work: (a) which is not harmful to the development, health, or safety of children; or (b) which does not prevent children from attending school or participating in vocational training. Furthermore, Appendix 1 to Regulations No. 25425 of 6 April 2004 contains a list of ten activities permitted for young workers (persons over 14 years of age but under 15 who have not completed primary education - section 4). |
| Minimum age for light work | 2003-05-22 | C138 | Labour Act | [{"link_name":"Labour Act","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/2432/Labour%20Act.pdf"}] | 14 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | Children who have reached the age of fourteen and completed compulsory primary education may be employed in light work that will not interfere with their physical, mental, social, and moral development, or with their continued school attendance. Children under fourteen may be employed in artistic, cultural, and advertising activities that will not interfere with their physical, mental, social, and moral development, or with their continued school attendance, provided that a written contract is signed and separate permission is obtained for each activity. Security, health, physical, mental, and psychological development, personal inclination, and capability aspects are considered in the employment of children and young workers. Employment of the child may not obstruct him/her from attending his/her school, professional education, and regularly trace courses. Those jobs which are prohibited for children and young workers below eighteen, as well as those which are prohibited for young workers who completed fifteen but not eighteen and the light jobs, are allowed for children who completed the age of fourteen and primary education, and the working conditions are established by a regulation to be prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security within six months. The working hours for children who completed their compulsory primary education and do not attend school may not be longer than seven hours a day and thirty-five hours a week. However, that period may be increased up to eight hours a day and forty hours a week for children who complete the age of fifteen. The working hours during the education term of the children attending school maybe two hours a day and ten hours a week maximum, outside the education hours. The working hours for holiday terms may not exceed the periods set forth in the first paragraph above. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2003-05-22 | C138 | Labour Act - Article 71 | [{"link_name":"Labour Act","source_link":"https://www.ilo.org/dyn/travail/docs/2432/Labour%20Act.pdf"}] | 15 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | Article 71 states that it is prohibited to employ children who did not complete the age of 15. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 30-OCT-1998 | Source |
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 02-AUG-2001 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey is a Pathfinder Country of the Alliance 8.7, a global partnership committed to eradicating forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labour. As part of this initiative, Turkey held a National Strategic Workshop in October 2023 during the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. This workshop aimed to initiate the development of a roadmap towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7. During the workshop, strategic objectives and actions necessary to make significant progress in these areas were identified. One of the three main priorities outlined in Turkey’s roadmap is Eliminating Child Labour: strengthening cooperation and coordination at national and international levels to enhance protective and preventive mechanisms. Key actions include evaluating the impact of the National Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, improving monitoring systems, raising awareness, and reviewing administrative sanctions. The timeline for these actions spans from 2024 to 2028. The other two priorities are Promoting Responsible Business Conduct and Combating Forced Labour and Human Trafficking. Turkey’s commitment as a Pathfinder Country aims to reinforce its efforts and share its experience in combating these issues, contributing to the global targets set by the Alliance 8.7. | [{"link_name":"The Pathfinder Country Roadmap of the Republic of Türkiye","source_link":"https://www.alliance87.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/ALLIANCE%208.7%20ROADMAP%20-%20TU%CC%88RKI%CC%87YE.PDF"}] | 2024-2028 | The Pathfinder Country Roadmap of the Republic of Türkiye | Ministry of Labour and Social Security |
| Outlines Turkey's strategy for the prevention of human trafficking. Identifies children as an exceptionally vulnerable group and calls for special security precautions for children at shelters for victims, and increased international cooperation on preventing child trafficking. | [{"link_name":"Second National Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking","source_link":"https://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye_nin-insan-ticaretiyle-mucadelesi-.tr.mfa"}] | No information | Second National Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking | The National Task Force on Fight against Human Trafficking |
| Identifies seasonal migratory agriculture, street work, and work in small and medium industrial enterprises as priority sectors for government efforts to combat child labor. Outlines a series of nationwide interventions aimed at eliminating child labor, including combating poverty, inclusive education, and increasing social awareness. | [{"link_name":"National Program on the Elimination of Child Labour","source_link":"https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/282894#:~:text=Bu%2C%20dünya%20üzerinde%20çocuN%20haNları,Uluslararası%20ProgramıГnı%20(IPEC)%20başlattı."}] | 2017-2023 | National Program on the Elimination of Child Labour | Ministry of Labour and Social Security |