Section 1: Report
A report titled “Deep Poverty and Access to Rights During the Pandemic Period” was recently published by the Deep Poverty Network. The report is based on interviews conducted with 103 households residing in Istanbul, who have no regular income and work in daily and insecure jobs. The report focuses on the standards outlined in the European Social Charter and the obligations of governments.
The findings of the report are quite striking and, as expected, also very alarming. It reveals that during the global Covid-19 pandemic, children in these households are found to be working due to the inability of the adult who brings income to the household to work due to illness or other reasons, or because the income of the adults is insufficient to meet the household’s needs.
In at least 13% of the households interviewed, children are working. In 6% of these households, only children contribute to the household income. These children are engaged in activities such as paper and scrap collection, street vending, and textile work, which take place in high-risk environments and involve heavy working conditions and long hours.
41% of the interviewed families do not have any health insurance, and 34% are unable to access their necessary medications due to their health insurance not covering them. It is stated that 18.6% of the individuals interviewed in these households do not have access to sufficient information about healthcare services, 7.2% experience discrimination within the healthcare system, and 25.8% are unable to access healthcare services due to lack of social security.
Furthermore, 32.7% of these 103 households do not benefit from any social insurance. 46.9% benefit from the “green card” system provided by the government for non-working individuals. However, some of the individuals interviewed state that they are unable to pay off their accumulated debts due to the “green card” system not covering all healthcare services and medications, which makes it difficult for them to access healthcare services.
Another issue highlighted in the report is access to adequate nutrition and drinking water. According to the report, 85% of the interviewed families cannot access sufficient food, and 21% have no access to food at all. These families are forced to feed their children aged 0-3 with foods of inadequate nutritional value, such as instant soup, sugary water, and rice porridge. In 38.7% of the households, meals are skipped almost every day. While 39% of the 103 households already did not have access to clean drinking water before the global Covid-19 pandemic, 49% of them cannot access drinking water during this period.
As I mentioned before, the data presented in the report is quite striking and alarming. It clearly reveals the underlying causes of child labor. The main reason for child labor is the existing economic system, which has strong exploitation mechanisms and strives to maintain its continuity with new forms, while becoming visible due to the global pandemic. This system produces inequality, discrimination, poverty, and the inability to enjoy social rights. As a result, child labor, which is the exploitation of cheap labor, becomes inevitable for many individuals and groups. This report shows the inevitable outcome and, more importantly, the events leading up to it.
The report is also alarming because unless the circumstances described in it change and transform, the children of the interviewed families will unfortunately become part of the data in other reports. For example, according to the Child Labor Murders report published annually by the Occupational Health and Safety Council, at least 513 children lost their lives in child labor accidents in the past eight years, and children are increasingly forced to work in riskier areas and under more challenging working conditions.
Unfortunately, the results revealed by the Deep Poverty Network are not limited to the 103 households interviewed and the Covid-19 pandemic period. We all know that now. This fear we feel is not unfounded. However, this justified fear should not lead us to despair in changing the inevitable outcome. We can start by embracing the demands of the Occupational Health and Safety Council to eliminate child labor and expanding these demands. We can also search for ways to disrupt the exploitation mechanisms of the current economic order, which cause child labor, together with children, and try these ways.
Section 2: ESG Risks
1. Child Labor: The report highlights the prevalence of child labor in households during the Covid-19 pandemic, where children are forced to work due to the inability of the adult income earners to work or insufficient household income.
2. Lack of Healthcare Access: The report reveals that a significant percentage of the interviewed households do not have health insurance or access to necessary medications, leading to limited or no access to healthcare services.
3. Lack of Social Security: A considerable number of households do not benefit from any social insurance, leaving them vulnerable to financial instability and limited access to essential services.
4. Inadequate Nutrition and Drinking Water: The report emphasizes the lack of access to sufficient food and clean drinking water in the interviewed households, particularly affecting children’s health and well-being.
Section 3: Vulnerable Groups
The identified ESG risks primarily affect the following vulnerable groups:
1. Children: The prevalence of child labor and the challenging working conditions they are exposed to put children at risk of exploitation, physical harm, and limited access to education and development opportunities.
2. Low-Income Households: Households with no regular income and insufficient financial resources face challenges in meeting their basic needs, accessing healthcare, and ensuring food security.
Section 4: Organisations
The report does not explicitly mention specific companies or organizations involved in the identified ESG risks. However, it highlights the role of the government in fulfilling its obligations to address these risks and protect vulnerable groups.
Section 5: Regions
The report focuses on households residing in Istanbul, Turkey. The findings are specific to this region, highlighting the ESG risks and vulnerabilities faced by the households in this area.
Section 6: Sectors
The identified ESG risks are relevant to various sectors, including:
1. Informal Labor: The risks are prominent in sectors where informal, daily, and insecure work is prevalent, such as waste collection, street vending, and textile manufacturing.
2. Healthcare: The lack of healthcare access and social security affects individuals working in low-wage and informal jobs, who are often excluded from formal healthcare systems.
3. Food and Water Supply: The report highlights the challenges faced by households in accessing adequate nutrition and clean drinking water, indicating potential risks in the food and water supply chains.
Section 7: Keywords
ESG, Risk Monitoring, Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, Investors, Deep Poverty Network, Child Labor, Healthcare Access, Social Security, Nutrition, Drinking Water, Vulnerable Groups, Istanbul, Turkey.
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