Report:
The Mesleki Eğitim Merkezleri (MESEM) protocols between the Ministry of National Education and workplaces allow thousands of children to work in various sectors, including heavy industry. In the Muğla Ortaca Industrial Site, many children are working, particularly in areas with a high concentration of refugee children. It is rare to find a workplace where children are not employed.
Halit, a Syrian refugee who came to Turkey with his family eight years ago, is working at a truck repair shop in the hope of acquiring a trade. Despite working for two years, he was only earning 3,000 TL until a month ago. He now earns 6,000 TL. Halit has six siblings, and his parents work seasonally, mainly in citrus farming. They pay 4,000 TL in rent for their old house, where they also live with their grandmother. Halit starts work at 8 am and goes home whenever work finishes.
When asked about his working conditions, Halit expresses dissatisfaction, stating that the working conditions are difficult and everything is heavy. He mentions that the master shouts and sometimes he even gets beaten. Although he entered the job to learn truck repair and acquire a trade, they have started doing minibus repairs instead. He says he has learned about half of the job. After work, he goes straight home and cannot go anywhere else. He only has one Syrian friend named Ibrahim, and they meet at each other’s homes.
Halit takes me to Ibrahim, his friend who works in the same industrial area. Ibrahim is also a 15-year-old apprentice truck mechanic. He earns 5,200 TL and works every day except Sundays. He mentions that the work is difficult and heavy. Halit’s brother Hüseyin, who is 20 years old, also works at the same place for six years. Hüseyin considers himself to be a skilled worker. He works six days a week, sometimes including Sundays. When the elections were held, his insurance was delayed, but he believes it has started to be paid now. He mentions that he had a hard time when he first started working and even got hit with a wrench and a hammer.
When asked about his social life besides work, Hüseyin says that he was able to go to the beach for the first time with four or five friends. He explains that he had to leave Syria when he was nine years old and knows more about life in Turkey. He says that if the perspective towards them changes, he plans to stay in Turkey, but he may also consider returning to Syria depending on the situation.
Next, we speak with the owner of a shop that sells garden tools and agricultural machinery in the industrial area. He has been in the industry for 30 years and states that there are too many children working in the industry to count. He can say that in every establishment in the industry, one or two refugee children are working. He believes that the working refugee children are the ones keeping the industry running.
The shop owner also shares his struggles in providing education expenses for his daughter who is studying at university and the injustice she faced at the private school where she works. He explains that his daughter is studying at Ege University, and the monthly expenses for her education amount to 15,000 TL. Despite having his own business, he finds it difficult to support his daughter’s education. He pays 4,000 TL in rent for the dormitory where his daughter stays. He questions how families earning minimum wage can afford to educate their children. His older daughter studied philosophy and used to work as a guidance counselor at a private school. However, the school principal insulted and belittled young teachers. As a result, his daughter and four of her friends resigned from the school. Currently, his older daughter is unemployed.
ESG Risks:
1. Child labor: The content highlights the presence of child labor in various sectors, including heavy industry and agricultural machinery sales. This poses a risk to companies operating in these sectors, as it is illegal and unethical to employ children.
2. Exploitation and low wages: The workers mentioned in the content, including Halit, Ibrahim, and Hüseyin, earn low wages and face difficult working conditions. This raises concerns about the fair treatment of workers and the potential for exploitation.
3. Lack of education and training opportunities: The fact that children are leaving school to work at a young age indicates a lack of access to education and training opportunities. This can hinder their future prospects and perpetuate a cycle of poverty.
Vulnerable Groups:
1. Children: The content specifically mentions that many children, including Syrian refugee children, are working in different sectors. These children are vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and a lack of access to proper education.
2. Low-income families: The families of the child workers mentioned in the content, such as Halit’s family, are engaged in seasonal and low-paying jobs. This puts them at risk of financial instability and limited opportunities for their children.
Organizations:
1. Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (Ministry of National Education): The ministry is involved in the implementation of the Mesleki Eğitim Merkezleri (MESEM) protocols, which allow children to work in vocational training centers.
2. Companies in the industrial areas: Various companies in the industrial areas, including a shop selling agricultural machinery and a truck repair shop, are involved in employing child workers.
Regions:
1. Muğla Ortaca Industrial Site: The content mentions that this industrial site has a significant number of child workers, including a high concentration of refugee children.
Sectors:
1. Heavy industry: The content highlights the presence of child labor in heavy industry sectors.
2. Agricultural machinery sales: The shop owner mentioned in the content operates in the agricultural machinery sector and acknowledges the employment of child workers in the industry.
Keywords:
Child labor, exploitation, low wages, education, training, vulnerable groups, heavy industry, agricultural machinery, refugee children, Ministry of National Education, Muğla Ortaca Industrial Site.
SOURCE