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Child Labour

According to the International Labour Organization, child labour refers to work that harms the well-being of children, hindering their education, development, and future prospects. According to UNICEF, child labourers work long hours, often in hazardous conditions, for very little pay, in order to contribute to the livelihood of their families. Working conditions also prevent these children from going to school, spending time with their peers, playing and enjoying their leisure time.

Along with being a party to various conventions including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights addressing child labour, Türkiye regulates the minimum working age and the procedures regarding the employment of child and young workers through Labor Law No. 4857 and the Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Employment of Child and Young Workers.

Although the existing legal regulations in Türkiye provide a legal basis for the prevention of child labour, it continues to persist in Türkiye. This is due to several complex factors, including poverty, inequalities in access to education, rural-urban and irregular migration, unemployment, and the economic recession resulting in attempts to reduce employment costs. 

An important aspect of Minerva’s mission revolves around the monitoring, reporting and policy development on child labour in various sectors. In complement to reporting, Minerva actively engages with stakeholders to raise awareness, implement preventive strategies and prevent exploitative practices associated with child labour.

Minerva works in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders - public, private and civil society - to identify, prevent and mitigate the risks of child labour prevalent in various supply chains.