TRABZON / SAMSUN / ZONGULDAK (ILO News) – “Harvest Evaluation Meetings” were held under the “Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Seasonal Agriculture in Hazelnut Harvesting in Türkiye Project” implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and General Directorate of Labour (GDL) of Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS).

Mr. Koray Abacı, Senior Project Coordinator of the project funded by FERRERO, and officers of Pikolo Association of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Club visited local stakeholders.

The schedule covered the dates of 29 November to 2 December 2022 and the project provinces of Trabzon, Samsun and Zonguldak, where the activities during the harvest season of 2022 were evaluated and activities planned for the upcoming year were discussed.

At the first meeting organized in Trabzon, the visiting officers met with Trabzon ISKUR Provincial Director, Arsin District Governor, Arsin District Directors of Agriculture and Forestry, of National Education, of Health, and of Youth and Sports.

At the Samsun leg of the schedule, visits were paid to Terme District Governor, Terme Public Education Centre Director, Terme District Directors of National Education, of Agriculture and Forestry, of Police, District Commander of Gendarmerie; to Salıpazarı District Governor, Salıpazarı District Directors of National Education, of Agriculture and Forestry, of Police, District Commander of Gendarmerie; and to Tekkeköy District Governor, Tekkeköy Public Education Centre Director, Tekkeköy Vice-Mayor, Tekkeköy District Director of Police, and District Commander of Gendarmerie.

At the last leg of the schedule in Zonguldak, meetings and evaluations were held with Alaplı District Governor, Alaplı District Director of National Education, branch managers, and MEBBIS Manager.

Offering an overview of the meetings, Mr. Abacı said: “We had the opportunity to meet all relevant public stakeholders of ours led by district governors in the project districts we were operating. In the meetings, we exchanged views and information on the activities under the project funded by Ferrero, and elicited their recommendations for the upcoming work. As a result of our public stakeholders’ strong ownership of the matter, and their highly valuable contributions to the work in the future activities, we as ILO firmly believe that our field work will be more effective.”

Project achievements in the harvest season of 2022

In the harvest season of 2022 under the project, five Social Support Centres were operationalized in the three project provinces, and staffed by 3 Education Coordinators, 10 Child Identification Teachers, 77 Teachers and 11 Support Staff. In the summer, 1,234 children were withdrawn or prevented from work in seasonal agriculture in the said three provinces. With the support of Pikolo Association of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Club, ILO's implementing partner, field workers reached 518 families and provided counselling and awareness-raising.

Furthermore, 100 children who were referred to educational services in the harvest season of 2022 and resided in Şanlıurfa were closely monitored by family and school visits for their school attendance during the winter, and such monitoring continues.

In addition, through a protocol signed in July 2022 between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Turkish Water Polo Federation and ILO Office for Türkiye, 67 children attended swimming courses to learn how to swim this year in the destination provinces, had the opportunity of meeting with international and national athletes, and were encouraged for sports.