Turkey’s Human Rights Plan Falls Short on Children’s Rights, Report Finds

A recent report by the Human Rights Association (İHD) has sharply criticized Turkey’s Human Rights Action Plan (İHEP), stating it falls significantly short of protecting children’s rights and international standards. Launched in March 2021 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the plan aimed to bolster the country’s human rights infrastructure but has been found to overlook systemic abuses against children.

Key Takeaways

The İHEP fails to acknowledge structural and systematic violations of children’s rights.
No effective preventive measures have been proposed within the plan.
Abuses persist in juvenile justice, child labor, and child poverty.
The plan is inconsistent with key international conventions on children’s rights.

Critiques of the Human Rights Action Plan

The İHD report highlights that the İHEP did not recognize the deep-rooted, systemic issues affecting children in Turkey. Consequently, it failed to introduce any effective preventive measures. This oversight has led to the continuation of abuses within the juvenile justice system, an increase in child labor, and persistent child poverty.

The report, which was funded by the European Union, assessed the İHEP against crucial international standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Havana Rules, the Beijing Rules, the Riyadh Guidelines, and the Council of Europe’s Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice. It concluded that the plan is fundamentally at odds with these vital frameworks.

Concerns Regarding Children in the Justice System

A significant area of concern raised by the report is the imprisonment of children, particularly those aged 0-6 who are living in prison with their mothers. While Turkey’s 5th and 7th judicial reform packages included provisions to postpone prison sentences for women with young children, the İHD deemed these measures temporary and inadequate.

The association also questioned the legal basis and practical application of "mother-child units" for convicted mothers and their children. The report stressed the necessity of seeking alternatives to imprisonment for these families, in line with international human rights standards.

Alarming Statistics on Child Victimization and Labor

The report presented alarming statistics indicating a rise in child victimization and children being pushed into crime. The number of victimized children increased from 207,999 in 2021 to 242,875 in 2023. Similarly, the number of children involved in criminal activities rose from 132,943 in 2021 to 178,834 in 2023.

Furthermore, the issue of child labor remains a critical problem. Officially registered child workers numbered 1.47 million in 2024, with estimates reaching around 3.5 million when unregistered cases are considered. The report identified the widespread nature of child labor as a clear indicator of structural and systemic violations of children’s rights in Turkey.

Recommendations for Future Action

The İHD recommended that future iterations of the İHEP should incorporate a dedicated section specifically addressing children’s rights, complete with measurable objectives. The report urged that international human rights conventions be treated as binding frameworks rather than mere references. It also called for the development and implementation of concrete strategies to eradicate child labor, prevent rights violations, and ensure children’s meaningful participation in decisions that affect their lives.