AhlulBayt News Agency: American news agency, Associated Press, in a report, referring to the dire situation of poverty in Turkey and its consequences for children, highlights the children who are deprived of the right to education and are engaged in waste collection to make a living.
Associated Press says in the report that the devaluation of Turkish national currency and the unconventional economic policies applied by President Recep Tayyib Erdogan have caused skyrocketing inflation in the country to the extent that many families have problem in paying the costs of food and housing and children have been forced to work for livelihood.
Based on the joint report of UNICEF and the Turkish statistical institute, nearly 7 million out of 22 million children in the country live in poverty in 2023.
The AP reiterated in the report that Turkish children, alongside their parents, look for recyclable items in garbage bins to gain meagre income for their families.
The report also says that Turkish families are trying to maintain the house rent, bills and other basic expenses while they face problems in providing clothes, books and shoes for their children.
According to the AP report, Turkey pretends to be a powerful and influential country in the world with a dynamic economy and attractive destination for foreign investors. But, the image of children of labor in the country and families searching in dustbins is flagrantly different from what Erdogan government is displaying.
However, Erdogan, who is in power for the past 20 years, defends the social programs of his party and claims that the era of prohibition, suppression, deprivation and poverty is over.
In his speech at G20 summit in November, he said, "The Turkish social security system is one of the most comprehensive and encompassing social security systems in the world and Ankara will continue it till complete eradication of poverty."
Nevertheless, a family with 4 children in Turkey receive nearly $170 assistance from the government, yet this money is fully paid for house rent and children will have no benefit from it.
According to the AP report, Turkish people believe that real inflation is much higher than the official statistics of the government and the government's allowances to low-income strata do not have a tangible effect in their lives.
Experts also admit that the governmental assistance to millions of citizens are not enough and many parents have to choose either to pay the house rent or buy clothes for their children.
Some families are even in a dilemma: either to send their children to school or use them as workforce to get a little money for the family.
Hajar Fugo, researcher and activist in the field of poverty, says that Turkey is bringing up a burnt generation who is either forced to leave education or take part in programs wherein they are busy four days a week and study only one day. This group of children receive a petty amount of the minimum governmental wage.
Mentioning that 2 million Turkish children are living in absolute poverty, this researcher added that "education beside work" which is presented for Turkish children is not an educational program, but in fact, a plan to attract cheap workforce.
According to this report, children who are deprived of education in the first years of their life, most probably will not grow physically and educationally and will be doomed to a lifetime of deprivation.
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Associated Press says in the report that the devaluation of Turkish national currency and the unconventional economic policies applied by President Recep Tayyib Erdogan have caused skyrocketing inflation in the country to the extent that many families have problem in paying the costs of food and housing and children have been forced to work for livelihood.
Based on the joint report of UNICEF and the Turkish statistical institute, nearly 7 million out of 22 million children in the country live in poverty in 2023.
The AP reiterated in the report that Turkish children, alongside their parents, look for recyclable items in garbage bins to gain meagre income for their families.
The report also says that Turkish families are trying to maintain the house rent, bills and other basic expenses while they face problems in providing clothes, books and shoes for their children.
According to the AP report, Turkey pretends to be a powerful and influential country in the world with a dynamic economy and attractive destination for foreign investors. But, the image of children of labor in the country and families searching in dustbins is flagrantly different from what Erdogan government is displaying.
However, Erdogan, who is in power for the past 20 years, defends the social programs of his party and claims that the era of prohibition, suppression, deprivation and poverty is over.
In his speech at G20 summit in November, he said, "The Turkish social security system is one of the most comprehensive and encompassing social security systems in the world and Ankara will continue it till complete eradication of poverty."
Nevertheless, a family with 4 children in Turkey receive nearly $170 assistance from the government, yet this money is fully paid for house rent and children will have no benefit from it.
According to the AP report, Turkish people believe that real inflation is much higher than the official statistics of the government and the government's allowances to low-income strata do not have a tangible effect in their lives.
Experts also admit that the governmental assistance to millions of citizens are not enough and many parents have to choose either to pay the house rent or buy clothes for their children.
Some families are even in a dilemma: either to send their children to school or use them as workforce to get a little money for the family.
Hajar Fugo, researcher and activist in the field of poverty, says that Turkey is bringing up a burnt generation who is either forced to leave education or take part in programs wherein they are busy four days a week and study only one day. This group of children receive a petty amount of the minimum governmental wage.
Mentioning that 2 million Turkish children are living in absolute poverty, this researcher added that "education beside work" which is presented for Turkish children is not an educational program, but in fact, a plan to attract cheap workforce.
According to this report, children who are deprived of education in the first years of their life, most probably will not grow physically and educationally and will be doomed to a lifetime of deprivation.
/1289