Sustainable eradication and prevention of child labour in hazelnuts

The problem of child labour has a multi-causal and multi-dimensional structure. The factors that cause child labour are all closely related to one another. These factors are mainly poverty and unemployment as well as the families’ lack of education. This project aims to eliminate child labour in a specific part of the project partners' hazelnut supply chain. Subsequently, the project partners wish to implement this model in order to cover our whole supply chain.

The project consists of the following interventions:

1. Awareness trainings for seasonal workers (especially women) and for labour contractors who bring the labour force to the hazelnut growing areas. The project partners give those trainings together with an non-governmental organization (NGO) and the Ministry of Labour.
2. Farmers group trainings on good labour conditions and how to prevent child labour. These trainings take place throughout the year with an accelerated trainings closer to the harvest before the arrival of the seasonal workers in the hazelnut growing areas.
3. Summer schools for children of the seasonal workers during the harvest season so they are no longer obliged to accompany their parents into the fields.
4. Engagement with other stakeholders and lobbying activities with the central and local government in order to create five Child Labour Free Villages.

As a result of the project partners efforts to eliminate child labour in their supply chain, in 2022 they reached more than the targeted numbers in their social trainings:

• 813 women and 736 male workers were trained at the origins;
• 762 women and 637 male workers were trained during the harvest time;
• 719 farmers were trained;
• 27 labour contractors were trained and licensed;
• 231 children between the age of 4 to 15 year old attended the summer schools; and
• One ‘Child Labour-Free Village’ was nominated as a result of the project partners' social awareness efforts during three years.

During the implementation of our project the project partners’ faced and face many obstacles: unexpected events such as COVID-19, the unfavourable national economy creating high inflation rates and more poverty, early election announcements as well as a devastating earthquake and floods in the South East of Turkey create challenges to reach our final project outcome. Nevertheless, the project partners continue to create a model which can be sustained for the prevention of child labour in our supply chain. An important element of this model is to create awareness on why prevention of child labour in the supply chain is important and how it can be enforced with all stakeholders.

Quote from “Child Labour Free Village” farmer:
“In our village we  are committed not to allow children in our gardens. We know that child labour is illegal. We all need to work together to put an end to it. We want children to learn knowledge not earn money. This is how we can contribute to their future”.