An opening for children, too?

Turkey is party to the convention, which came into force in this country in 1995. But since the counterterrorism legislation was amended in 2006, hundreds of children -- defined as under 18 -- have been arrested, prosecuted and sentenced as adults for taking part in demonstrations in the Southeast.

A report published by the Justice for Children organization in April mentioned a figure of 500 children aged between 12 and 18 who had been charged for “making propaganda on behalf of an illegal organization” or “being a member of an organization.” Further charges are frequently added for throwing stones or damaging public property.

Amendments have been introduced as part of the recent democratic initiative to allow sentences to be suspended or converted into fines. But when I recently spoke to Canan Atabay, a lawyer from Diyarbakir who specializes in children’s rights, she told me that 80 percent of the teens who are being prosecuted remain outside the scope of this new provision because they face cumulative charges.

Here is the irony: On the one hand, the government is encouraging militants to lay down their weapons, and some of them have been released upon their return to Turkey. At a time when Turkey is discussing the rehabilitation of former Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters, it seems strangely counterproductive to create a new generation of militants by putting youngsters behind bars. Children should simply not be tried as terrorists.

Revisiting the Convention on the Rights of the Child is also needed in other areas. Turkey must be one of the few countries in the world that celebrates Children’s Day. Although under 18s are feted on April 23, it is not always obvious in everyday life that adults see them as worthy interlocutors who have a right to express their views and be consulted. Too often, young people are simply not heard in this society.

States have a responsibility to promote the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but the notion that parents or elders know best and youngsters should just follow their orders still holds firm. In fact, the Civil Code even contains an article stating that children have to obey their parents. Although corporal punishment is banned in schools and state institutions, incidents are still frequently reported. At home, it is not banned and surveys suggested parents use is widely. Many young girls stay at home to look after siblings or are forced into early marriage.

Progress has been reported in several areas. School attendance, of girls in particular, has increased. The Social Services and Child Protection Agency (SHÇEK) is working on improving the situation of children in state institutions but many challenges remain.

According to a report published last year by NGOs monitoring implementation of the convention, more than 3,850,000 million children are working, more than half a million of them between the age of 6 and 14. In rural areas, they are often hired out for back-breaking labor during the summer months and face not just exploitation but also potential abuse.