There are at least 958,000 child labourers in Turkey, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. Today is "World day against Child Labour". Launched by ILO (International Labour Organization) in 2002 the day is seen as a way to highlight the plight of these children. The day, according to ILO, is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour, reflected in the huge number of ratifications of ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour and ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age for employment.

Turkey is among the countries of the United Nations that signed the "Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour" (No. 182) approved by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2006.

Recently Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan said that "children are working for 100 Turkish Lira" (€ 50)."

But organizations in Turkey say that the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government is not doing enough to counter child labour.

The majority of working children find employment in agriculture. According to the 2006 Child Work Force Enquiry carried out by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜÝK), a total of 958,000 children aged between six and 17 years are working; 632,000 of these children are boys, 326,000 are girls.

At least 392,000 children work in agriculture, i.e. 40.9 percent of all working chidlren. 566,000 children, i.e. 59.1 percent, are working in other sectors.

As far as income is concerned, only little more than half of all child labourers receive a salary (53 percent). 2.7 percent work on the expense of the employer, 43.8 percent work within the family and therefore receive no payment.