Diyarbakır and Van Bar Associations' Children's Rights Commissions announced the report they prepared about the problems and right violations faced by children who are still living with their families in container cities in the second year after the earthquake that hit the Van city, and left hundreds dead, wounded and homeless.

The commissions remarked that the families and their children in container cities are suffering from the violation of their right to life, health and education.

According to the commissions, there is no cooperation between the governor's office, local administrations and NGOs in Van for the determination and resolution of the problems of earthquake victims. The report concluded that the local and political problems between authorities in question constituted a major obstacle to the achievement of this cooperation.

Remarking that container cities have become a permanent housing place for earthquake victims who have been staying there for two years now, the report said there has been power cut in container cities since August 2013 which -it underlined- has made the living conditions severer due to problems with heating, light, food (lack of warm meal etc) and hygiene. The report said many people and children in container cities suffered from health problems due to the lack of heating in harsh climate conditions.

The children – the report said- also faced the problem of poor nutrition due to poor and restricted financial conditions.

Children interview by the delegation of Diyarbakır and Van Bar Associations' Children's Rights Commissions were also observed to have psychological problems and subjected to domestic violence. Two children in container cities have attempted suicide.

The report stressed that children were also greatly effected by the indefinite and alternate hunger strike going on since early September, having a fear of losing their parents and being left all alone.

According to the report, most of the children cannot continue their education due to economic and psychological problems, while the others, those who manage to go to a school, voiced complaints that they were being discriminated by other students.

The lack of social activities in container cities do also have a negative influence on the social development of children, the report said and pointed out that the circumstances of the children in container cities went contrary to not only the Turkish constitution but also to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children.

The Children's Rights Commissions laid emphasis on the importance of officials' coming up with an urgent solution for earthquake victims and demanded the ending of the power and water cut in container cities.

Commissions called for the improvement of victims' circumstances until their provision with a permanent shelter, the re-activation of social areas such as library and laundry, provision of families with the necessary financial support until they have a permanent solution for their socio-economic problems.

Also putting emphasis on the practice of the required precautions for children's education, and their provision with their school materials, bus service to school, and establishment of advice centers to deal with the psychological problems of children and their families.