2010 ilerleme raporu - Avrupa Birliği Bakanlığı

8) rose for both boys and girls, virtually closing the gender gap at national level in primary
education. The Ministry of National Education has developed an early-warning system for
children at risk of dropping out. In secondary education (grades 9-12), the net enrolment rate
rose to 65% in 2009-2010 from 59% in 2008-2009.
The State covers health expenses of children of low-income families and of those who are not
covered as dependants by the social security system. The family doctor system is gradually
being extended and covers a larger number of provinces. This could result in better
monitoring of children's health if sufficient implementation capacity is built up.
A Department for Disadvantaged Groups was established in the Ministry of Labour and
Social Security. One of its duties is to coordinate the efforts by institutions to tackle child
labour.
Parliament’s Child Rights Monitoring Committee became more active. Among other things, it
set up an interactive website that allows children to share their views with the members of the
Committee. Each message is being assessed and replied. However, it is still an informal
committee and is not responsible for monitoring all proposed legislation for compatibility
with children’s rights.
A parliamentary investigation committee on missing children and other cases where children
are victimised was established. Its report is expected to be debated in parliament in 2010.
A Prime Ministerial circular was issued with the aim of improving the conditions for seasonal
migrant agricultural workers and their families, including better access for children to
education and health services.
Turkey submitted to the UN its second and third combined state reports on implementation of
the Convention on the rights of the child.
As regards juvenile justice, a July 2010 Law amending the Anti-Terror Law and other laws
provides that children accused of committing terror-related crimes will be tried by juvenile
courts 23 . This applies even when such offences are committed together with adults. In
addition, children sentenced for propaganda for a terrorist organisation or for resistance to
security officers during participation in meetings or demonstrations will no longer also be
sentenced for membership of a terrorist organisation. In general, the law provides for nonapplication
to juveniles of a number of aggravating circumstances included in the Anti-Terror
Law. In practice, this is expected significantly to reduce the prison sentences imposed on
children participating in meetings or demonstrations. Finally, the law allows juvenile courts to
decide to postpone announcement of a judgment, to convert a prison sentence to alternative
sanctions or to suspend sentences for terror-related crimes.
The probation system, although new, has been established in every province and
psychologists and social workers have been appointed. On 17 September 2010, there were
6,233 children on probation.
23
Under the 2005 Law on child protection, all Turkish citizens up to eighteen years of age are considered
children and are eligible for children’s rights. However, amendments to the 2006 Anti-Terror Law
provided that children between fifteen and eighteen years of age can be tried as adults. As a result,
minors participating in demonstrations, particularly in the south-east, faced charges of ‘membership of a
terrorist organisation’ and, hence, disproportionate prison sentences.
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