The field research to determine the problems working children face and socio-economic causes and consequences of child labor began in the southeastern city of Van.

The research which comprises of 11 thousand 21 households is done within the context of the Elimination of Worst Kinds of Child Labor Project.

"We aim at gathering data on working children of 6-17 age group on the fields of education, health as well as psycho-social and socio-economic characteristics of child labor in the region" said Project's Regional Coordinator Olcay Barlas.

The project is conducted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). It aims at orienting at least 1 500 working children to educational system by the end of 2007.

Research will reach 99 thousand households in total

The field research will help the government to build effective policies to eliminate the worst kinds of child labor by year 2015.

The target group of the project are children working on farms and fields as well as in industry and on the streets; seasonal workers in Sinop, Ordu, Van, Erzurum, Elazig, Cankiri and Kastamonu.

Vocational training and job opportunities will be provided to the families of the identified children, as unemployment and low family income is seen as a determinant cause of child labor. (KÖ/EÜ)