Other flaws in relation to the respect of workers' rights that the Turkish government must address include insufficient protection against anti-union discrimination and significant restrictions on the right to strike.
The report also shows that although by law there is no discrimination between men and women, in practice women are concentrated in low quality and low paid jobs, particularly in the private sector. There is a salary gap and an educational gap between women and men, with illiteracy among women being much higher than among men.
"While Turkey's laws may not directly place women in a weaker position, the legal framework remains inadequate to deal with the fact that women are in this situation and that they face discrimination, harassment and abuse on a daily basis", said Ryder.
The report finds that while there has been some progress, child labour continues to be a problem in Turkey. The most recent statistics show that 764,000 children between 12 and 17 are at work, primarily on family farms, in industry and in unregistered activities. There are large numbers of street children working as street vendors or in forced begging. Though efforts to reduce child labour continue, these appear to be insufficient and there are shortcomings in the current legislation.
International Trade Union Confederation
marketing@alchempro.com
