LUCCA - State Minister Guldal Aksit said on Thursday that Turkey was determined to prevent sexual exploitation of children.
Sexual exploitation of children was taken up in the first session of the informal meeting of ministries responsible for childhood in Lucca, Italy.
Speaking in the meeting, Aksit explained legal arrangements in Turkey aiming at preventing sexual exploitation of children and ongoing initiatives of the government.
Aksit said that the government aimed to improve children's rights in Turkey and noted, ''our country, as a member of the modern world, is ambitious and determined to record more progress in such initiatives.''
Drawing attention that the number of individuals between 0 and 18 years in Turkey was 26 million, Aksit said that concepts of ''children living in streets or child labor'' gradually gained importance in Turkey.
Aksit said, ''sexual exploitation is becoming an important risk for especially children of this age group.''
Migration from rural to urban areas, rapid and false urbanization, unemployment and poverty increased number of children who ran away from their home, who were forced to prostitution and crimes and who were sexually abused and exploited, Aksit stated. She added that those people could neither benefit from educational opportunities.
Aksit pointed out that children who were forced to prostitution were taken up within the scope of ''children who were in need of protection'' under the Law on Social Services and Children Protection Agency and utilized the services of that agency.
Children who were taken under protection due to sexual exploitation formed only 12 percent of children under protection in Turkey, Aksit noted.
Aksit said that legal arrangements to prevent sexual exploitation and incitement to prostitution were given place in Turkish Penal Code.
Turkey ratified addition protocol of Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography on May 13, 2020, Aksit recalled.
Aksit said that efforts to improve children's rights continued in line with international conventions and EU adjustment.
Preparing a national action plan and implementing a national program were one of most important steps taken in this field, Aksit noted.
Aksit added that the government aimed to further improve children's rights in Turkey.
(BRC) 25.09.2003