Dear Mr. Cemil Çiçek, President of the Grand Assembly,

Transcription

1 Dear Mr. Cemil Çiçek, President of the Grand Assembly, We, 162 children from 81 provinces representing the Committee on the Rights of the Child, have shared our opinions about the new constitution in the workshop organized by the cooperation of UNICEF and the Ministry of Family and Social Policies in the 1st and 2nd of February, Having formed 8 discussion groups, we have below listed our convictions that we d like to see them recognized in the new constitution. We would also like to thank you for including us, all children, into this process. It is our hope that these opinions find their place in the new constitution. Best regards. 1. Participation Institutions and organizations should consult to the representatives of children in child-related issues. Substantial articles must be issued in order to eliminate parental oppression. A child should have the right to self-express in matters concerning him/herself. School representatives should get together with representatives of children in every province in order to exchange their opinions. Children with disabilities and those who work in child-related fields should be consulted for their opinions. Billboards and posters should be acquired for the purpose of public awareness. Child Rights Monitoring Committee of Grand National Assembly of Turkey should also give a place for children. 2. Education Curriculum should be improved and updated: Tests should be relatively more simplified than curriculum, or rather simplified tests should be 1

2 adopted for students. An ideal curriculum should be adopted; therefore rapid change of syllabi should be prevented. In-service training should be encouraged. Life skills should be added to teachers training. The faculty should comprise of younger, wiser and more active teachers. Penalties should be more deterrent for those who obstruct the child s right to education and particularly for parents, Efficiency of all humanities courses should be improved by organizing field trips and other activities. Same condition applies to science-related courses where more productive lab hours are required. More labs, science halls, spaces reserved for recreational/social activities and sport centers should be built. More efficient enforcements and preventive measures should be included to prevent in-school violence and all teaching staff must be briefed and informed. 3. Protection A new help line should be formed for children working in the streets and the line should be called when one such child is spotted. Children working in the streets must be taken under constant protection of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies Inspections about selling alcohol and tobacco to minors should be increased. Child abusers and child molesters should be punished heavily. The child s interrogation should be done in the company of psychologists without giving any psychological harm to the child. Children should be informed about child abuse and what to do in case of such situation. 2

3 When making news about child abuse, utmost care should be given so as not to harm their mental state. 4. Health Infirmaries must be mandatory in state schools and some private schools. Each private hospital should bring pro bono health service for a definite number of children every month. Transportation should be facilitated for hospitals, and free transportation services must implement for those who cannot afford it. Ambulance-only roads should be built for emergency cases, such as MetroBus lines. A supporting staff for disabled persons should be assigned in hospitals in order to give priority to disabled inpatients for treatment A body should set up for children who cannot afford to pay for prescription and provide medicine free of charge. Public should be informed about the existence of such service. 5. Justice Child courts designed according to children s special needs should be established. The new constitution should be introduced to children by using a simplified language. When children are tried before court, they should be treated with tolerance and care. Equal care and attention should be paid to each child within the judicial system. The child should be kept away from possible events that may harm his mental state. Proper environments should be provided for the child to testify in court. 3

4 No acts of violence should be applied to the child in cases where he/she s involved. Persons who are privileged and prioritized in the judicial system should be identified and tried accordingly. Legal practices that apply to adults such as custody, interrogation and crime scene reconstruction should not be applicable to the child. 6. Housing and Urban Facilities Earthquake resistant buildings should be built, and deterrent fines should be given if otherwise built. Buildings that do not fit the bill should be rebuilt with earthquake resistant qualities. In order to ensure equality, all schools should be provided with similar resources about sports activities. More help organizations should be established for the homeless and the destitute. (New call centers should be set up). Guidance and counseling systems should be promoted for antidiscrimination awareness through media. Faith centers should be opened in order to have sufficient knowledge about children s own religious belief. 7. Disability Spaces should be created in accordance with the child (with disabilities) who has a different development cycle. Emphasis on judicial system concerning person with disabilities should be placed and promoted. Inter-urban communications should be strengthened in order to share and maintain projects especially designed for children with disabilities Facilitated city transportation should be provided: a) Concerned parties should be trained to increase the performance of existing system. b) Disabled-friendly cabs in urban areas should be provided. 4

5 c) Existing public transportation facilities for persons with disabilities should be applied to all commuter vehicles. Instead of less appropriate terms (crippled, the handicapped etc.) the term CHILD WITH DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL QUALITIES should be promoted. 8. The Child in Family Proper checks should be made in order to prevent families deprive their children of the right to education. A new article in the laws should be issued about preventing children s custody change hands in the event of families insufficient means after birth. Families should be informed about children s education and physical care activities. The child in a society, especially in a family should be treated and paid attention not according to their sexes, but according to their needs. Orphanage Society of Turkey should be improved for children without families or for those who live away from their families. Children under 18 should not be married and the family consent about this matter should be restrained. Family members should act, as role models when treating their children and special attention should be paid in a positive manner. They should go through a proper training in the children s rights. Propositions from Children About the Title of the New - Step Forward - New Steps - The Law - Last Step - Laws For Ourselves - First Step - Human Law - Revolution 5 - Reforming Law - Important Step - Pulse of Turkey - Voice of the Flag

6 - Justice - Civic - Law of Objectivity - Future Oriented - Next Generation - Voice of Future - Contemporary - Rights - Modern - Freedom - The 2012 Modern People s - of Free Life - of Solutions - Humans and Children - Democratic People - Reconciliation - Solidarity - Society - Protection - Participatory - Development - Public - New of Turkey - of Enterprise - Father - Red and White - Solidarity - Future - The of Hope - Scale - The of People s Voice - Happy - Brave - Children s - Independent - Republic 6 - National Radical - of Opinion - Family - of Minor Events

7 Group Spokespersons in the Name of Participants Şevval İrem LAFÇI (Afyonkarahisar) (Bursa) Zeki Berkay SAYGIN Ayşe Gizem BİRKAN (Trabzon) (Burdur) Mert RENÇBER Ayşe ENGİN (Diyarbakır) (Konya) Mustafa ŞENSOY Yağmur TÜRKTAŞAR (İzmir) (Amasya) Mirkan ÖZDEMİR Büşra UZMALIOĞLU (Giresun) (Diyarbakır) Agit SADEBAL Şeydanur KABASAKAL (Ankara) Çektar ARAT (İzmir) 7

8 İrem Gaye KARS (Erzurum) (Bartın) Atakan GAYRET Beyza Nur UĞUR (Amasya) (Samsun) Uğur TÜTÜNCÜ Gamze EKEN (Manisa) 8