Convention on the Rights of the Child

Distr.GENERAL CRC/C/OPSA/TUR/Q/1/Add.113 April 2006 Original: ENGLISH

COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Forty-second session15 May – 2 June 2006

WRITTEN REPLIES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY TO THE LIST OF ISSUES (CRC/C/OPSA/TUR/Q/1) TO BE TAKEN UP IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE INITIAL REPORT OF TURKEY (CRC/C/OPSA/TUR/1) SUBMITTED UNDER ARTICLE 8, PARAGRAPH 1, OF THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ON THE SALE OF CHILDREN, CHILD PROSTITUTION AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY (CRC/C/OPSA/TUR/1)*

[Replies received on 13 April 2006]

_________________

*In accordance with the information transmitted to States parties regarding the processing of their reports, the present document was not formally edited before being sent to the United Nations translation services.

GE.06-41318

1.Please provide statistical data (including by sex, age, urban/rural areas) for the years 2002, 2003, and 2004 on;

a)the number of children trafficked to and from Turkey as well as trafficked within the country;

Data provided both by the General Directorate of Security, Border and Refuge Department of Turkey and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) are identical. According to this data, the number of child victims of human trafficking in Turkey is  2 in 2004, 7 in 2005 and 2 in 2006 as of March. All of these children are girls and all have been forced into prostitution.

b)the number of reported cases of sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, with additional information on type of follow-up provided on the outcome of the cases, including prosecution, withdrawals and sanctions for perpetrators;

With respect to investigation and proceedings within the system of Turkish criminal procedural legislation, offenses are divided into two sections: the complaint-based offenses and offenses prosecuted on behalf of public. In order to initiate an investigation into ordinary injuries, insult, property damage and similar offenses, the offended party is expected to lodge a complaint. The investigation and prosecution of all other offenses are carried out ex officio. As the investigation and prosecution of all crimes defined in the Optional Protocol and those stated as an offense in Turkish Penal Code are executed ex officio, they cannot be withdrawn.

The power of individuals to commence a lawsuit at the Criminal Courts has been annulled by the Criminal Procedural Law numbered 5271, which entered into force on 1 June 2005. Whether it is a complaint-based offense or a crime investigated ex officio, only the Public Prosecutor can bring a lawsuit before the Criminal Courts. A Public Prosecutor who is informed of such a crime through a complaint, report and the press etc. lodges a public suit at the relevant court after establishing sufficient evidence. Such a lawsuit cannot be withdrawn by waiving the complaint, reconciliation or by any other means.

The statistics regarding the cases, victims and the sanctions given to the perpetrators who had committed the offenses stated below of the former Turkish Penal Code from 2002-2004.

RELATED TURKISH PENAL CODE ARTICLES

TPC 182 Kidnapping of children without the intention of marriage or feelings of desire
TPC 414 Raping of children younger than 15 years old
TPC 415 Sexual harrassement of children younger than 15 years old
TPC 416 Raping of children in the 15-18 age group
TPC 430 Kidnapping and restraining children with the intention of marriage or feelings of Desire
TPC 435 Encouraging prostitution
TPC 436 Procuring a virgin or woman for another person for the purpose of prostitution (up to 21 years old)
TPC 446 Deserting a child at a place visible to the public
TPC 473 Deserting a child younger than 12 or an individual who cannot take care of     himself/herself
TPC 545 Forcing a child younger than 15 into begging TPC 550 Giving a gun to a child or to let him/her to carry it

THE DECISIONS BYE CRIMINAL COURTS AND NUMBERS OF VICTIMS
	2002
TPC ART. NO	NUMBER OF CASES	DECISIONS	NUMBER OF VICTIMS
CONVICTION	ACQUITTAL	DISMISSAL	OTHER
182	103	17	81	38	42	178
414	3529	3290	1730	317	1349	6686
415	409	321	134	12	105	572
416	5308	3706	1914	490	1938	8048
430	6967	4889	2066	520	3003	10478
435	619	521	338	39	145	1043
436	874	592	507	32	220	1351
446	4	1	5	0	0	6
473	63	50	40	4	7	101
545	37	18	18	0	13	49
550	82	61	20	1	4	86
TOTAL	17995	13466	6853	1453	6826	28598

	2003
TPC ART. NO	NUMBER OF CASES	DECISIONS
CONVICTION	ACQUITTAL	DISMISSAL	OTHER	NUMBER OF VICTIMS
182	90	21	61	4	116	202
414	3691	3591	1733	317	1120	6761
415	491	365	172	52	136	725
416	5427	4236	2044	476	1940	8696
430	7210	5114	2132	779	2482	10507
435	809	694	423	64	156	1337
436	576	437	297	118	103	955
446	11	6	9	0	2	17
473	37	20	23	0	8	51
545	13	7	6	0	1	14
550	34	30	1	0	9	40
TOTAL	18389	14521	6901	1810	6073	29305

	2004
TPC ART. NO	NUMBER OF CASES	DECISIONS
CONVICTION	ACQUITTAL	DISMISSAL	OTHER	NUMBER OF INJURED
182	53	21	32	1	27	81
414	3522	3288	1855	337	1147	6627
415	849	440	245	33	437	1155
416	6226	4358	2291	678	2061	9388
430	7609	5237	2234	702	2641	10814
435	738	633	370	89	159	1251
436	777	634	339	110	199	1282
446	6	7	0	0	0	7
473	41	17	34	5	13	69
545	21	20	13	1	0	34
550	33	28	0	0	12	40
TOTAL	19875	14683	7413	1956	6696	30748

c)the number of child victims provided recovery assistance and compensation (if any) as defined in article 9.3 and 9.4 of the Protocol.

With a view to ensuring free-of-charge treatments for the victims of human trafficking, the Council of Ministers has given a decision in this regard which entered into force on 20 January 2004.

During the period covering the care and therapy of the injured and the legal proceedings, a temporary residence permit is granted to the victims in order to ensure legal residence in Turkey.

Regarding 9.3: According to Article-80 of TPC which entered into force on 1 June 2005, physical and psychological counseling services are offered to all victims of human-trafficking on a free-of-charge basis. The number of child human trafficking victims who were provided within this framework is two in 2004, seven in 2005 and two in 2006, as of March. (The rehabilitation services have been provided to the child victims during their stay in shelters until their repatriation.)

Services for children living on the streets and exploited through forced labor are been provided by the General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency. Services for rehabilitation and reintegration of girls between 11-18 years old who have been exposed to commercial sexual exploitation are rendered at Istanbul-Taksim Child and Youth Center, which was opened on 20 November 2002. Data regarding children in the Center is as follows:

Total number of children reached: 300

Number of children who were enrolled to schools: 44

Number of children still attending school: 4

Number of children returned to theirs family: 92

Number of children for whom employment opportunities were found: 29

Number of children receiving social aid: 1

Number of children taken under protection: 7

Number of children who are addicted to drug: 42

Number of children rescued from working on the streets by providing in kind/material aid: 2  

Under the auspices of Fatma Üçer Child and Youth Center affiliated to Ankara Province Social Services Directorate, “Hello Child Center” was been established in 1999. This Center specialized in children who are neglected and exposed to exploitation by rendering protective, preventive and therapeutic and problem-solving services. The services are activated upon the application of children themselves. The Center provided services to 51 children in 2002, 23 in 2003, and 71 in 2004.

Between the years 2001-2005, a “Project on Strategy Development for Fulfillment of Information and Service Needs of Adolescents on Reproductive Health” was undertaken in Bursa and Izmir in collaboration with the UNFPA by the General Directorate of Maternal-Child Health and Family Planning of the Ministry of Health, and also “Adolescent Health and Development Project” was initiated in Adana and Ankara in cooperation with UNICEF. The purpose of these projects is to improve the general health and development of adolescents, to develop reproductive health services channeled towards the improvement of their general health and sexual education, to enhance their access to integrated and quality reproductive health services and to develop a service model to provide information and services on reproductive health for adolescents.

In this respect, a “National Health Service Introduction Model” for adolescents has been developed and started to be implemented at Adolescent Information and Health Service Centers. As of 2006, a total of 20 such centers have been established in Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Antalya, Adana, Manisa, Kırıkkale, Konya, Istanbul, Eskişehir, Van  and Mersin. 16 additional centers shall be established in Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Mardin, Bursa, Sivas, Elazığ, Trabzon, Erzurum and İstanbul.

At the Adolescent Centers, training and counseling services on reproductive health are provided. Medical staff employed in the Adolescent Centers are trained in child exploitation, action to be taken in case of exploitation and legal aspects of such incidents.

THE SERVICES OFFERED AT ADOLESCENT CENTERS
Service	2002	2003	2004	2005	Total
Applicant Number	250	5389	10870	17669	34178
Examination	101	3676	7057	12573	23407
Counseling	0	2018	3846	8115	13979
Psychological Counseling	127	946	1940	3089	6102
Health Report	0	334	414	784	1532
Total	228	6974	13257	24561	45020

BREAK-DOWN OF COUNSELING SERVICES ACCORDING TO THEIR SUBJECTS
Service	2002	2003	2004	2005	Total	Total %
Physical and Sexual Development		318	1376	3163	4857	21
Psycho-social Development		243	714	2757	3714	16
Hygiene		582	756	3131	4469	19
Nutrition		709	884	3019	4612	20
Physical Exercise		142	232	1468	1842	8
Alcohol-substance use		103	248	1108	1459	6
Safe Sexual Life		137	383	546	1066	5
Safe Conduct		30	226	1108	1364	6
Total	0	2264	4819	16300	23383	100

Regarding 9.4: Within the framework of the new TPC, all victims of human trafficking, including children, are entitled to claim compensation before the courts.

Victims’ rights are governed by the Criminal Procedural Law no. 5271, where significant improvements have been made. One of the most significant improvements is that, it is now obligatory for victims younger than 18 years old to have an assigned lawyer.

The right to compensation of the victims of human trafficking has been put in force for all wrongful acts. Children may also commence such lawsuits via their legal representatives. If the perpetrator is their legal custodian, legal proceeding of such cases is possible through the appointment of a trustee. 

The arrangements concerning compensation, stipulated in the Code of Obligations no. 818, are as follows:

Code of Obligations, Article-41 ( Material Compensation ) 

Any individual who causes harm to another deliberately or negligently, or as a result of imprudent or careless acts is obliged to indemnify the damage. Furthermore, a person who deliberately causes harm to another person through an immoral act is obliged to provide an indemnity.

Code of Obligations, Article-47 (Immaterial Compensation)

By taking into consideration the specifics of a certain situation, the judge rules an equitable compensation to the person who suffers physical damage, in case of death, his/her family receives compensation for the immaterial damages that they suffer.

Code of Obligations, Article-49

Any individual who suffers in a manner contrary to his/her personality rights may bring a lawsuit claiming that a certain amount of legal tender be disbursed under the title of immaterial compensation corresponding to the immaterial damage he/she has undergone. When determining the amount of the immaterial compensation, the judge also takes in consideration of the title of the parties, the positions they occupy and their social and economic status. Instead of ruling on compensation the judge may replaced it or complement it with other means of redress or condemn the wrongful act and rule on publication of such decision via a press.

2. Please provide information on measures taken by the State party to assess the actual situation and to coordinate and monitor the implementation under the scope of the Optional Protocol.

Upon the instruction of the Office of the Prime Ministry dated 11 January 1995, General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency has been tasked as the “coordinating institution” responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which became a part of the domestic legislation by Law no. 4058 following its publication in the Official Gazette no. 22184 on 27 January 1995, and for the preparation and submission of the country reports.

Within the framework of the cooperation between the Turkish Government and UNICEF, an “Inter-Sectoral Child Committee” has been established in order to carry out the planning, implementation and monitoring of the efforts to attain the objectives towards protecting and improving the lives of children. The committee convenes three times a year. When deemed necessary by the Chairperson, extraordinary meetings can be held on pre-determined agendas.

The Inter-Sectoral Child Committee comprises representatives from relevant sectors within the framework of  cooperation programs between the Turkish Government and UNICEF. The Chairperson is the Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health. The task of the Secretariat is being carried out by the General Directorate of Maternity Child Health and Family Planning of the Ministry of Health.

The Committee Members are: State Planning Organization, Turkish Statistical Institute, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency, General Directorate of the Status of Women, General Directorate of Provinces Bank, Higher

Education Council, General Directorate of Turkish Radio and Television, General Directorate of Adolescence and Sports, Administration for the Disabled People and UNICEF.

“The duty of scrutiny and investigation of allegations of human rights violations, evaluating the outcomes of the investigation and coordinating the efforts related to measures which might be taken, monitoring the implementation of laws regarding human rights and evaluating the results of the monitoring, resolving the shortcomings of legislation and its implementation, and coordinating the efforts towards harmonizing national laws with the international instruments to which Turkey is a party in the field of human rights” has been entrusted to the Directorate of Human Rights by Article 17/A of the Law on the Organization of the Prime Ministry.

The Human Rights Boards at the provincial and district level not only take action upon allegations of human rights violations, but also act as “preventive mechanisms” to prevent such violations from taking place. Pursuant to the provisions of the Regulation on the Establishment, Mandate and Working Principles of Provincial and District Human Rights Boards, such boards are responsible for enhancing the awareness of the society and public officials on human rights, protecting human rights, investigating the allegations of human rights violations, examining social, political, legal and administrative grounds that lead to human rights violations and  obstacles of the implementation of human rights and freedoms, and proposing solutions for such problems.  Pursuant to Article 12 of the said Regulation, these boards are also authorized to pay visits to relevant institutions and agencies in order to examine the situation on the ground.

In this connection, members of the Human Rights Boards can make uncalled, effective and regular visits to children’s homes, elderly rest homes, shelters and mental health institutions with a view to preventing possible violations.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is entrusted with the task of national coordination in the struggle against human trafficking in Turkey. In 2002, “National Task Force for the Struggle Against Human Trafficking” was established to enable coordination between relevant authorities. Furthermore, a “National Action Plan for the Fight Against Human Trafficking” was prepared by the Task Force in 2003. The Plan was approved by the Prime Ministry and most of its objectives have been achieved.

General Directorate of Security receives and instantly evaluates all types of complaints and notifications through “155 Police Help” line.

A free emergency aid and notification hotline 157 has been allocated for victims of human trafficking. This hotline which is nation wide and can also be accessible from mobile phones became operational on 23 May 2005. The incoming calls are replied in Russian, Romanian, English and Turkish. So far, 81 victims of human trafficking have been rescued by the security units following notifications received via hotline 157.

“Hello 183 family, women, children and disabled social service information line” has been set up in order to promptly intervene in cases of negligence and exploitation, which are in fact directly dealt with by the Social Services Directorates affiliated to the General

Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency. This service line which also aims to ensure rendering necessary psychological, social and legal procedures and to raise public awareness, operates under the Administration for Disabled People since 25 October 2005. The line has been allocated by the Turkish Telecommunications Company for the purpose of preventing the exploitation of women and children, upgrading the status of women in the society and providing better conditions for the children.

Furthermore, Provincial Social Services Directorates examine all applications and notifications on such matters by carrying out on-site investigations.

The relationship between physical and psychological changes during puberty periods and personal health has been included in the curriculum of elementary schools by introducing the subject in science and technology courses. Under the revised curriculum, students receive diverse information concerning human growth, reproduction and development. The children also receive information on adolescence and are expected todifferentiate the physical and psychological changes in the transition from childhood into adolescence.

Projects have been initiated since the beginning of 2005 in those cities where child labor is felt intensely with a view to reinforcing the implementation of “Time-Dependent Policy and Programme Framework For the Prevention of Child Labor”. These projects are aimed to withdraw children from jobs which jeopardize their safety and health, interfere with their school attendance or success at school, and which adversely affect to their mental, physical, physiological and social development. These projects include the following: 

- “Education of children working in the streets in eleven cities (Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Çorum, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, Şanlıurfa)” to be carried out within the framework of ILO/IPEC by the General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency. Within the scope of this project, the target is to reach 6,700 children. 2,700 of these children shall be withdrawn from labor and placed in proper training programs. 4,000 of the siblings judged to be within the risk group shall be prevented from going into labor life. The project shall also ensure benefits to 1,000 families in the target group. Participation of families in income generating activities and vocational training shall be ensured.

- “Direct Action in National Capacity Building Regarding Child Labor” to be carried out within the framework of ILO/IPEC by the Division of Working Children of the Directorate General of Labor. In principle, this project aims at building national capacity for the implementation of “Time-Dependent Policy and Programme Framework” and the inclusion of child-labor related topics in national policies and programmes in order to create a conducive environment for the prevention of child labor. The main target group of this project is the public institutions and NGOs which are directly or indirectly involved in the field of child labor.

- Another project carried out by the Division of Working Children of the General Directorate of Labor, and ILO Ankara Office and financed by the European Union aims at withdrawing children in 7 cities (Çankırı, Kastamonu, Sinop, Ordu, Erzurum, Van and Elazığ) from jobs which jeopardize their safety and health, interfere with their school attendance or success at school, and which adversely affect their mental, physical,

physiological and social development. The target is to reach at least 1,500 children and 150 families within the scope of this project.

A new service model for children who live in the streets and are forced to work there, has been developed by The General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency in order to provide for the rehabilitation of those children living and working in the streets and subject to substance-abuse, as well as girls who have been subjected to commercial sexual exploitation. The aim is to integrate these groups in general or vocational training and find a proper job by settling them with families or relevant institutions. New Service Model, first of all, has been started in the cities of Ankara, Antalya, Adana, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Izmir and Mersin where such problems are felt intensely. The aim is expand the project to cover the whole country as needed.

The service model has been configured in a manner that each center will be able to serve a target group, by defining the next service step. Firstly, children on the streets will be identified by mobile teams or street offices and guided to the first step station. Those children who refuse the service and do not wish to give up substance use will be directed to shelters for their protection, where they will be induced to give up their drug habits.

At the first step station, the substance-addicted children who go through the adjustment process successfully, shall be sent to Medical Therapy Centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health. Upon completion of their medical treatment, they shall be referred to Medical Rehabilitation Centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health. Once medical rehabilitation is completed, the children shall be delivered to Social Rehabilitation Centers.

Children who live on the streets, but do not use substances and who have completed their adjustment process at the first step stations shall be directly referred to Social Rehabilitation Centers. The children shall then be integrated in the general education system or vocational training.

The aim is to direct the children who have completed these processes first to family care and in the case this is not possible, to institutions affiliated to the General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency or Boarding and Regional Elementary Schools. Children who are subsequently employed and cannot be delivered to family care or children who are not suitable for institutional care because of their age, will benefit from the services of Adolescent Houses services.

Child Rights Committees and Centers have been constituted within 55 Bars Associations across the country. These units give assistance in particular to child victims in legal counseling and lawsuits. The Child Rights Committees and Centers of the Bars Associations also promote the enactment of new legislation.

Turkish Penal Code and the amendments proposed to Criminal Procedural Law have become effective on 1 June 2005. Child Protection Law, which deals with measures to be taken with respect to the protection of child victims and their rights, has taken effect on 15 July 2005. The principle of “High benefit of the child” has been taken into consideration through the said legislative changes, pursuant to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“Regulation on the Rules of Protection through Assistance Centers and Controlled Liberty” has been published in the Official Gazette no. 26029 and dated 20 December 2005. Pursuant to this regulation, as required by Article 51, sub-paragraph 5 and Article-191, sub-paragraph 3 of Turkish Penal Code no. 5237, branch offices of the controlled liberty and assistance centers of the provincial organization of the Ministry of Justice have been entrusted with principal functions such as the provision of counseling services, monitoring, supervision and guidance of convicts, resolving their psycho-social problems and the provision of assistance. Articles 23 and 47 of above-mentioned regulation also state that “these persons shall be transferred to a health institution where they will receive a therapy program designed for the accused or the convicts.”

Please provide information on the status of the proposed legal amendments and changes as mentioned in paragraph 82 of the State party report.

The amendments proposed to the Turkish Penal Code (TPC-no. 5237) and the Criminal Procedural Law (no. 5271) have come into effect on 1 June 2005. With regard to the protection of and the measures to be taken for child victims, the Child Protection Law (no.5395) has taken effect on 15 July 2005.

In Articles 80, 94, 96, 102, 103, 104, 105, 109, 226, 227, 231 and 234 of the TPC, the sale of children, sexual violence against children, sexual exploitation of children, child prostitution and child pornography are recognized and defined as separate types of crimes. With the amendments made in Law no. 5237, sexual exploitation of children has been set as an individual offense related to offenses defined in Article-3 of Optional Protocol, and as an aggravating cause for other offenses. According to the new TPC, the commitment of a crime of obscenity defined in Article 226 by means of the “use of press and publishing” higher a graver sentence. In Article 6 of the TPC titled “definitions”, the term by means of the “use of press and broadcasting” is defined as “dissemination of information via written, visual, audible and electronic mass communication media”. The commitment of crimes of obscenity via the internet requires a higher sentence.

The new arrangements introduced by the TPC no. 5237 and the Criminal Procedural Law no. 5271 and the provisions of the Child Protection Law no.5395 are explained in detail in the Annex.

A comparative table with respect to the Turkish Penal Code no. 765, which is no longer in force, and the present Turkish Penal Code no. 5237 is given below:

RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE FORMER TURKISH PENAL CODE No.765 1) SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: ATTEMPTED RAPE a) Age Limit ARTICLE 415: Those who commit an act or action against the honor and chastity of a child who has not completed the age of 15 shall be imprisoned from two to four years.	RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE TURKISH PENAL CODE No. 5237 1) SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: ATTEMPTED RAPE a)Age Limit ARTICLE 103: The perpetrator of any act of sexual nature against a minor who has not completed fifteen years of age or who, despite having completed fifteen years of age, lack the competence to perceive the legal meaning and consequences of such acts, shall be imprisoned for a term of three to eight years.
ARTICLE 416/2: Those who commit an act or action against the honor and chastity of a person who is over fifteen years of age, by using force, violence or threat, or a person who, because of a physical or mental defect or on account of a cause other than the perpetrator's action or on account of a fraudulent means used by the perpetrator, is not in a state to resist the offender, shall be imprisoned from 3 to 5 years.	Sexual acts against other minors through the use of force, threat, deception or by any other reason affecting the will of the child, shall be punishable with imprisonment from 3 to 8 years.
b) Aggravating and extenuating circumstances : 415/2: Whoever attempts to ravish a person aged below 15, by using force, violence or threats, or a person who, because of a physical or mental defect or on account of a cause other than the perpetrator's action or on account of a fraudulent means used by the perpetrator, was not in a state to resist the offender, shall be punished by imprisonment for 3 to 5 years. 417: If attempted rape is committed by more than one person or by the parent, legal guardian, tutor, teacher or servant of the victim or by a person under whose care the victim was placed, or by a person who had authority over the victim, the offender’s punishment shall be increased by one half.	b)Aggravating and extenuating circumstances: 103/3: Where the sexual assault is committed by the ascendant, second or third degree blood relative, stepfather, the adoptive parent, guardian, tutor, teacher, caretaker, other persons in charge of providing health services or who bear the obligation for protection or supervision, or through abuse of the service relation, the penalty to be imposed in accordance with the above paragraphs shall be increased by half. 103/4: Where the sexual assault is committed against minors indicated in paragraph 1 (a) as a result of force or threat, the penalty to be imposed in accordance with the above paragraphs shall be increased by half. 103/5 Where the force and compulsion used with the aim of sexual assault lead to aggravated consequences of the offence of deliberate wounding, provisions of the offence of deliberate wounding shall apply additionally. 103/6: In case the offence results in the distortion of the physical or mental health of the victim, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a minimum of fifteen years of imprisonment.. 103/7: Where the offence leads the victim to enter a vegetative state or die, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to aggraveted life imprisonment.
C) Prescription Period: 102/4: The limitation period for attempted rape is 5 years.	C) Prescription Period: 69/d: The prescription period is 15 years starting from the date of offence. 66/6: In case this offense is committed by a person from the ascending line to the victim or a person who has authority on the victim, the prescription period shall start after the child reaches the age of 18.
RAPE a) Age limit: TCK 414: Whoever rapes a minor under the age of 15 shall be sentenced to a minimum of 5 years of imprisonment. TCK 416: Whoever ravishes a person who is over fifteen years of age, by using force, violence or threats, or a person who, because of a physical or mental defect or on account of a cause other than the perpetrator's action or on account of a fraudulent means used by the perpetrator, was not in a state to resist the offender, shall be punished by heavy imprisonment for not less than seven years.	RAPE a) Age limit: 103/2: Where the sexual assault occurs as a result of insertion of an organ or a similar object into the body, a penalty of imprisonment from eight to fifteen years shall be imposed.
b) Aggravating circumstances : 417: If attempted rape is committed by more than one person or by the parent, legal guardian, tutor, teacher or servant of the victim or by a person under whose care the victim was placed, or by a person who had authority over the victim, the offender shall be subjected to a punishment increased by one half. 418: If the foregoing acts and actions lead to death of the victim, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life. If the act in question leads to disruption in medical status of the victim, the sentence shall be increased by one half.	b) Aggravating and extenuating circumstances : 103/3: Where the sexual assault is committed by the ascendant, second or third degree blood relative, stepfather, the adoptive parent, guardian, tutor, teacher, caretaker, other persons in charge of providing health services or who bear the obligation for protection or supervision, or through abuse of the service relation, the penalty to be imposed in accordance with the above paragraphs shall be increased by half. 103/4: Where the sexual assault is committed against minors indicated in paragraph 1 (a) as a result of force or threat, the penalty to be imposed in accordance with the above paragraphs shall be increased by half. 103/5: Where the force and compulsion used with the aim of sexual assault lead to aggravated consequences of the offence of deliberate wounding, provisions of the offence of deliberate wounding shall apply additionally. 103/6: In case the offence results in the distortion of the physical or mental health of the victim, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to a minimum of fifteen years of imprisonment.. 103/7: Where the offence leads the victim to enter a vegetative state or die, the perpetrator shall be sentenced to strict life imprisonment.
c) Prescription Period : 102/3: The prescription period for rape is 10 years.	c) Prescription Period: 66/d: The prescription period is 15 years starting from the date of offence. 66/6: In case this offense is committed by a person from the ascending line to the victim or a person who has authority on the victim, the prescription period shall start after the child reaches the age of 18.
SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A PERSON UNDER AGE: a) Age limit 416/3: Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person under age, shall be imprisoned for six months to three years, provided that his offense is not punishable more severely.	SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A PERSON UNDER AGE: a) Age limit 104/1: A person who enters, without any force, threat or deceit, into sexual intercourse with a juvenile who has completed fifteen years of age shall be imprisoned for a term of six months to two years upon complaint.
b) Aggravating circumstances: 417: If attempted rape is committed by more than one person or by the parent, legal guardian, tutor, teacher or servant of the victim or by a person under whose care the victim was placed, or by a person who had authority over the victim, the offender shall be subjected to a punishment increased by one half. 418: If the foregoing acts and actions lead to death of the victim, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life. If the act in question leads to disruption in medical status of the victim, the sentence shall be increased by one half.	b) Aggravating circumstances: 104/2: In case the perpetrator is more than five years older than the victim, the penalty shall be increased by twice, regardless of the presence of a complaint .
c) PrescriptionPeriod: 102/4: The prescription period for sexual intercourse with a person under age is 5 years starting from the date of offence.	c) Prescription Period: 66/e: Prescription period is 8 years starting from the date of offence. 66/6: In case this offense is committed by a person from the ascending line to the victim or a person who has authority on the victim, the prescription period shall start after the child reaches the age of 18.

INSTIGATION TO PROSTITUTION: a) Age limit: 435/15: Those who instigate a child under the age of 15 to prostitution or those who abate and assist in prostitution shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a minimum of two years.. In case this offence is committed against person, who is above the age of 15 and under the age of 21, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment from 6 months to 2 years and shall be fined.	INSTIGATION TO PROSTITUTION: a) Age limit : 227/1: Those who instigate a child to prostitution, abate and assist in prostitution, provide any kind of necessary supplies or act as a mediator in prostitution shall be sentenced from 4 to 10 years of imprisonment and shall be imposed a fine corresponding to five thousand days.
b) Aggravating circumstances: 435/2:In case the offence of instigation is committed by the victim’s de facto parents, legal guardians, brothers or sisters, adopter, spouse, tutor, caregiver or supervisor, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a minimum of three years.	b) Aggravating circumstances: 227/5:In case the offence is committed by a person from the ascending line by blood or marriage, brother or sister, adopter, legal guardian, trainer, tutor, caregiver or supervisor, or through abuse of position, authority and relationship, the penalty shall be increased by one half . 227/6In case the offence in question is committed under an organized crime group established for this purpose, the penalty shall be increased by 1/2.
c) Prescription Period: 102/4:Prescription period for instigating to prostitution shall be 5 years as of the date of offence.	c) Prescription Period : 66/d:Prescription period shall be 15 years as of the date of offence. 66/6:In case the offence is committed by a person from the victim’s ascending line or a person who has authority on the victim, the prescription period shall be effective after the child reaches the age of 18.
ABDUCTION AND SALE OF CHILDREN: a) Age limit 430: Whoever abducts a minor through force, violence, threat or deceit and with a feeling of lust or with the intention of marriage or captures s him/her shall be sentenced from 5 to 10 years of imprisonment. . 431: In case the victim abducted and captured is under the age of 12, the offender shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a minimum of five years.	ABDUCTION AND SALE OF CHILDREN: a) Age limit 109: Whoever deprives a person from his/her liberty by illegally taking him/her to a place or forcing him/her to stay in a place shall be sentenced with 1 to 5 years of imprisonment. 109/f: In case the offence is committed against a child or a person who is incapable of defending himself/herself, the penalty shall be doubled.
b) Aggravating and extenuating circumstances : 430: In case the minor has consented to the abduction, the penalty for the offender shall be imprisonment from six months to three years.  432: In case the offender delivers the victim to his/her family without any lascivious act, the penalty for the offender shall be imprisonment from one month to six years.  433: In case the offence is committed with the intention of marriage and no act of rape is committed, the penalty shall be decreased by 1/3 to 1/2.  434: In case the offender gets married with the abducted or detained girl or woman, the penalty shall be suspended.	b) Aggravating and extenuating circumstances : 109/b: In case offence is committed by more than one person, or  109/d: through abuse of the authority from an official duty, or  109/e: against spouse or a person from the ascending or descending line, or the spouse, the penalty shall be doubled.
c) Prescription Period: 102/3: Prescription period for child abduction shall be 10 years as of the date of offence.	c) Prescription Period: 66/d: The prescription period shall be 15 years as of the date of offence on the condition that the upper limit of penalty is more than 5 years. 66/e:The prescription period shall be 8 years as of the date of offence on the condition that the upper limit of penalty is less than 5 years. 66/6: In case this offence is committed by a person from the victim’s ascending line or a person who has authority on the victim, the penalty shall be effective after the child reaches the age of 18.
2) ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION FOR PROFIT: Existing penal code does not include any regulation on this subject. a) Age Limit: It is regulated by the Law on Removal, Storing and Transfer of Organs and Tissues.	2) ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION FOR PROFIT: a)Age Limit: 91:Whoever takes an organ from a person without a legally valid consent shall be sentenced to 5 to 9 years imprisonment.
ARTICLE 5- It is prohibited to transfer organs or tissues of people who are under age of 18 and who are incapable of discretion.  ARTICLE 15 - Those who take, remove, store, implant or transfer or sell, purchase tissues or organs or act as mediators in this action in contradiction to this Law, shall be sentenced to 2 to 4 years imprisonment and shall be fined from 50.000 TL to 100.000 TL, on the condition that the offence does not require more severe punishment.
b) Aggravating circumstances :	b) Aggravating circumstances : 91/4: In case the offence in question is commited by an organized crime group, the offenders shall be convicted to 8 to 15 years imprisonment and shall be imposed a fine corresponding to ten thousand days.
c) Prescription Period: 102/4:The prescription period for the offence of organ transplantation shall be 5 years as of the date of offence.	c) Prescription Period : 66/d: : The prescription period shall be 15 years as of the date of offence. 66/6: In case the offence in question is committed by a person from the victim’s ascending line or a person who has authority on the victim, the penalty shall be effective after the child reaches the age of 18.

4. Please provide information on specific budget allocations (national, regional and local) for the implementation of the rights contained in the Optional Protocol and if not allocated, information on the reasons therefore.

Despite the fact that there is no specific budget allocated to the enforcement of the rights (national, regional, local) mentioned in the Optional Protocol, the institutions might make expenses to prevent and control child sales, prostitution and pornography from the budget allocated to them annually under the Budgetary Act. Each institution prepares its own budget proposal and accordingly presents it to the Ministry of Finance. The institutions make use of the allocations foreseen under the Budgetary Act within the concerned year in line with their actual needs.

The municipalities prepare their own budgets, comprising of the shares allocated from the central budget in proportion to their population, and all the incomes and planned expenditures on the basis of their own equity and obligations (no details are given here particularly as deemed unnecessary). When a municipality intends to undertake a project in the field of children’s rights, it has the authority to make its own decision for the allocation of a specific amount under the relevant budgetary item and its spending. Such allocations are presented by the mayor to the approval of the town council, and are further furnished to the Ministry of Interior for consolidation with the general budget. However, there is no need for ministerial approval. The Ministry of Interior notifies the Ministry of Finance about the allocation. The town council examines the budget and transfers it to the municipal board together with its comments and opinions. The municipal board adopts the draft budget without any change or with some modifications before the beginning of the upcoming year. The adopted budget comes into effect as of the beginning of the fiscal year.

Section 60 of the Municipalities Act No. 5393 has enumerated the expenses of the municipalities, including the items (i) “social services and grant aids extended to the low income, poor, vulnerable, disabled people and orphans” and (m) “costs and expenses for the services and projects implemented in cooperation with national and international public and private institutions and non-governmental organizations”, which are particularly important for this study. No comment is deemed necessary for item (i). However, item (m) provides the municipalities with the opportunity to develop common services and projects in cooperation with foreign public and private institutions and non-governmental organizations in the field of child pornography, sales and prostitution. Such cooperation will introduce an international dimension to the municipal activities.

5. Please provide further information on the activities in the National Plan against Human Trafficking and its focus, and on the status of the National Action Plan 2005-2015 coordinated by the Social Services and Child Protection Agency, including to the proposed budget allocations.

The National Action Plan covering the period between 2005 and 2015 has been prepared with a view to determining the priorities and programmes for planned future actions on the basis of previous studies, so that rights of all children under the age of 18 including adolescents in Turkey could be protected and promoted. In parallel with the decisions adopted by the Inter-sectoral Child Commission highlighting the need to harmonize the National Action Plan with the Millennium Development Goals, efforts have been exerted to review and update the National Action Plan with the participation of all related sectors.

The National Action Plan aims to protect children against any form of sexual exploitation, including pedophilia and human trafficking. A number of actions have been drawn up to review the existing legislation and to draft new legislation, as well as to implement educational programs for the protection of children against any form of sexual exploitation, including sale of children. Despite the fact that there is no specific budget allocated for the National Action Plan, institutions rely on the budgetary shares allocated to them as well as their activities carried out in cooperation with international institutions, non-governmental organizations and other related institutions and organizations.

The objectives of the Plan have already been accomplished to a great extent.

The provisions of the abovementioned Action Plan and the activities undertaken up until now under the Plan can be summarized as follows:

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the national body in charge of coordination of the activities to control the human trafficking in Turkey. The “National Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking” was established in 2002 for ensuring this coordination. Furthermore, the “National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking” was prepared by the National Task Force in 2003, and was subsequently approved by the Prime Ministry. The Task Force held its 9th meeting on 6 October 2005. The 10th meeting is scheduled for April 2006.

- In accordance with the provisions of the “National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking”, efforts have been accelerated to establish shelters for asylum-seekers that would provide legal, psychological and medical counseling services to the victims of human trafficking.

- Shelters for asylum-seekers were opened in Istanbul on 29 June 2004 and in Ankara on 21 November 2005. Work is underway to establish shelters in Izmir, Antalya and Adana/Mersin.

- For the victims of human trafficking, a toll free number (157) has been assigned for emergency notice and aid. This telephone line which is accessible throughout Turkey and from GSM lines as well, has been activated on 23 May 2005. The calls are answered in Russian, Romanian, English and Turkish. Since its activation, Turkish security units rescued 81 victims of human trafficking as a result of notices received through this line.

- Within the framework of the project implemented in cooperation with the International Organization of Migration (IOM) for the purpose of helping the victims of human trafficking, information leaflets have been prepared for distribution at the border gates, mainly in Istanbul Atatürk and Antalya Airports, to inform the foreigners visiting Turkey, particularly in the summer season.

Moreover, short programs on human trafficking have been broadcasted in the visual media. Training activities are also provided for the security forces.

- All necessary measures have been taken within the context of the Social Support and Solidarity Encouragement Fund to benefit the victims of human trafficking from aid provided to the vulnerable persons mentioned in the National Action Plan.

- The victims of human trafficking are not subject to any charge and penalty for the procedures of entry and exit to/from Turkey, and the practice of “entry prohibition for limited time” is not implemented in the case of such persons.

- The Ministry of Health provides medical examination and medicine free of charge, as well as psychological counseling to the victims of human trafficking.

- On the other hand, the twinning project “Strengthening Institutional Capacities in the Fight against Human Trafficking” implemented by the Ministry of Interior within the framework of the EU accession process, aims to establish a strategy for the prevention of human trafficking in Turkey, as well as to implement this strategy through an action plan. A new Action Plan will be adopted following the conclusion of the project, i.e. after 30 May 2007.

The training activities carried out in 2005 by the Ministry of Justice in regard to human trafficking are as follows:

- 50 judges and public prosecutors attended the “Human Trafficking Seminar” organized in Ankara by the IOM on 9 February 2005 with the participation of Mrs. Barbara Carlin, Legal Advisor at the US Embassy in Skopje as a speaker.

- A judge attended the conference on “The Fight against Human Trafficking”, organized in Moldova between 18 and 20 May 2005.

- Three judges and a public prosecutor attended the workshop on “Cooperation in the Fight against Human Trafficking”, organized in Moldova on 29-30 November 2005.

- Twenty judges and public prosecutors participated in the seminar on “The Fight against Human Trafficking” organized in cooperation with the Foundation for Human Resource Development in Istanbul on 18 January 2005.

In 2006, a number of training seminars are planned under the project titled “The Development of Institutional Capacities in the Fight against Human Trafficking” which is to be undertaken within the context of the Turkey-EU Financial Cooperation 2003 – Twinning Project on Human Trafficking. The project to be undertaken in cooperation with the IOM and to be financed by the United Kingdom, aims to train forty instructors in the field of human trafficking and subsequently provide training by these instructors to a total of one thousand judges and public prosecutors in this field.

A shelter for asylum-seekers was opened in 2004 in Istanbul in cooperation with the Foundation for Human Resource Development, the Ministry of Interior and the IOM within the framework of the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking. In September 2005, another shelter was opened in Ankara in cooperation with the Woman Solidarity Foundation. The municipalities provide support in meeting the basic requirements of these two asylum shelters. Children and adult victims of human trafficking are provided in these shelters with safety, nutrition, psychological support and medical treatment. Psychologists and social workers are deployed specifically for children. A total of 7 children under the age of 18 years were provided with assistance in 2005. The number is 3 for 2006.

In addition to the abovementioned services provided for the children, necessary measures are also taken for the return of children to their homelands unless they have been subjected to human trafficking by their families. If they have been subjected to human trafficking by their families, support services continue to be provided in the country of origin. For both groups, it is ensured that the children participate in rehabilitation programs in their homelands.

Please provide information on the activities to promote regional and bilateral cooperation to address root causes which contribute to the vulnerability of children under the Optional Protocol.

Turkey aims for recognizing of children’s rights by adults and children alike and the implementation of activities pertaining to children at all levels of the society. The 6th Children’s Forum was held on 19-20 November 2005 in line with this objective, with the participation of child delegates from 81 provinces. Two children - one boy and one girl from each province were provided with training on children’s rights through activities organized at the 5th and 6th Children’s Forums. These children are expected to provide training courses to other children in their home provinces through Provincial Committees Children’s Rights.

According to the protocol signed between the Ministry of National Education and UNICEF within the framework of the Turkish Government-UNICEF Master Action Plan 2001-2005, “Haydi Kızlar Okula – Let’s Go to School, Girls” campaign was launched jointly by the

Turkish Minister of National Education and the General Director of UNICEF on 17 June 2003 in the provinces of Ağrı, Batman, Bitlis, Diyarbakır, Hakkari, Muş, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak and Van, which have the lowest rates of schooling in Turkey.

The campaign was extended in 2004 to Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, Adıyaman, Ardahan, Aydın, Bingöl, Edirne, Elazığ, Erzincan, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Iğdır, Kahramanmaraş, Kars, Kilis, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Niğde, Osmaniye and Tokat, and then, from 2005, Afyon, Antalya, Balıkesir, Bursa, Çanakkale, Çorum, Denizli, Eskişehir, Hatay, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Sivas, Tekirdağ and Trabzon have also been included in the campaign.

The Project titled “Towards Good Governance, Protection and Justice for Children in Turkey (Supplementary Education)” covering the period between May 2005 and July 2007, undertaken within the framework of the EU accession process, aims to improve the protective environment for those children in relation with the law, and to strengthen the system to prevent children from developing a relation with the law as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Furthermore, a supplementary education program is planned within the context of this project so as to prevent children from remaining outside the educational system.

The project titled “Child Friendly School” is a sub-project developed under the “Child Friendly Learning Environments Project” implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and UNICEF. The project aims at improving the quality of education in primary schools in all respects, and reflecting this improvement to students, employees and the environment. The project which was launched in 2002 has been implemented in pilot schools in 2005.

The project on “Effective Participation of the Disadvantaged Children in Education” undertaken in collaboration with the British Council covers the period between 25 January 2006-31 December 2006, The project aims at the exchange of experiences concerning educational policies and practices for the integration of disadvantaged children in primary schools into the society. Another aim is to promote cooperation by developing special vocational packages for administrators and organizing training courses.

The symposium on “Violence against Children in and around Schools and Possible Measures” was organized on 28-31 March 2006. The rapid social changes experienced today affects all structures and functions of existing entities and institutions. The educational institutions are at the epicenter of this change. One of the most important problems experienced in the process of adaptation to change is violence in and around schools. Improvement of the educational system and enhancing the quality of education can only be achieved through schools that provide a healthy and safe learning environment, with protective policies and positive disciplinary practices. In this context, the General Directorate of Primary Education under the Ministry of National Education has decided to improve and expand the scope of “Child Friendly Schools” to all primary schools in the period between 2006 and 2010. This decision necessitates the study of violence in schools and the development of applicable solutions.

“4 th Symposium on Homeless Children” was organized with the theme “Child Prostitution and Pornography” on 15-16 May 2005 in Kırıkkale, jointly by the Foundation for the Protection of Homeless Children in Turkey”, Kırıkkale University, Ankara University, Forensic Scientists Society, Foundation for the Protection of Homeless Children against Crime and Criminals”.

The Budapest Process is an informal intergovernmental forum for cooperation and dialogue, including the governments of 40 countries and 10 international institutions. The forum aims to prevent illegal immigration, to provide sustainable solutions in the fight against irregular immigration, and to establish sustainable mechanisms in immigration management particularly in Caucasia and Central Asia.

Turkey co-chairs of this forum since September 2003. In this context, Turkey co-chaired the Senior Officials Meeting in Budapest in 2004 and 2005, Turkey actively participates in all meetings organized under this Process. Most recently, the Budapest and Bali groups held a joint meeting chaired by Turkey in Vienna on 24-25 October 2005.

To mitigate any possible effects of the economic crises on the poor and vulnerable people, a social support program called the “conditional cash transfer” has been launched jointly by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Education and General Directorate of Social Support and Solidarity. The program aims at ensuring that children in the 0-10 age group benefit from basic health services and continue with their education. The program targets children from the poorest levels which correspond to 6% of the total population. Assistance is provided in cash to the families of children that are eligible. In this context, a total of 299,282 USD was disbursed so far, including educational and health assistance to 1.450.807 and 858.223 children, respectively.

A symposium on “Vulnerable Children and Adolescents” was organized on 19-20 April 2005 in Istanbul Bilgi University. The symposium covered a number of conferences, panels, presentations and workshops. Furthermore, a conference on “children exposed to commercial and sexual exploitation” was carried out within the framework of the symposium. The symposium was attended by 350 people, mainly psychologists, counselors, social workers and students. The second symposium will be held on 6-7 May 2006.

A training seminar titled “Computer Facilitated Crimes Against Children” was organized in the Police Moral Training Center in Baltalimanı, Istanbul on 13-17 March 2006 jointly by the Public Order Department of the General Directorate of Security, Microsoft, General Secretariat of Interpol and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC). 6 experts from the General Directorate of Security, 6 from the Ministry of Justice, 10 from the General Command of Gendarmerie, and 25 foreign experts and 8 foreign pedagogues from 15 countries participated in this seminar, where it was emphasized that international attempts in this field should be continued and enhanced. A considerable number of academicians and representatives of the non-governmental organizations attended the panel that was organized in the final day of this seminar.

Turkey has decided to participate in the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which was founded with the aim to collect, analyze and use comparable, reliable and objective information on drug abuse, addiction and its consequences. In line with this decision, Turkish International Academy for the Combat against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) was nominated as the national focal point for EMCDDA, as this unit forms an ideal platform in terms of technical facilities, personnel and other conditions under the Department of Smuggling, Trafficking and Organized Crimes of the General Directorate of Security.

- “The Training Program for Instructors on Substance Addiction” is being implemented under the coordination of TADOC/TUBİM for the personnel employed in the provincial units. Experts attending the training programs constitute local focal points, and organize awareness raising activities in collaboration with experts employed in the Provincial Directorates of National Education and Health on substance abuse and addiction for high school teachers, students and parents, as well as other groups upon their request.

- In summer youth camps and coach training courses throughout Turkey, a number of information activities were organized under the coordination of the General Directorate of Youth and Sports, on substance abuse and addiction. Training courses were organized for over 4000 students that attended youth camps in the summer of 2005, in coordination with the personnel of the Implementation and Liaison Unit to Fight against Substance Addiction (Local Focal Point).

- Training activities were also organized in cooperation with the General Directorate of Youth and Sports for trainers on the prevention of substance addiction. 3160 trainers attended these courses in 2005. The activities aimed to provide information on preventing the young people from drug abuse.

- A training course was organized for volunteers to be employed in the Red Crescent Youth Camps on the “prevention of substance abuse and addiction.”

- Within the framework of the training courses organized by TADOC personnel employed in the Implementation and Liaison Unit to Fight against Substance Addiction (Local Focal Point) in 2005, a number of information activities were organized on the prevention of drug abuse and addiction and dependency, covering:

867 primary school teachers,

3009 high school teachers,

142 university lecturers,

64393 high school students,

2500 university students,

4655 parents of primary school students,

6951 parents of high school students,

30 parents of university students,

2767 NGO representatives,

5901 public officers.

- Moreover, there are also efforts which aim to organize the youth clubs for the prevention of drug abuse and addiction, such as the “NODO” in Bilgi University. Within this context,

a joint project will be undertaken with Eskişehir University, Bilkent University, Ankara University, Hacettepe University and the Police Academy .

An international symposium on children’s rights will be organized in 2006 under the coordination of the General Directorate of Social Services and Child Protection Agency.

Within the framework of a project on “Training Adolescents under Difficult Conditions on Reproductive and Sexual Health” to be implemented in cooperation with the “Yeniden Society” and the Ministry of Health, training programs will be organized for instructors and children.

“Yeniden Society” has undertaken a case study in 2005 in participation with ECPAT International ( End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) in order to analyze the situation of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Turkey. The final report on the results of the study will be made public. Activities will then be organized to develop an action plan.