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THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

The subjects of the applications made in 2019 by children via the Ombudsman
Institution’s website specifically designed for children are, inter alia, child protection
system; negative attitudes and behaviours of peers, teachers and administrators in the
education system; access to the right to education, security of school environment and
transportation conditions; education, healthcare and nursing services for children with
special needs; settlements, environmental health and safety; access to health services;
visitation rights of children held in closed areas; establishment of personal relationship
between children and their families and requests concerning daily needs of the
unaccompanied minors and children under protection and care.

Based on the applications filed to the Ombudsman Institution, it is understood that
Syrian children suffer from various problems (identification and arrangement of classes
according to language levels, ages and situations of children) in the education system
starting from school enrolments. In addition, communication problems occur because
the explanations for the parents and children made by the administration are not clearly
understood due to language barrier. It has been understood that such problems occurring
because of language and cultural differences cause absenteeism and even drop-outs. It is
considered that there is an urgent need to strengthen school administrations and to take
refugee students into a case-based follow-up process in order to communicate effectively
with refugee children and families within the education system.
Case Summaries

Request for Fresh Air

The child applicant stated that excessive air pollution prevailed in the region he lived
and the most important reason for the air pollution was the smoke and dust emitted
by the lime plant in the region by claiming that the plant had no protective measures
such as filters, and requested that the lime plant in question be closed down or necessary
measures be taken in the plant with a view to protecting the environment and human
health.
As a result of the examination, it was found out that the request and claim of the
child applicant was concerning the children and general public in the region, right to
healthcare secured under the Convention of the Rights of the Child, which, accordingly,
referred to the state’s obligation to ensure a clean environment for the maintenance of
children’s health. Within this scope, the Ombudsman Institution referred this issue to
the relevant administration, without disclosing the child’s identifying information, in
order to carry out necessary inspections on whether the lime plant in question operated
with an approach sensitive to the environment and human health and whether the
particles emitted from the factory posed a danger to human health and agricultural
areas. 7

7 Decision of Referral dated 14/06/2019 on the application no. 2019/10005

2019 ANNUAL REPORT 77