Syrian refugees trigger child labour boom in Turkey

"Almost 900,000 children are estimated to be working in Turkey, around 300,000 of them between the ages of six and 14, according to official figures. The legal working age is 15. Hakan Acar, a children's rights expert from Kocaeli University, underlined that the real numbers were probably much higher: "Children working on the streets are not included in these statistics, for example – children selling water, tissues or those who are begging." As refugees from Syria do not receive work permits in Turkey, underage Syrian workers are not being recorded at all. "It makes them extremely vulnerable to abuse," warned Acar. "Syrian women and children are probably amongst the most vulnerable groups in Turkey right now." " (thanks Amir)