Sevda Karaca, Deputy Chair of the Labour Party (EMEP) and Gaziantep MP Sevda Karaca, made her first speech at the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). Karaca drew attention to the practice of free pre-school meals as a result of women's struggle. Explaining that they fought for one free, healthy meal in all schools, Karaca said, "You thought women would forget, but we have not forgotten. Free, healthy meal at school is a right! Give children their rights!".

Reminding that as a result of women's struggle, the Ministry of National Education had to start the practice of free meal in preschool institutions, EMEP Gaziantep MP Sevda Karaca said, " These seats are occupied by those who made promises before the elections and then forgot their promises while women were travelling door to door, collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures, protesting in front of schools and on the streets for a free meal at school. Thanks to the great struggle of women, the Ministry of National Education was forced to introduce a free meal at pre-school. 'This is not enough, it is your duty to provide a free meal for every child in all public schools at all levels of education,' the women said. You have ignored it, you thought women would forget, but we did not forget."

"FOOD PRICES HAVE INCREASED, CHILDREN CANNOT BE FED"

Reminding that she is one of the coordinators of the campaign for a free meal for all students in every public school all over the country, Karaca said, "I will ask you the questions of hundreds of thousands of women who are part of this campaign from this rostrum. Reel annual inflation is 108.58 percent. According to World Bank data, Turkey has the 10th highest food inflation in the world... Food prices have increased by 245 per cent in 3 years. One out of every 3 children in this country cannot get enough nutrition."

"WHY ARE THESE CHILDREN NOT IN SCHOOL?"

Stating that the minimum wage has fallen below the hunger limit due to high inflation and increasing food expenditures, Karaca said the following: "For a family with two children, the monthly cost of the nutrition needed by children at school exceeds one third of the monthly income of families trying to live on minimum wage. You condemn even civil servants to a wage that is two-thirds of the poverty line and boast about it. Due to the monetisation of all levels of education, the right to education of the people's children has been virtually eliminated. The latest statistics show that one in five students who should be in school are not in formal education. Who are these children? Where are they? Why are they not in school?"

"21 THOUSAND CHILDREN UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE GAVE BIRTH"

You know very well that most of these children have been taken out of school and sacrificed to labour and marriage, which shows the severity of the poverty and the situation..." said Karaca and added that 2 million 88 thousand 925 children between the ages of 0-18 have given birth since 2001 and 21 thousand of these children are under the age of 15. Karaca added that 50 per cent of the children under the age of 15 who gave birth were only primary school graduates.Reminding that there are around 5 million child labourers in the country, Karaca said, "It is evident from the data that in countries where school meal programmes are implemented, the effect of child poverty, school dropout and absenteeism decreases. Free school meals increase academic achievement, help eliminate gender discrimination and inequality in education, reduce child labour and child marriages... Women are asking; when the facts and needs are so obvious, what are you waiting for to provide one free meal in all public schools at all levels of education? There are 60 days left until the opening of schools, what will you do to create the infrastructure for a free meal in all public schools?"

"APPOINT NUTRITIONISTS TO SCHOOLS, NOT IMAMS"

Karaca emphasised that it should be guaranteed that all children will be fed at school and said, "Instead of turning all schools into madrasahs by appointing imams to schools, instead of trying to feed hungry children with prayers, instead of transferring millions of liras of resources to them through protocols with favoured foundations, congregations and sects, establish canteens in schools and appoint nutritionists to schools. Women will continue to fight for the right to a free meal in schools. You will hear this voice everywhere, on the floor of parliament, on the streets, at school, in hospitals, in bakeries, in bazaars and markets. A free healthy meal at school is a right! Give the children their right!" (EVRENSEL DAILY)