Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş discussed the submission of the 18-article bill, which includes measures for children drawn into crime and amendments to the Child Protection Law, to the Turkish parliament. She also explained the work of the parliamentary research commission established to investigate children drawn into crime.
Göktaş stated that the social structure is changing, risks are diversifying, and digitization and new crime methods targeting children require a new perspective. She said: 'This is a very important regulation that, with the new legislation, aims to eliminate the perception of impunity on one hand, and on the other hand, to implement preventive measures most effectively before children are drawn into crime. The bill continues to be discussed in the commission today. It is being discussed in our Justice Commission. Our goal is to protect our children from all kinds of risks and threats. Accordingly, 75-80% of this new legal regulation envisages protective and preventive measures being carried out more effectively, strongly, and in a coordinated manner.'
'Our goal is for none of our children to be involved in crime and to look to the future more securely.' Minister Göktaş stated that the ministry will take on central coordination in the child protection system and ensure coordination among relevant institutions, aiming for early detection of risks of children being drawn into crime and more effective implementation of protective and preventive measures.
Göktaş noted that with the regulation, an emergency protection report can be prepared within 24 hours for a child found to be in need of treatment, and various obligations are imposed on families.
Expressing their desire for the bill to become law as soon as possible, Göktaş said, 'Our aim is for none of our children to be involved in crime and to look to the future with greater confidence, and if there is a possibility of being drawn into crime, they should be rehabilitated and supported at an early stage.'
Family and Youth Fund payments deposited today
Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş drew attention to the decline in fertility rates and provided information about their efforts to encourage young marriages and increase the number of children.
Reminding that as of January 1, 2025, a one-time payment of 5,000 liras is provided for the first child, 1,500 liras monthly for the second, and 5,000 liras monthly for the third and subsequent children, Göktaş said, 'On July 29, God willing, this month's payments will be deposited into accounts. To date, we will have made payments totaling 22.5 billion liras to 1,175,601 mothers.'
We are making regular payments for 700,541 children for the second child and above. Our aim is to strengthen the family-friendly ecosystem and create a mechanism where families are more comfortable and the burden of care is shared.' Göktaş announced that as of today, 24,946 young people will be paid 2.8 billion liras under the Family and Youth Fund, and that they have provided a total of 16.797 billion liras in support to date.
Emphasizing that they aim to provide income support to families and facilitate working life through the Income Complementary Family Support System, Göktaş said, 'In this context, a very valuable initiative that can set an example not only for Turkey but for the world is being implemented. Our legislative work is almost complete.'
We are monitoring our efforts on a weekly basis, and God willing, when it reopens, we aim to pass it into law according to the parliamentary calendar,' she said.
Recalling that on July 19 she welcomed expatriates at the Kapıkule border gate who were coming to Turkey to spend their annual leave, Minister Göktaş said that the emotional moments citizens experienced while crossing the border deeply affected her.
