Violence in schools, first in Siverek (Sêwêreg) and then in Maraş (Mereş), has once again brought debates on child rights and social structure to the forefront. Eylem Kaya, a board member of the Human Rights Association (IHD) Diyarbakır (Amed) Branch and a member of its Child Rights Commission, and social policy expert Dilan Deniz Doğar, point out that the issue is not merely a school-based problem but indicates a much deeper structural crisis.
Violence is a very serious violation of children’s rights
Eylem Kaya, a member of the Child Rights Commission of the IHD Amed Branch, stated that the rise in violence in schools constitutes a “very, very serious violation of rights” from a child rights perspective, emphasizing that schools should not be places limited to academic learning. Kaya said: “Schools should not only be places where children receive academic knowledge. They should also be living spaces where they can develop in safety, socialize, and express themselves.”
Kaya stated that violence damages children’s sense of security and directly affects their development, adding that this situation cannot be explained through individual behavior alone. She said, “These increasing incidents of violence are also a result of inequalities in society, polarization, poverty, and the normalization of violence.” According to Kaya, children are not independent from the social environment they live in: “Children are not only exposed to non-violent communication at school; they are also not exposed to it in their social lives and within the family. They are constantly confronted with violence.”
Multiple rights violations: life, education and security
Eylem Kaya stated that violence in schools constitutes a violation of multiple fundamental rights: “First of all, children’s right to life and their right to security are being violated. The threat of physical or psychological violence in the environment where they receive education is absolutely unacceptable.” She added that the right to education is also directly affected, noting that unsafe environments weaken children’s connection to school: “In schools where violence is widespread, children are afraid to attend. Families hesitate to send them.” Eylem Kaya also pointed out that girls are particularly affected by this situation, stating that families may withdraw their children from school due to safety concerns.
Schools must not be turned into prisons
Eylem Kaya criticized the tendency to focus solely on security measures in discussions on addressing school violence, warning: “Schools must never be turned into prisons under the pretext of these issues.” She stressed that the solution lies in a comprehensive approach in which families, teachers, guidance services, and school administrations act together: “Children need to be taught a non-violent language.”
She emphasized the need to strengthen psychological support mechanisms and highlighted the importance of having an adequate number of psychological counselors and social workers in every school.
This is a very serious crisis, urgent and systematic steps are needed
Eylem Kaya described the current situation as “a very serious crisis,” stating that solutions are only possible through rights-based policies: “State institutions and local authorities must approach schools not only through security measures, but through a rights-based child policy.” She pointed to the importance of democratic and inclusive school environments, adding that inequality is also a factor that fuels violence: “When children from better economic backgrounds are provided with different opportunities while poorer children are treated differently, it generates violence.”
Preventive mechanisms
Eylem Kaya emphasized the importance of preventive policies: “Rather than intervening after violence occurs, strengthening preventive mechanisms is far more effective.” In this context, she stated that early warning systems, mechanisms through which children can express themselves, and the expansion of emotional skills education are necessary: “Empathy, anger management, and communication skills can be taught and must become an integral part of the education system.”
Kaya also criticized the curriculum, stating that content unrelated to the skills children actually need is being prioritized.
Violence is the visible tip of the iceberg
Dilan Deniz Doğar stressed that violence must be addressed within a broader structural context. “When we discuss a child holding a weapon in schools today, we are in fact focusing only on the visible tip of the iceberg.” According to Doğar, this situation is the result of a structural crisis rather than isolated incidents: “What we are facing is a spiral of ‘structural violence’ in which economic, sociological, and political processes feed into one another.”
Society is going through a process of anomie
Dilan Deniz Doğar stated that impoverishment, the weakening of social policies, and the loss of trust in justice in Turkey are fueling violence, adding: “Society is going through a process of ‘anomie,’ where it has lost its ethical and moral compass.” She emphasized that violence in such an environment becomes a political phenomenon, and that preventive policies are directly linked to political choices.
The triangle of state, family and masculinity
Dilan Deniz Doğar argued that violence is reproduced through three main structures: the state’s role as a “punitive father,” a patriarchal and property-based family structure, and what she described as “toxic masculinity.” She said: “The power struggle in school corridors is a product of the ‘domination’ role imposed on boys.”
Doğar stated that lack of merit and favoritism normalize violence and added: “Impunity is not a mistake; it is the result of the weakening of oversight mechanisms.” She said this situation damages the sense of justice in society and turns violence into a tool of power.
The solution must be rights-based, not security-driven
Dilan Deniz Doğar stressed that the solution lies not in security measures but in structural transformation: “We cannot solve this issue by placing X-ray devices at school entrances.” She added: “Violence did not start with children in the streets. Whatever kind of environment we adults create, children breathe that air,” and added that her proposed solutions include child-centered budgeting, strengthening social service systems, and ensuring the active role of civil society.
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