The attacks in Maraş (Mereş) and Siverek (Sêwêreg) point to a deeper reality that remains incomplete when discussed solely in terms of security measures. These incidents make visible a multi-layered crisis that cannot be separated from the social, economic, and political conditions in which children live. The loss of safety in educational spaces, the failure of child protection mechanisms, and the inadequacy of early intervention and support systems make it necessary to look not only at the consequences of violence, but also at its causes.
Today in Turkey, the deepening economic crisis, growing inequalities, insecurity, and the language of war shape not only the lives of adults but also those of children. The push of children into the workforce at an early age, their detachment from education, and limited access to psychosocial support mechanisms make them more vulnerable than ever. Under such conditions, violence is not an individual deviation or a momentary outburst; it often emerges as a reflection of the structural violence in which they live.
Gökçe Baltacı, from the Initiative for Peace for Children, spoke to ANF about why these developments are not “isolated,” how children are left unprotected, and why violence is not only an issue of individuals but also of the system.
You approach the attacks in Maraş (Mereş) and Siverek (Sêwêreg) not merely as a security failure but as the outcome of a broader social and economic context; in your view, which fundamental problems of the current system do these incidents reflect?
First of all, we would like to say that we are all deeply saddened. Along with extending our condolences and wishing patience to everyone, our only hope is that these losses will be the last. It is not correct to address such attacks solely as a security failure. In fact, all that has happened is a reflection of structural problems showing that children’s most basic rights are not being adequately protected. While educational spaces should be the safest and most egalitarian places for children, the fact that these spaces, like other public areas, have become sites that can produce risk reveals that child protection and education systems are not being operated with a holistic approach.
At the same time, these incidents also demonstrate the inadequacy of early intervention and preventive mechanisms. Everyone has focused on what happened after the incident, but we must ask what was not done beforehand. The failure to identify risks in time, the lack of coordination between institutions, and the limited scope of psychosocial support systems make it difficult to prevent such cases. Therefore, the issue should not be seen as isolated incidents but as a broader structural problem related to the child protection system and social policies. Beyond the lack of a holistic approach, we are currently faced with a child protection system in which not even its individual components function properly.
Once again, we must not forget that none of these incidents are isolated or emerged suddenly. As child rights advocates, we have been saying this for years. Do these children wake up one morning and decide to become agents of violence? Of course not. We must recognize the structural violence behind it.
How do conditions such as the economic crisis, inequality, the language of war, insecurity, and even projects like the Vocational Training Center (MESEM), which directly push children into these circumstances, translate into violent behavior among children and young people?
The sense of having no future, the MESEM system, the economic crisis, and the fact that children are forced to live within an unsafe, war- and violence-ridden, and deeply harsh order of course have an impact. But we must also look at what precedes this incident that has affected us all so profoundly. In this country, women are killed by men in plain sight every day. Worker deaths are increasing day by day. Every corner of the country is filled with death and violence. How can children and schools remain untouched by such an environment? We must not forget that the children we now describe as perpetrators are in fact ‘produced’ by this country and its system. If we forget this, we also ignore and deny our own responsibility.
There is, of course, a direct relationship between the conditions children and young people are exposed to and the behaviors that emerge. The deepening economic crisis, increasing inequalities, and insecurity significantly affect children’s living conditions. In particular, the push of children into working life at an early age, the growing risk of dropping out of education, and limited access to support mechanisms make them far more vulnerable. In this context, violence is not merely an individual choice; it often emerges as a reflection of the structural violence they are subjected to. Constant pressure, exclusion, insecurity, and a sense of hopelessness leave deep marks on children’s emotional and psychological worlds. When these effects are not recognized and addressed in time, they can manifest outwardly as behavioral problems or tendencies toward violence.
A parliamentary Research Commission on Children Driven to Crime recently published a report. According to the data in the report, children associate their involvement in crime with factors such as family loss, violence, fragmented family structures, disengagement from education, and negative peer environments. The data also show that a significant portion of children drawn into crime consists of those who have dropped out of school, do not attend school, and are forced to work at an early age. This picture indicates that children cannot access protection and support mechanisms, and that the child protection system and public responsibilities are not being adequately fulfilled. While it is important to examine the data in this report, it must be remembered that the reasons listed here should not be seen as the sole or primary causes.
Violence is being normalized in media and politics. However, when we look at politicians, they make statements from a perspective that calls for banning series and games and attributes the blame to them. How do you evaluate the government’s attempt to shift responsibility away from itself?
The attempt by those in power to shift responsibility away from themselves is directly related to the fact that they are the primary actors responsible. The series and games being portrayed as the culprits are already part of the crisis created by this government; they do not operate independently of it. In the aftermath of these events, everyone has quickly begun to speak about punishment. Yes, there is a widespread system of impunity in Turkey. At the same time, there are no restorative mechanisms. If we are to talk about punishment, then we must also discuss holding accountable the entire system and those who have created the conditions that lead children to this point.
Reducing the causes of violence solely to television series, games, or individual choices renders the structural dimensions of the problem invisible. This approach offers a framework that conceals public responsibility and shifts blame elsewhere instead of producing solutions. However, the protection of children is a direct public responsibility, and this responsibility cannot be avoided.
The normalization of violence and the use of an exclusionary language lead to similar patterns emerging in children’s worlds. What is needed, therefore, is the strengthening of a rights-based, inclusive, and non-violent language across all public spheres. This requires a multi-layered transformation, from the education system to social policies, from the media to local administrations. Instead of approaches based on punishment, strengthening preventive, protective, and restorative policies will, in the long term, support both the well-being of children and social peace.
What kind of social and institutional transformation is needed for all this?
We say all this, but there is also a great deal that all of us, including rights advocates, need to discuss and rethink. How do the children around us express themselves? Are they able to? In this period when adults themselves struggle to live, become increasingly insecure, and feel more isolated, what are children experiencing in the world created by adults? We need to reflect on this much more deeply. What do children encounter other than violence? Let us think for a moment. The family itself, the street, the school… which of these spaces is free from violence? Is there any supportive and safe environment for children? The answer we all know already reveals the full extent of the problem.
This country is a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the state is obliged to protect every child. Yes, it was also obligated to protect the child who committed this violence and the child who took their own life. When this cannot be ensured, much of what we are now discussing continues to reproduce these conditions.
What can we do? At an individual level, we can begin by not harming children, by keeping this constantly in mind, and by reminding ourselves not to use discriminatory or violence-producing language, especially in moments like these. In other words, we must first ensure that we ourselves do not reproduce or spread violence. Yes, we are grieving, and that remains; but we must not forget our sense of anger either. We have to stand by one another. Those of us who try to survive and resist in the midst of violence every day must also take responsibility by thinking carefully, with our minds, hearts, and conscience.
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