As part of a joint project with the United Federation of Danish Workers (3F) we held a meeting with the families of Syrian child workers in textile sector.
To help us reach Syrian workers’ families, we worked with the Human Resources Development Foundation (İKGV). The meeting took place on 17 December 2025 at the İKGV Esenler Community Centre. Alongside Syrian participants, our female workplace union representatives also attended.
Communication was facilitated through Ali Kemah, a lawyer and interpreter. On behalf of the organising institutions, Yıldız Amca (İKGV), a social cohesion specialist, and Eylem Uca (DİSK/Tekstil) addressed the participants and shared information about their organisations’ activities.
The programme also included a screening of Norma Rae, selected to spark discussion on organising in our sector, with a particular focus on women’s organising. Directed by Martin Ritt (1979) and starring Sally Field, the film later received Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Original Song.
To ensure everyone could follow the film, Arabic subtitles were added to the Turkish-dubbed version. A short introduction to the film was also provided before the screening.
After the film, we shared basic information about working life with the mothers of Syrian workers who had started working at a very young age due to economic hardship. Participants’ questions were answered, and Arabic–Turkish guide brochures on the world of work were distributed.
Following the first part of the meeting, we held a debrief with our workplace union representatives to assess the situation and set goals for the period ahead.
