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Project

Harvesting the Future - Rose in Türkiye

Issues Child Labor Health Safety & Environment Responsible Recruitment

In January 2023, FLA’s flagship project, Harvesting the Future in Türkiye, was expanded to cover the country’s rose sector, with its pilot phase completed in December 2024. The project seeks to improve human rights and labor conditions in Türkiye’s rose sector, focusing on empowering seasonal agricultural workers and their families in the supply chains of project partner companies.

The project brings together a range of stakeholders, including the Turkish government, civil society organizations, processors, producers, and beauty and fragrance companies, aiming to support and collaborate with companies as they advance human rights due diligence systems in their supply chains, and garner local stakeholder engagement.

Key areas of work include establishing robust governance, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy efforts; strengthening supply chain management systems of project partners; undertaking field-level interventions to improve working and living conditions; and ensuring access to remedy for the agricultural workers and their families.

A model for multi-stakeholder collaboration

Since its inception in early 2023, the Harvesting the Future of Rose project has been conducted within a robust multi-stakeholder framework. The initiative, which takes place in villages throughout Isparta, Türkiye, primarily aims to enhance the working and living conditions of seasonal agricultural workers and support children’ s education among migrant families.

By bringing together all relevant stakeholders, the project fosters a collaborative environment to develop sustainable solutions. Among these, public institutions play a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for effective and lasting outcomes.

This initiative exemplifies a successful partnership between the public sector, civil society, and private enterprises. Each sector contributes its unique strengths:

  • The private sector brings resources, innovation, and operational agility to the table.
  • Civil society organizations offer their expertise in major areas such as child education, social justice, and human rights.
  • Public institutions, leveraging their infrastructure, knowledge, and resources, ensure that solutions are effectively implemented and reach target populations.

Public institutions are indispensable to the project; their active involvement accelerates progress toward creating better living conditions for children and families. Each participating institution plays a crucial role in supporting the project’s overarching objectives. Under the leadership of the governorship of Isparta, 13 public institutions and non-governmental organizations signed on to Harvesting the Future protocols, bolstering the initiative’s collaborative approach. These efforts are supported by provincial directorates of the relevant ministries, ensuring that comprehensive solutions address the diverse challenges faced by the target communities.

By integrating the strengths of multiple sectors, the Harvesting the Future of Rose project demonstrates the power of collective action in addressing complex social issues and paving the way for sustainable development. This partnership creates a significant platform for the implementation of holistic improvements across multiple thematic areas, including education, health, child protection, parenthood development, employment, and agriculture. Furthermore, this initiative enhances collective human rights risk management within supply chains, ensuring a positive impact on all partners involved.

Collective action creates an equitable future

Collective action is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools for achieving meaningful outcomes. For seasonal agricultural workers and their children, it goes beyond meeting target numbers—it transforms lives.

For families, the goal is to create dignified living and working environments. This includes access to healthier housing, fair wages, and safe, humane working conditions—rights that should be afforded to every worker, regardless of their profession or location. By addressing these interconnected needs, collective action paves the way for a brighter and more equitable future for seasonal agricultural workers and their children.

2023 and 2024 achievements

In the first two years, the project prioritized developing diverse support and improvement mechanisms for all stakeholders and target groups impacted by working and living conditions in the rose sector. These efforts included establishing child-friendly spaces, providing training and certification, enhancing occupational health and safety, and improving overall living conditions. Simultaneously, the project aimed to ensure the sustainability of these initiatives by strengthening local capacity for the years ahead.

  • During the initial two years of the project, a total of 1,676 children out of 2,149 (78%) benefited from access to formal and non-formal education, care services, school stationery, clothing, school meals, and various support activities such as sociocultural trips, psychosocial support activities, and language courses.
  • More than 1,600 farmers, 2,000 workers, and 18 labor intermediaries were trained and certified on children’s rights, decent working conditions, and occupational safety and health.
  • Tripartite contracts referring to decent working conditions were introduced and established for workers, farmers, and labor intermediaries.
  • Hygiene kits, sanitary pads, baby diapers, and health and safety kits were distributed to worker families.
  • 135 NGO staff including teachers, psychologists, social workers, and outreach staff were mobilized during the harvest periods. NGOs in the field carried out psychosocial support activities, and students’ school attendance rate reached 81% in 2024.
  • Access to the local education network was improved through multiple initiatives: three classrooms at Tepecik’s local school were furnished with educational equipment, a classroom was set up inside the Saracık community hall, and a building at Saracık Primary School was renovated into a children’s toilet facility. Additionally, teachers proficient in Arabic were hired to better support students from diverse backgrounds.
  • 30 bathroom facilities, 28 new toilet units, and 4 new water fountains were constructed/renovated at Ardıçlı and Saracık campsites.
  • The Rose Oil Processor and Aromatic Oils Association (GULYAD) activated and established policies and procedures for child protection remediation, farm-level monitoring, and grievance mechanisms.