ISTANBUL - Two sisters, Berin Çelik and Şükran Çelik, have worked in textile workshops since childhood and they say they have to work despite long working hours, the lack of social security and the heavy workload and their health problems.

 

Textile sector, one of the areas where women are employed the most, is growing day by day. Women start to work in textile sector at a young age have to work in these workshops sometimes 10 hours and sometimes 14 hours each day.

 

Berin Çelik (22) started to work in textile sector when she was a child. She says she has worked in the workshop for six years. Stating that they had to immigrate to Istanbul due to economic reasons, Berin said she spent her childhood by working. “We came from Mardin to here. Because our economic condition wasn’t good. I had to leave my education when I was student at third grade of elementary school. I work for 11-12 hours per day. This job is hard,” said Berin.

 

 ‘We are in workshop everyday’

 

Berin works from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm every day and she has to work more when they have more works. Berin, who has no time for social activities, spends most of her time at the workshop in the basement of a building. Berin mentioned her health problems as follows; “You with a sewing machine all day and you suffer from low back pain, your hands and feet are in pain.”

 

Berin appealed to women and she said, “I ask women to be strong, because life is very difficult and everything is on our shoulders.”

 

‘I don’t have time for myself’

 

Berin’s sister Şükran Çelik is 20 years old and she has worked in the textile workshop since her childhood. Şükran said she didn’t have time for herself.