Child Labor The Constitution of Greece prohibits any form of compulsory work.247 In the context of protection of the family and citizen’s health care, the state is obliged to adopt special measures for the protection of childhood and youth.248 Children from the ages of 15 to 17 who are employed are entitled to special labor protection relating to work hours and must be paid at least the minimum wage.249 Greek law reflects international standards and prohibits employment of children below age 18 in occupations that may harm their health, security, or morals.250 Human Rights Watch found unaccompanied children who were mainly working in the agriculture and construction sectors and some in garment manufacturing—all working without legal protection in situations that violated Greek law. Interviews with both children and adults suggest that a large part of the workforce during orange, olive, and onion harvests consists of children. “There were a lot of children working there. Out of 15 persons… only five or six were adults,” said 16-year-old Hafez S. about the orange harvest in Argos.251 Children were recruited from Athens or Patras, typically through fellow nationals, and lived next to the plantation during the harvest. In contrast, unaccompanied children who worked in construction found such work around Athens, on short notice, and often for a few days only. Not surprisingly, children said it is more difficult to find jobs without a work permit. Fifteen-year-old Nurullah F. told Human Rights Watch: “I found three jobs but 247 Constitution of Greece, section 1, art. 22 (3). 248 Constitution of Greece, section 1, art. 21 (1),(3). 249 Children aged 15 may not work more than six hours per day and 30 hours per week. All children employed are to get a rest period of at least 12 continuous hours per day, and a break of at least 30 minutes for any work period over four-and-a-half hours. Overtime and night labor is prohibited for children. 250 Law 3144/2003, Social dialogue for the promotion of employment and social protection and other provisions, Official Gazette A 111, art. 4(1); Law 1837/1989, art. 2(2); Presidential Decree 62/1998, art. 7(1-3). Occupations that are considered harmful for children’s health, security and morals cover the following activities: employment in construction, work that involves climbing for the harvesting of crops, labor that entails the risk of falling from heights, work in which the child is exposed to very low or high temperatures, and work that involves the lifting of heavy loads. In an important exception, children from the age of 15 may be employed in hazardous labor for vocational training purposes, if supervised, and upon permission of the labor inspector. This exception is in contrast to ILO standards that set the threshold age at 16, and it is inconsistent with the more protective provisions contained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Social Charter. Presidential Decree 62/1998, arts. 2, 7(5). 251 Human Rights Watch interview with Hafez S., Volos, June 11, 2008. Left to Survive 76