One in four children in Turkey engaged in labor, TurkStat reveals

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) has released its 2024 “Statistics on Children” report, highlighting key indicators about the conditions and wellbeing of children in the country.

According to the data, children make up 25.5% of Turkey’s population, and an increasing number are entering the workforce at a young age.

The labor force participation rate among children aged 15–17 rose to 24.9% in 2024, up from 22.1% the previous year, according to results from the 2024 Household Labor Force Survey. This means nearly one in four children in this age group is part of the labor market.

Decline in early childhood education

Based on data from the Education Ministry, the net enrollment rate for five-year-olds in preschool education declined from 85% in the 2022–23 academic year to 84.3% in 2023–24.

Infant mortality on the rise

The infant mortality rate increased from 9.3 per thousand live births in 2021 to 10 per thousand in 2024. Meanwhile, the under-five mortality rate jumped from 11.2 per thousand in 2022 to 14.5 per thousand in 2023, according to the Death and Cause of Death Statistics.

Access to basic needs

The data shows that 9.2% of children are unable to afford new clothes, while 11.7% do not own at least two pairs of suitable shoes.

As for nutrition, 32.3% of children do not consume meat, chicken, or fish daily.

Additionally, 10% are unable to eat fresh fruit or vegetables at least once a day due to financial limitations.

The report also found that 22.2% of children are unable to go on a one-week holiday away from home.

Some 16.7% lack access to age-appropriate books, 21.5% do not have a suitable space at home for studying, and 24.5% have no toys to play with at home. (RT/VK)