Young people make up a quarter of the 82 million Turkish population, with 20.4 million aged 10-24 and 1.25 million aged 15-17. More than 50% of the 4 million refugees are between the ages of 10-24.
Although Turkey has a long history of supporting the participation of adolescents and youth, many young people still have limited access to participation opportunities. They are not sufficiently equipped with the necessary skills to support transitions in their lives as active members of society, empowering them personally, socially and economically and enabling them to participate in decision-making processes.
UNICEF and the Government of Turkey recognize that further steps are needed to invest in adolescents, in particular by promoting adolescent inclusion and participation.
Solution
UNICEF Turkey Country Office, together with the government and partners, prioritizes programs that support the development of systems that enable more adolescents and youth (including refugees) to access opportunities for personal development, meaningful and civic engagement in out-of-school settings.