TURKEY WITH ITS YOUNG POPULATION

Turkey is in the front ranks amongst the candidate countries of the European Community for having an exceedingly high proportion of young people in its population.  The population of adolescents in age group of 10-19 in Turkey is 13 million.  While trying to provide world standard educational services to the youth, it is also necessary to teach and bring into their lives the fundamental values of life such as democratization, human rights and living together with differences.

According to the 2000 population census, 19.5 million of Turkey’s 67,803,927 population are students either in public education institutions or in private education. There are 67.000 Education institutions and 710.900 teachers and professors.

Population, Economically Dependent Youth, Elderly and Total population proportions of Turkey and some countries making up the European Union are given in the Table one.

Table 1 

Adolescents in Turkey

1.2 billion Adolescents are getting ready to become young adults. Meeting the requirements of these adolescents and dwelling upon their problems is gaining more importance with each passing day.  

Turkey is presently witnessing its broadest adolescent generation in its history in terms of population. Even though one fifth of the population is made up of adolescents, the reality of adolescents forming a distinct social group in Turkey is a totally new concept.

Table 2 

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

The problems of adolescents in Turkey remain in the shadow of the requirements of either children or adults.  Yet, recognition of adolescents as a separate social group and catering of the required support for their development bears precedence for our community. The graphics given in table 3 show the population distribution in Turkey in view of age groups as per 2007 census projections.

Table 3

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007 

Educational level, health and the seriousness in which adults approach the development of adolescents will determine both their and our futures. For this reason, the support provided to adolescents by their peers, families, communities, media and the state carries great importance.

Among developing countries, Turkey is a country with an extraordinarily high urbanization rate of 65% and a country where internal immigration is experienced intensely. Even though the population growth rate is showing a decrease in recent years, it can not be said that it has reached a desired level. An increased young population raises the demand for food products, housing, health and education services, and makes the development process difficult.

Table 4

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

Table 5

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

Table 6

 Source:Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

Supporting and strengthening youth

The most effective interventions in support of the development of the youth may be provided through the mothers, fathers and other adult members of family units, teachers and the personnel at the schools, health workers, social service providers, members of the jurisdiction, law makers, media institutions, and most importantly by the adolescents themselves and their peers.

Table 7

Turkey is a developing country with a very young population and has identified its investment priorities accordingly: employment opportunities, education facilities, defense industry, health services, etc.  The development of social and cultural activities apart from the extensive education reforms and development in heath services remains inadequate in proportion to considerable young population. 

Table 8

PROPORTION OF IDLENESS OF THE POPULATION IN 15-19 AGE GROUP IN  OECD COUNTRIES (%), 2003

(Proportion of age population to those neither studying nor working)

(*) 2002 Source: OECD Factbook 2006

Table 9

WORKING CHILDREN RATIOS AGES BETWEEN 6-17 IN TURKEY

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

Table 10

WORKING CHILDREN RATIOS AGES BETWEEN 6-17 IN TURKEY

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007

When the world suicide statistics are examined, Turkey is in the 66^th place according to statistics by Turkish Statistical Institude. To some, 66^th place may make it seem as though suicide is not one of the main concerns for Turkey. Unfortunately however, due to cultural influences that deem suicide unacceptable, many such incidents are covered up and covered up. Even so, suicides show an ever increasing trend in Turkey and call for a serious approach to the problem.

As seen in table 10, suicides are observed mostly amongst males and females in the age group of 15-24. It is observed that the patriarchal family structure, spatial and social restrictions, control of the body (honor, clothing, dress, chastity) causes diminishing of the hopes for the future and the youth gravitate towards suicide as a last resort. 

Table 11

Source: Turkish Statistical Institute, 2007