According to TURKSTAT Data, Being a Child in Turkey is Very Hard

TURKSTAT: TUIK ( Turkish Statistical Institute)

I wish I could be writing about the success, education, art, and happiness statistics of Turkish children, especially this article. Unfortunately, children in our country go through many challenges in silence, and they don’t receive enough attention in the media. However, it is crucial to share this information for the awareness of our society.

Here are some statistics about children in Turkey:

Child Population in Turkey is Higher Than in EU Countries

According to TURKSTAT, children make up 26% of Turkey’s population. In European Union (EU) countries, the child population ratio was reported as 18% in 2023.

Turkey’s Child Population Will Decline in the Coming Years

In 2022, 1,035,795 babies were born alive in Turkey. Statistics indicate that the proportion of children in Turkey will decrease from 26% to 19% in the coming years. Specifically, it is projected that:  

– By 2030, it will be 25.6%  

– By 2040, it will be 23.3%  

– By 2060, it will be 20.4%  

– By 2080, it will be 19%

29.6% of Children in Turkey are Aged 5-9

The breakdown of children by family size for households with children aged 0-17 is as follows:  

– 1 child: 18.9%  

– 2 children: 15.0%  

– 3 children: 6.3%  

– 4 children: 2.0%  

– 5 or more children: 1.2%

In Turkey, Children Are Most Likely to Die from Injuries and Poisonings

According to TURKSTAT death and cause of death statistics, in 2022, most child deaths were due to external injuries and poisonings. A total of 1,275 children died in 2022, with the causes being:  

– 1,275 children from injuries and poisonings  

– 866 children from diseases of the nervous system and sense organs  

– 635 children from benign and malignant tumors  

– 385 children from circulatory system diseases  

Children Are the Most Victimized Group in Sexual Violence in Turkey

46% of sexual crimes in Turkey are committed against children. Turkey ranks 3rd in the world for child sexual abuse. According to TURKSTAT, in the past 10 years, 482,908 girls have been married off with the approval of the state. In the last 16 years, 440,000 girls under the age of 18 have given birth. 97.4% of girls who marry or get engaged at a young age are unable to continue their education.

45.2% of Children Brought to Security Forces Are Victims

According to TURKSTAT, in 2023, the number of children involved in incidents and brought to security forces decreased by 10.7% compared to 2022, totaling 537,583 cases. Of these, 89.7% were reported as victims of crimes.  

The distribution of children brought to security forces as crime victims is as follows:  

– 61.3% for injury (217,915 children)  

– 11.8% for sexual crimes  

– 8.6% for crimes against family order  

– 4.4% for threats  

– 13.9% for other reasons

On Average, 32 Children Go Missing Every Day in Turkey

In Turkey, an average of 32 children go missing every day. According to TURKSTAT, between 2008 and 2016, 104,531 children went missing. The highest number of missing child cases was reported in 2014, with approximately 17,000 cases. However, TURKSTAT has not provided data on missing children since 2016.

Since our magazine started its publication four years ago, we have particularly focused on issues related to child and maternal health, as well as child mortality and abuse. Alongside many articles by experts on these topics, we have published numerous videos and podcasts. I’m sharing the links to our writings on child abuse and children’s rights here.