The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA Türkiye, and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUKSTAT) convened the "Türkiye Youth Index Workshop" in Ankara, bringing together academics, government agencies, civil society organizations, and representatives of international organizations with the aim of strengthening data-driven approaches and multi-sectoral cooperation for the development of youth-focused policies. The workshop presented a draft of Türkiye's first youth index and discussed the role of young people in demographic transformation, their well-being and needs, and the importance of monitoring these effectively. The workshop aims to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through a Youth Index that will be developed to facilitate the monitoring of the impact of policies, investments, and services for young people.

Ankara, Türkiye – The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA Türkiye, continues to work with government agencies and civil society to strengthen young people's access to their fundamental rights, including education, health, employment, social participation, and well-being, which are among its core priorities. UNFPA and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUKSTAT) organized the "Türkiye Youth Index Workshop" in Ankara on November 21, 2024. The workshop brought together all stakeholders to develop Turkey's first Youth Index, aimed at increasing young people's access to fundamental rights, needs, and opportunities.

A multi-sectoral workshop was held to lay the groundwork for a Youth Index designed to support the realization of the potential of young people, who constitute 15% of Türkiye's total population. The workshop emphasized the importance of developing and monitoring data-driven policies and investments for young people in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the speeches and presentations held within the scope of the workshop, the critical role of the young population in Türkiye's demographic transformation and the importance of data-driven policies in this process were discussed. While the current situation of young people in areas such as education, employment, life skills, and well-being were debated, the importance of the youth index developed to fill the data gaps in these areas and monitor them in a different way was emphasized.

Mariam A. Khan, Representative of UNFPA Türkiye, emphasized the importance of the youth index in her opening remarks; "The future of young people is a key element in the sustainable development of societies. As UNFPA, we are very pleased to be working with TUKSTAT and multi-sectoral stakeholders to create Türkiye's first youth index. This index will be a critical tool for seeing the impact of investments made to enable young people to realize their potential, understanding the needs of young people, and supporting policymakers."

Metin Aytaç, Head of the Demographic Statistics Department of TUKSTAT, also emphasized the importance of data-driven policies, stating, "Policies developed for young people should be based on reliable evidence that measures and evaluates the situation of young people. The implementation of a comprehensive youth index will significantly facilitate this process."

Mehmet Şaban Uçarı, Head of the Population and Migration Statistics Group of TUKSTAT, who also spoke at the opening of the workshop, emphasized that young people constitute 15% of Türkiye's total population, stating, "Young people are not only individuals who shape the future of society but also the driving force of change and innovation today."

The workshop, organized jointly by UNFPA and TUKSTAT, has laid a crucial foundation for the Youth Index, which aims to address youth policies through an innovative approach and strengthen intersectoral cooperation. The event continued with afternoon group sessions where participants, gathered under various thematic headings such as health, equality, and the environment, presented their views and recommendations for developing the Youth Index.

Data obtained from the Youth Index will illuminate future policy-making processes and contribute to taking concrete steps to overcome the challenges faced by young people. The first Youth Index is targeted for completion in 2025.

During the panel, participants emphasized the necessity of multi-sectoral collaboration for developing youth-focused policies and the importance of data-driven approaches in conducted studies, while also underlining the significance of implementing innovative solutions to address the needs of young people. The workshop concluded with an evaluation session dedicated to the outcomes of the group studies. UNFPA Türkiye continues to carry out multifaceted and multi-sectoral work with partners and funders to facilitate young people's access to their rights, increase their social contributions, and support sustainable development.