UNICEF Turkey Annual Report - 2019

Highlights

Turkey is an upper middle-income country with substantial capacities to uphold child rights and to contribute to child rights beyond its borders. It has well-established institutions and extensive public services, especially in health and education. In the Turkish population, absolute poverty is virtually nonexistent, infant and child mortality have fallen over the years, standing at 9.3 and 11.4 per thousand live births in 2018. The overall immunisation rate for major communicable diseases was 98% in 2018 and school enrolment between the ages of 6 and 13 is over 98%. Enrolment in preschool and secondary education has also improved over time. However, significant regional, socioeconomic and gender disparities remain which
impede the realization of rights for all children in Turkey, and special efforts are still required to uphold the rights of vulnerable groups such as children with disabilities, children without parental care and in contact with the law, children engaged in economic activities, and girls at risk of child marriage.

Author(s)

UNICEF

Publication date

June 2020

Languages

Turkish, English