Minister IŞIKHAN presented Türkiye's Social Policies in Employment at G20

Türkiye's Youth Employment Policies Were Shared at G20

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Prof. Dr. Vedat IŞIKHAN, delivered a speech on Türkiye's youth policies and employment-oriented initiatives at the Plenary Session titled “Inclusive Growth, Job Creation and Youth Empowerment”.

Highlighting digital transformation, green economy and demographic changes as well as opportunities for youth employment in Türkiye, Minister IŞIKHAN said:

"The unemployment rate among young people, who constitute one-fifth of total employment in Türkiye, was measured as 18.5 per cent in 2015, but with the global pandemic, this rate increased to 25.3 per cent in 2020. However, thanks to our political determination and the policies we have put into practice, youth unemployment dropped to the lowest level of the last twenty years in 2024, declining to 15.4 per cent as of May 2025."

Emphasizing the impact of İŞKUR's vocational training and placement programmes for young people and the incentives offered to young entrepreneurs on this success, Minister IŞIKHAN said that 250 thousand young people were trained in areas such as artificial intelligence, solar panel assembly and cyber security under the title of Green and Digital Transformation.

"We Should Offer Opportunity to Young People, Not Hopes"

Stating that the target of reducing NEET rates by 2025, which was adopted at the Antalya Leaders Summit in 2015 within the scope of Türkiye's G20 Presidency and known as the Antalya Youth Target, was evaluated for implementation this year, Minister IŞIKHAN said: "We do not tolerate young women's fall behind the development. With our support programmes for NEET women, we have brought 40 thousand young women into formal employment".

He expressed his satisfaction with the adoption of the ‘Nelson Mandela Bay G20 Goal’, a new goal for young people under the leadership of the South African Presidency.

Minister IŞIKHAN concluded his speech by calling for the need to ‘offer opportunities to young people, not hopes’.

"Women's Employment will help achieving Social Balance"

In addition to the Session on youth employment policies, Minister Vedat IŞIKHAN participated in the ‘Equal Opportunities in the Labour Force Session’ and shared Türkiye's policies and practices to increase women's participation in the labour force with G20 member countries.

In his speech, Minister IŞIKHAN emphasised that strengthening the role of women in working life is of vital importance not only for individual prosperity but also for sustainable development and social balance. Minister IŞIKHAN said: 'We have shared our successful practices and projects we implemented in order to increase women's employment and support their participation in the labour force' and underlined Türkiye's commitment in this field.

Women's Labour Force Participation Target is 40.1 Percent

Minister IŞIKHAN stated that Türkiye's National Employment Strategy for the period 2025-2028 aims to increase the labour force participation rate of women to 40.1 percent. In addition, he stated that there are important efforts to expand childcare services, to increase the capacity of day-care centres and to improve vocational training programmes for women in terms of both quality and quantity.

Stating that providing women with digital and green skills is of great importance in terms of adaptation to the changing labour force structure, Minister IŞIKHAN noted that the “Women's Empowerment Strategy and Action Plan” was put into practice accordingly. He added that the balance between women's personal and professional lives is supported through flexible working models, parental leave and registered childcare services.

Women's Lives Will Be Facilitated for Healthy Families

Underlining that equality of opportunities in the labour force is directly related to the strengthening of the family institution, Minister IŞIKHAN said, ‘As an integral part of this effort, we will continue to facilitate and support working life for women in order to ensure the healthy continuation of the family institution.’

Emphasis on Women in Gaza

At the end of his speech, Minister IŞIKHAN drew attention to the human tragedy in Gaza and emphasised the sufferings of women and children in conflict zones. He concluded his speech saying: ‘The right of women and children to live in secure environments should be a priority for all humanity’.

African Solutions to Africa's Problems

In his speech at the closing ceremony of the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting hosted by South Africa, Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat IŞIKHAN stressed that the G20's structure based on inclusiveness and solidarity played a critical role in solving global problems.

Stating that Africa has an important place in the vision of the Century of Türkiye, Minister IŞIKHAN said that Türkiye's policy of opening up to Africa is based on the principle of ‘African solutions to Africa's problems’ and that this approach is based on political, economic and humanitarian foundations.

In addition to the sessions of the meeting, Prof. Dr. Vedat IŞIKHAN held bilateral meetings with Ms. Alison McGovern, Minister of Employment of the United Kingdom and Dr. Tan See, Minister of Labour of Singapore within the scope of G-20.