Erdoğan Declares the Next Decade as the “Decade of Family and Population”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in his speech at the “International Family Forum” that the years 2026–2035 will be designated as the “Decade of Family and Population” in Turkey.
The international forum was attended by representatives from 26 countries, including family ministers, experts, and civil society activists. The main theme of the meeting was discussing strategies to protect the institution of the family in the context of globalization. In his remarks, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of the family as the foundation of society, stating, “The family is the only institution that can fully meet a person’s emotional, educational, and social needs.”
The Turkish president cited official statistics, noting that the fertility rate in Turkey has dropped to 1.48 children per woman, which is below the population replacement level (2.1 children). The Turkish government will implement new support programs, including financial aid payments to families with children. Accordingly, in the first phase, approximately 1.2 billion lira will be distributed to 163,000 families.
In another part of his speech, Erdoğan pointed to certain social challenges, saying that some new trends could weaken the foundations of the family. He mentioned government programs aimed at strengthening family values but did not provide further details.
Turkey’s Ministry of Family and Social Services will be responsible for implementing the programs of this decade. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, the Minister of Family and Social Services, stated that the ministry is preparing comprehensive support packages for families, including financial, educational, and cultural assistance.
The two-day forum continues with the participation of international experts and is expected to conclude with a policy recommendation statement to support the institution of the family.
