NEET

NEET is an abbreviation of the English phrase "Not in Education, Employment or Training" and is translated into Turkish as "Not in Education, Employment or Any Vocational Training". This concept primarily encompasses young individuals aged 15 to 29 and points to a multifaceted social, economic, and educational challenge.

NEET Situation Worldwide

Youth unemployment presents a more optimistic picture compared to the NEET trend. While the global decline in youth unemployment rates in 2023 was seen as a promising development, the proportion of young people in NEET status reveals a broader exclusion of youth. In 2023, only 6 percent of the youth population was unemployed, yet 20.4 percent were in NEET status. This figure indicates that millions of young people are disconnected from both education and productive activity. Moreover, the NEET status is notably female-dominated. In 2023, two out of every three NEET youth were women. The NEET rate among women stood at 28.1 percent, compared to 13.1 percent among men. This disparity clearly highlights the impact of gender inequality on labor markets.

NEET Situation in Türkiye

Türkiye is one of the countries with the highest NEET rates among OECD members. According to data from TÜİK and the ILO, approximately 25 percent of young people aged 15 to 24 in Türkiye are in the NEET group. In particular, this rate exceeds 30 percent among women.

The main causes of the high NEET rate in Türkiye are:

• Inequalities in access to the education system
• Cultural and structural barriers limiting women’s participation in the labor force
• Lack of sufficient job and internship opportunities for young people
• Disconnection between vocational education and the labor market

This situation leads to prolonged disengagement from productive activity, hinders young people’s ability to achieve economic independence, and increases the risk of social exclusion.