2024 budget forecasts paint a bleak picture of Turkey’s poverty crisis

The 2024 budget proposal revealed by the Ministry of Family and Social Services in Turkey has raised significant concerns, shedding light on distressing projections of deepening poverty and economic inequality in the nation.

According to the budget proposal, a stark increase in the number of children unable to have their basic needs met within their families has been foreseen.
In 2022, this figure stood at 157,248, with projections revealing an alarming trajectory for the years 2023 to 2026: 155,000 in 2023, 170,000 in 2024, 200,000 in 2025, and 210,000 in 2026.

These projections paint a grim picture of the growing child poverty crisis, with over 210,000 children at risk of being taken from their families by 2026.

The economic hardship is not limited to children. The number of households unable to pay their electricity bills is also expected to surge. In 2022, there were 2,719,745 households receiving electricity consumption support. However, the budget anticipates this number to exceed 4 million by 2026.

One of the most concerning aspects of the budget proposal is the General Health Insurance (GSS) debt crisis. Millions of unemployed and non-working citizens are projected to struggle with their GSS premium payments.
The state currently covers the premiums for 8,953,522 individuals in 2023, and this figure is anticipated to see substantial increases in the following years, reaching 8,967,143 in 2024, 8,976,465 in 2025, and 8,987,002 in 2026.

This predicament leaves 9 million individuals unable to meet their health insurance obligations by 2026, a concerning issue for the nation's healthcare system.

The revelations in the 2024 budget proposal are causing widespread concern and calls for comprehensive measures to address the escalating poverty and inequality within the country.