Abdulkadir Özkan: "Unemployed youth cannot get married"

Abdulkadir Özkan: "Unemployed youth cannot get married"
Date: 8.7.2021 16:00

Milli Gazete columnist Abdulkadir Özkan writes on Turkey's economic situation. Here is the full article.

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Although it is a well-known fact that the age at marriage is increasing, researches on unemployment and income inequality from time to time show that young people get married at an older age than in the past. In particular, the fact that young people bring the issue of marriage to the agenda at an advanced age, or rather they have to, inevitably increases the age of marriage, while the age of having children moves forward accordingly. Accordingly, research shows that while the age at birth was 26 in the early 2000s, it approached 30 in 2020. However, President Erdogan has been calling on families to have at least three children for years. At the point reached, it seems that this call has not been answered, but has backfired.
 
It may be an incomplete assessment to relate the issue to the economy alone, but when millions of university graduates cannot find a job, and those who find it have to settle for the minimum wage, the primary goal of the young people inevitably is to have a job, their second goal is an income to make a living, and then marriage and children. ownership comes to mind. It is clear that it would not be correct to blame the youth on this issue. Because when a young man with minimum wage tries to take a step in this direction, thinking that it's time for marriage, it's time to get married, the young man's face that it will not be possible to live on the minimum wage, inevitably brings forward his marriage plans.
 
In fact, for a young person who really wants to get married, it is very difficult, even impossible, to maintain a house with the wage he receives. The young man who is thinking of getting married knows this too. For this reason, unemployment and inequality in income distribution constitute the primary fears of the youth. As such, the unemployment rates, which are constantly rising in our country, must be brought down, and the figures determined as the minimum wage must comply with the reality of the country as much as possible. Demanding at least three children from young people before unemployment is reduced is not a realistic demand. Because today, a young person who is determined to get married has to sacrifice a thousand liras to rent a house where he can spend his head, provided that it is not very luxurious. It is also obvious that it is not possible to meet all his other needs with the remaining money. In this respect, if we really want our population growth to accelerate and the birth rate to increase, first of all, the fears of our youth arising from unemployment and income inequality must be eliminated.
 
Let me point out right away that it doesn't seem possible to fix this in a short time. At this point, the imbalance in income distribution needs to be reduced. If one side receives 3-5 salaries, and if a young person who has completed his university education is sentenced to the minimum wage, neither the fear of the future of the young people in that country can be eliminated, nor can they primarily think of getting married and having children. Therefore, while the age of marriage has reached 30 for today, it will increase even more after a while. After that, our young people will not be able to have 3-4 children even if they want to. Of course, it would be an incomplete assessment to attribute the increase in the marriage and birth age only to unemployment and insufficient income. There are also suggestions made to the society. Young people are almost excluded from marriage. In addition to these skills, it is almost an obligation for all young people to complete higher education. Young people are prevented from being directed to a profession and having a job and a spouse at an early age. As such, a young person is already over 25 when he completes his schooling and does his military service right away. In short, the idea of ​​establishing a home as soon as possible will not come to the agenda of the youth until the problems of the youth are resolved. But if the young people have a job and can make a living, the first thing that will come to the agenda of that young person will be marriage. The rest is nothing more than a story.

YEREL HABERLER

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