The International Day of Families was marked on May 15 across Türkiye with a wide range of activities, including public walks and awareness events in most provinces.
The day was designated by the U.N. in 1993 to highlight the importance of families as the fundamental units of society.
Ankara has launched initiatives aimed at emphasizing the family as the foundation of social structure, to strengthen intergenerational bonds and to promote the 2025 “Year of the Family” declared by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
As part of this effort, Türkiye is expanding its interest-free marriage loan program nationwide, offering TL150,000 ($4,226) with a two-year grace period and 48-month repayment term to support newlyweds. Birth assistance payments are also being increased significantly – families will now receive TL 5,000 for the first child, TL 1,500 monthly for the second and TL 5,000 monthly for the third and subsequent children, deposited directly into mothers’ accounts.
The government will also provide housing aid, counseling services and flexible working opportunities for families, while promoting simpler, less costly wedding practices to ease financial burdens and lower early divorce rates. Additionally, a new Family Institute will guide long-term policies to counter declining fertility, with Türkiye’s current rate at 1.51 – well below the replacement level of 2.1.
Across all provinces of Türkiye, a wide range of activities and events have been organized during "Family Week" as part of the 2025 "Year of the Family."
In Sakarya, northwestern Türkiye, participants gathered on the streets for a parade walk, carrying banners that read "Happy 2025 Year of the Family to our greatest family, our Türkiye" and "Our family is our future."
The event was held nationwide to raise awareness of the importance of strong family values and community solidarity.
On this occasion, first lady Emine Erdoğan shared a heartfelt message via social media, underscoring the deep cultural and moral importance of the family.
“To protect the family is to protect our shared future. Each of us has the responsibility to keep family bonds alive and strong,” she wrote.
She described the family as “the firmest fortress of a nation, the source of its values and the mirror of its character,” emphasizing that love, respect and loyalty – pillars of a resilient society – must first take root within the home.
Reiterating the significance of declaring 2025 the “Year of the Family,” Emine Erdoğan added: “Türkiye’s future is shaped in the strong families of today. On this meaningful International Day of Families, I once again highlight the importance of this decision. We must all protect and strengthen our families, together. Let us remember that Türkiye’s strength is born from the unity of its families.”
To support these goals, a Family Institute will be established to develop and coordinate long-term family policies. These actions reflect growing concern over Türkiye’s declining fertility rate, which currently stands at 1.51, far below the 2.1 replacement level. The government views reversing this trend as vital for the country’s demographic sustainability and social cohesion.
