Report on Economic Pressures in Türkiye and Their Ramifications for Sustainable Development Goals

Overview of Key Economic Indicators

A July 2025 report from the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is) highlights significant economic challenges for Turkish households, with direct implications for several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings indicate a growing disparity between wages and the cost of living.

• Hunger Threshold: The minimum expenditure required for a family of four to meet basic food needs reached ₺26,413 ($650).
• Poverty Line: The total cost for a family of four, including housing, transport, education, and healthcare, rose to ₺86,036 ($2,119).
• Minimum Wage: The monthly net minimum wage stands at ₺22,104 ($544).
• Cost of Living for a Single Worker: The monthly cost for a single working adult was calculated at ₺33,982 ($837).

Implications for SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The data reveals a critical failure to provide wages that ensure a basic standard of living, directly challenging the objectives of SDG 1 and SDG 8.

1. Inadequate Wages: The net minimum wage is ₺4,309 below the hunger threshold and significantly lower than the poverty line, indicating that a minimum wage job is insufficient to lift a family out of poverty.
2. Widespread Low Income: An estimated 83% of workers in Türkiye earn a wage equal to or less than 1.5 times the minimum wage, suggesting that the majority of the workforce lacks decent work that provides a living wage.
3. Poverty Risk: The vast gap between the poverty line (₺86,036) and prevailing wages places a large segment of the population in poverty or at imminent risk, undermining progress towards SDG 1.

Challenges to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

Rising food costs and insufficient incomes are creating significant barriers to achieving food security and ensuring healthy lives for the population.

• Food Affordability Crisis: The inability of a minimum wage earner to meet the hunger threshold demonstrates a direct challenge to achieving Zero Hunger (SDG 2).
• Compromised Nutrition: The report states that low-income households are forced to prioritize non-food essentials (rent, utilities) over nutritious food, leading to unhealthy and unbalanced diets. This directly impacts public health outcomes, working against SDG 3.
• Persistent Food Inflation: Ongoing price volatility erodes the purchasing power of low-income families. Key inflation figures include:
  • A 1.14% increase in food costs from June to July.
  • A 25.28% rise in food costs in the first seven months of 2025.
  • An annual food cost increase of 37.32%.

Impact on SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The economic conditions described in the report exacerbate income inequality, as the financial burden falls disproportionately on the lowest earners.

• Widening Gap: The growing disparity between the cost of living and the minimum wage intensifies economic inequality within the country.
• Systemic Disadvantage: Low-income households are trapped in a cycle of poor nutrition and financial instability, hindering social mobility and reinforcing the inequality targeted by SDG 10.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article directly addresses poverty by reporting on the “poverty line” in Türkiye, which represents the total cost of essential goods and services for a family. It highlights the financial struggle of households to cover basic needs beyond food, such as housing, transportation, and healthcare.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This is a central theme of the article. It introduces the “hunger threshold” as a primary indicator of the cost of a basic food basket. The report emphasizes that low-income families are forced to cut back on nutrition and cannot afford a “healthy and balanced diet,” leading to poor nutritional outcomes.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects the issue of poverty and hunger to employment and wages. It contrasts the monthly net minimum wage with the calculated cost of living for a single worker, revealing a significant gap. This implies that the current minimum wage is insufficient to be considered a “living wage,” which is a key component of decent work.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article points to income inequality by stating that a vast majority of workers (“83 out of every 100”) earn a wage close to the minimum wage. This concentration of workers at the lower end of the pay scale, coupled with a rapidly rising cost of living, exacerbates the gap between different income groups.

Identified SDG Targets

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
     
     Explanation: The article provides a clear national definition of poverty with its “poverty line” figure of ₺86,036. This figure, which includes food and non-food expenditures like housing and healthcare, is the benchmark against which the proportion of people living in poverty is measured in Türkiye.

2. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
     
     Explanation: The article highlights that the “hunger threshold” has surpassed ₺26,413, a cost that is significantly higher than the food budget affordable on a minimum wage. It explicitly states that “low-income families in Türkiye are unable to afford the cost of a healthy and balanced diet,” directly addressing the lack of access to sufficient and nutritious food.
   • Target 2.2: By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition.
     
     Explanation: The article concludes that “insufficient income levels directly contribute to poor nutrition among low-income individuals and households.” By being forced to choose cheaper, less nutritious food to cover other essential expenses, families experience “unhealthy and unbalanced diets,” which is a form of malnutrition.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.
     
     Explanation: The concept of “decent work” includes fair wages that provide a decent living. The article demonstrates that the work available to many is not “decent” in this regard, by showing that the monthly net minimum wage (₺22,104) is substantially lower than the living cost for a single working adult (₺33,982).

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.1: By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average.
     
     Explanation: The article implies that this target is not being met. The statistic that “83 out of every 100 workers” earn a wage near the minimum wage indicates that the income of the bottom segment of the population is stagnant and failing to keep up with the high inflation in essential goods, thereby increasing inequality.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicators for SDG 1 (No Poverty)

   • National Poverty Line: The article provides a specific monetary value for the national poverty line: ₺86,036 per month for a family of four. This serves as a direct indicator for measuring poverty according to national definitions.

2. Indicators for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

   • Hunger Threshold / Cost of Food Basket: The cost of a basic survival-level food basket is explicitly stated as ₺26,413 per month for a family of four.
   • Food Price Inflation: The article provides precise data on food price volatility, which is an indicator of declining food access. It mentions an annual increase of 37.32% and a rise of 25.28% in the first seven months of 2025.

3. Indicators for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Minimum Wage to Living Cost Ratio: The article provides the data points to calculate this ratio. The monthly net minimum wage is ₺22,104, while the living cost for a single worker is ₺33,982. The gap between these figures indicates the inadequacy of the minimum wage.

4. Indicators for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Proportion of Low-Wage Earners: The article states that “83 out of every 100 workers in Türkiye are estimated to earn a wage equal to or less than 1.5 times the minimum wage.” This statistic is a direct indicator of income distribution at the lower end of the scale.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: turkiyetoday.com