The young population is generally defined by considering the age at which secondary education is completed, along with the economic, social, and political institutional structure of a country. Although the age of completing secondary education varies across countries, there are approximate lower and upper age limits established by organizations referenced in international literatüre.

The United Nations (UN) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), both of which have significant global influence, define the lower age limit of the young population as 15 and the upper age limit as 24. Similarly, documents published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) and the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) also specify the age range of the young population as 15 to 24.

Since the lower age limit of the young population also marks the beginning of the working-age population, young individuals are considered part of the youth labor force. Countries are responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring policies, strategies, plans, and programs that facilitate the employment of the youth labor force in order to maintain a dynamic economy capable of adapting to changing conditions over time. Active labor market policies aimed at reducing unemployment and promoting employment are prioritized to ensure the integration and retention of young people in the workforce. Additionally, education policies focused on skill development and qualification enhancement are emphasized to enable the employment of the youth labor force.

The presence and employment of the youth labor force are of great importance for the economic structure of countries. A review of the literature reveals that studies focusing on public expenditures related to youth employment are rather limited. Therefore, our study titled 'Public Expenditures on Youth Employment in Turkey' has been prepared with the aim of contributing to the literature. Based on the analysis of data obtained through the literature review, the study first explains the current state of the youth labor force in Turkey. It then provides a detailed account of public expenditures targeting the youth population and their various types. Finally, an analysis is conducted within the framework of the effectiveness of public expenditures on youth employment in Turkey. In the conclusion section, the contribution of public policies and the expenditures made in line with these policies to youth employment is evaluated, based on the information obtained from the analysis of sources accessible in the national literatüre