SESRIC hosted the second session of its SESRIC Conversations series on “Digital Addiction and Youth Mental Health” on 1 July 2026, organised in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Türkiye Country Office.

The session convened speakers to discuss the growing intersection between digital technology and youth mental well-being, and to identify shared priorities for building safer, more comprehensive digital environments for young people. The event gathered 75 representatives of diplomatic missions in Ankara, relevant national institutions, international organisations, and academia.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, welcomed participants to the second session of the SESRIC Conversations Series, noting that the platform was turning from the inaugural session’s focus on global health to an equally pressing issue shaping the development of youth in a rapidly digitalising world. She noted that global internet penetration among youth aged 15–24 has reached 79%, 14 percentage points higher than the rest of the world’s population, and that youth in the OIC region are the heaviest internet users globally, spending an average of more than seven hours online per day.

H.E. SELÇUK called for comprehensive and coordinated policy responses that integrate digital well-being and youth mental health into national development, education, and public health strategies. She underscored the importance of strengthening digital literacy among young people, while equipping families and educators with the knowledge and tools needed to promote healthy digital habits.

In her opening remarks H.E. Mariam KHAN, UNFPA Representative to Türkiye and Country Director for Azerbaijan and Georgia highlighted three linked risks for youth: digital behavioural addiction; mental health pressures; and online violence. She emphasized the need for data-driven policymaking, stronger mental health workforces, cross-sectoral referral systems, parental guidance, school-based support, and safety-by-design in digital platforms. H.E. KHAN also underlined that existing youth protection policies in OIC countries should be better implemented and adequately resourced.

The session continued with a technical panel featuring representatives from SESRIC, the Turkish Green Crescent (Yeşilay), the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye, and the UNFPA Türkiye Country Office.

Presenting the findings of SESRIC’s State of Youth in the OIC Member States 2025 Report, Mr. Muzamil EDEMA, Researcher at SESRIC, highlighted the demographic, educational, economic, and health realities shaping the lives of nearly 389 million youth across OIC countries. He noted that while expanding digital connectivity offers unprecedented opportunities for learning, participation, and innovation, excessive digital use and emerging behavioural addictions pose growing risks to youth mental health and well-being, underscoring the need for stronger digital literacy, mental health support, and healthy digital habits.

Dr. Utkan Boran AŞIK from the Turkish Green Crescent (Yeşilay) addressed gaming addiction as a behavioural addiction and explained the distinction between high engagement and clinically significant gaming disorder. Drawing on the ICD-11 framework, he emphasized that gaming becomes a mental health concern when young people lose control over their gaming behaviour, prioritize gaming over essential life activities, and continue despite negative consequences, while advocating for balanced, family-based, and preventive approaches rather than restrictive measures alone.

Ms. Simge KURT from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye discussed the impact of problematic internet and screen use on adolescent mental health. She outlined key risk factors and warning signs associated with excessive digital use, including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, academic decline, and social withdrawal, while also presenting Türkiye’s national strategy, awareness programmes, counselling services, and treatment mechanisms aimed at preventing and addressing behavioural addictions among youth.

Mr. Murat MUYAN from the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye presented the Ministry’s perspective on youth development and the importance of supporting young people in navigating the opportunities and challenges of the digital age. He emphasised the role of youth-focused programmes and public policies in promoting healthy lifestyles, resilience, social participation, and responsible technology use among young people.

Ms. Yıldız YAPAR, Youth and Adolescent Programme Analyst at UNFPA Türkiye, examined the relationship between digital addiction, mental health, and technology-facilitated violence. Stressing that digital spaces have become an inseparable part of young people’s daily lives, she underlined the risks posed by addictive platform designs, online harassment, cyberbullying, and digital violence, particularly for young women and girls, and called for collective action involving governments, technology companies, educators, parents, and civil society to foster safer and more resilient digital environments.

Following the presentations, participants engaged in a moderated discussion, sharing interventions and exchanging perspectives with the panellists, before the session concluded with a networking reception.

SESRIC Conversations is designed to bring together policymakers, thinkers, and development partners to exchange insights, align priorities, and deepen cooperation on the most pressing socioeconomic issues facing OIC countries.