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1. Main challenges to social inclusion

2. Main concepts

Main challenges to social inclusion

Social inclusion remains a central concern for young people in Cyprus. One key challenge relates to poverty and the risk of social exclusion among young people and engagement of youth Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs). Migration trends further influence the inclusion landscape, especially for unaccompanied minors and young asylum seekers.

According to Eurostat, in 2024, 14.3% of young people (aged 15- 29) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in Cyprus This represents a slight decrease compared with 14.7% in 2023, as reported in ‘The situation of young people in the European Union- EU youth report 2024’ published by the European Commission. Despite this decline, young people in Cyprus remain significantly exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion as the rate remains relatively high compared to that of the total population, which stood at 17.1% in 2024 and 17.3% in 2023 (Statistical Service of Cyprus).

Another challenge is the inclusion of NEET youth. As measures in Eurostat indicate, in 2024, 12.9% youth in Cyprus were classified as NEETs, a rate still higher than the EU average of 11% and among the highest in the European Union. This highlights persistent structural challenges, including limited job opportunities, insufficient support for the transition from education to employment, and the underutilisation of young people’s skills and potential (Cyprus 2025 Country Report p.71).

Moreover, according to the Database of the Statistical Service for migration movements, there has been a stable increase in the number of immigrants arriving in Cyprus during the last years. Specifically, as presented in the Demographics Statistics 2024, 40,471 long-term immigrants arrived in Cyprus, roughly the same number as in 2023, highlighting the continuity of migration flows. It is important to note that based on Eurostat data, the highest number of registered first-time asylum applicants was recorded in Cyprus in 2024, with 8,664 applications submitted as reported by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles. A significant proportion of these applicants were children and young people. According to the 2025 country report of the Asylum Information Database, among those seeking protection in 2024 there were 844 accompanied children and 656 unaccompanied minors, highlighting the particular vulnerability of young applicants.

Lastly, according to the UNHCR report of 2019  entitled 'The Integration of Refugees in Cyprus: Social Inclusion and Discrimination', “discrimination is inextricably linked to lack of acceptance of diversity, which was acknowledged as a major obstacle to social inclusion…in incidents occurred at work and school”. Complementing these findings, in a 2025 roundtable on refugee inclusion, the UNHCR Representative in Cyprus, noted that, “we are witnessing a worrying rise in xenophobia and racism in Cyprus, which is affecting the core safety of refugee and migrant communities, families, livelihoods and individuals...”; a case that undermines meaningful integration and limit access to educational and economic opportunities for young refugees and asylum‑seeking children and youth.

Main concepts

There is no national definition of social inclusion. However, the main concepts associated with social inclusion, as stated in the Strategy of Social Policy 2022-2027 (Στρατηγική για την Κοινωνική Πολιτική 2022-2027) can be summarized to the following areas: poverty indicators or social exclusion indicators, inclusion for persons with disabilities, support programmes for children, women and families, creation of new jobs, social cohesion and social welfare. In the context of youth, these concepts particularly relate to young jobseekers, students, and young families.