Turkey 2017

Turkey hosts the world’s largest number of refugees and asylum-seekers.  According to figures provided by Turkey’s Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM), there are approximately 3.1 million foreign nationals residing in Turkish territory and seeking for international protection. Most of them are Syrians, of whom 2,823,987 were granted with temporary protection status. According to UNHCR another group of foreign nationals requiring Turkish humanitarian and legal protection are 291,209 asylum applicants coming mainly from Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Somalia among others. In addition, there are 422,895 foreign nationals under residency permit status including humanitarian residence holders.

The Government of Turkey officially maintains an “open door policy” towards Syrians, while Turkey’s Syrian border is increasingly strictly managed due to, inter alia, security concerns. Over 90 percent of Syrians in Turkey live in host communities, dispersed across 81 provinces mostly concentrated in the south east of Turkey. The remaining 10 percent live in camps managed by AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency). Syrians in Turkey are under Temporary Protection Regime that provides them with access to basic rights and services; however poverty remains prevalent among the Syrian population due to the lack of access to a regular income, and the high cost of living in urban settings.  As highlighted in the refugee and resilience response plan (3RP), many families have resorted to negative coping mechanisms, such as child marriage, polygamy, child labour, reduced quality/quantity of food consumption, substandard housing, and street begging.

Since the beginning of the crisis, IOM Turkey has been involved in the provision of humanitarian assistance. IOM Turkey is part of the Syria Task Force, inter-sectoral coordination mechanism while also being an active member of six working groups (Basic Needs, Protection, Health, Education, Food Security and livelihood) at national level (Ankara) as well in the south east of Turkey. Recently, IOM started to lead the task force on winterization and shelter. IOM is also active in the Aegean region through its presence in Izmir and co-chairing the Mediterranean task force with UNHCR.

IOM works in coordination with UNCT, AFAD, and DGMM, and with relevant with ministries.

Note: the projects below are in line with the 3RP Regional Refugee Response plan (Jan 2017- Dec 2018) http://www.3rpsyriacrisis.org/ and RMRP Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (Jan 2017- Dec 2017)) http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php developed by the Humanitarian Country Team.