Reception Conditions

The Chapter: Reception Conditions in Turkiye contains sections on:

A. Access and forms of reception conditions

1. Criteria and restrictions to access reception conditions
2. Forms and levels of material reception conditions
3. Reduction or withdrawal of reception conditions
4. Freedom of movement

B. Housing

1. Types of accommodation
2. Conditions in reception facilities

C. Employment and education

1. Access to the labour market
2. Access to education

D. Health care

E. Special reception needs of vulnerable groups

F. Information for asylum seekers and access to reception centres

1. Provision of information on reception
2. Access to reception centres by third parties

G. Differential treatment of specific nationalities in reception

Overview

In 2019, PMM issued the Cohesion Strategy and National Action Plan,[1] according to which six thematic areas are to be addressed: social cohesion, information, education, health, labour market and social support. In general, however, the Plan has not been visible or well-known. In 2022, the strategy was still in force however, perhaps because it is a challenging period for Türkiye economically, cohesion attempts are less visible.[2] One concrete example given of the implementation of the plan was collaboration with mukhtars (neighbourhood leaders) to strengthen integration at the local level. Another component was the provision of migration counselling. 16 migration-counselling centres were founded[3] in 2021, but no information was shared with the public in 2022. However, as the five-year plan is due to end in 2023, its continuation is being planned.[4]

A training programme named Social Cohesion and Life Training (SUYE) has been launched by PMM. The course lasts eight hours and covers topics such as the social structure of Türkiye, its rights and obligations, and its traditions and customs. It targets migrants and refugees between the ages of 18 and 65. The instruction is provided at public education facilities (halk egitim merkezi) in 16 cities that are closely supervised by Turk Kizilay, SGDD-ASAM, and the UNHCR. As of September 9th, according to PPM, 444,488 women and 503,000 men had participated in this training, and more than 1 million people had been trained overall. If necessary, there is an interpretation service available in Arabic and Persian. [5] Over the second half of 2022, just over 39,000 refugees and host community members participated in such events, although this was significantly less than the over 125,000 recorded in the first half of the year.[6]

The EU continued to support Türkiye’s huge efforts to accommodate the largest refugee population in the world in 2022 despite political unrest. By the end of 2020, the EU Facility for Refugees in Türkiye (FRIT) had contracted its whole 6 billion EUR operational budget, and by August 2021, more than EUR 4.2 billion had been distributed. In addition to the 6 billion EUR already raised under the FRIT in 2020 and 2021, 585 million EUR from the EU budget was set aside for humanitarian assistance as well as to continue two significant cash support programmes for refugees. In June 2021, the Commission suggested allocating an additional 3 billion EUR in aid to Syrian refugees and host communities in Türkiye. But the size of the refugee population in Türkiye—particularly after the arrival of Afghan nationals starting in the summer of 2021—requires much more work from the international community to handle the growing requirements brought on by the refugees’ prolonged stay in the nation. [7] For 2023 and 2024, the EU has pledged over 2 billion EUR in support for Syrian refugees and their host communities. I was stressed that the EU would continue to collaborate with Turkiye to ensure the delivery of cross-border aid to Syria.[8]

According to a new survey, 62% of the host community believes that social cohesion initiatives are effective, while 38% says that integrating refugees into society is difficult. [9]

Racism and discrimination are pervasive in Türkiye and continued to be reported as an issue in 2022. According to the Equal Rights Monitoring Association’s report, between January and September 2022, 29 incidents have taken place against ethnic minorities and refugees. In February 2022, a Syrian man living in Bagcilar, Istanbul were killed by three people who introduced themselves as police officers.[21] In June 2022, a Syrian construction worker was killed in Istanbul.[22] In August 2022, a 17-year-old Syrian boy in Bursa was stabbed because “he had no cigarettes”.[23] In September 2022, a 17-year-old Syrian boy was stabbed and killed in Hatay, and this incident fueled hate speech on social media.[24]

[1] See PMM, Uyum Strateji Belgesi ve Ulusal Eylem Planı 2018-2023, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3yIz1j4. 

[2] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2022.

[3] PMM website, ‘A Preparatory Training Program for Migration Counseling Centers Staff Was Held’, 29 June 2021. Available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3yC918L.

[4] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2022.

[5] AA, ‘Göç İdaresi Başkanlığından Türkiye’deki yerleşik yabancılara sosyal uyum eğitimi’, 19 September 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3JYcGnP.

[6] EU Facility for Refugees in Türkiye, The Facility Results Framework Monitoring Report No. 11, June 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/44nbVwT.

[7] ICMPD, ‘Migration Outlook 2022 Western Balkans & Turkey Nine migration issues to look out for in 2022’, 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/44G3qwt. 

[8] AA, ‘EU pledges over $2B at donors conference for Syria’, 15 June 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3rmV9iN. 

[9] Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Asuman Özgür Keysan, Doç. Dr. Doğa Elçin, Doç. Dr. Ilgar Seyidov, Doç. Dr. Ceyhan Çiğdemoğl, GÖÇ VE SOSYAL UYUM SÜRECİ: HATAY İLİ ÖRNEĞİ, Araştırma Raporu, 2022.

[10] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2022.

[11] Tele 1, ‘İstanbul’da kadınların gizlice videosunu çeken 24 yabancı uyruklu yakalandı’, 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3NKx8K2. 

[13] Euronews, ‘Türkiye’de Suriyeli sığınmacılar endişeli’, 19 May 2023, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/44qOnao.

[14] VOA, ‘Suriyeli Karşıtı Propagandanın Nedeni Ekonomik mi?’, 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/43j9SbS. 

[15] IBB Haber, Twitter, 22 August 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3JVJUV2.

[16] Özgür Kocaeli, ‘Kütük: “Arabic signage will no longer be used”’, 7 February 2022. Available in Turkish, at: https://bit.ly/3xmMhcq.

[17] NTV, ‘Bolu Belediyesi’nin sığınmacılarla ilgili afişine soruşturma’, 19 May 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3XO6jt0.

[18] PMM, ‘Tabela Denetimlerine İlişkin Basın Duyurusu’, 18 June 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3pLF9qc.

[19] Euronews, ‘Ankara’da restoranını polis basan Somalili aile: Suçumuz varsa kapatırız’, 12 July 2023, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/43uw3f3.

[20] Duvar, ‘TİHEK’in ‘Somalili Abdullah’ kararına 5 üye şerh düştü: Kolluk ‘ayrımcılık yasağını’ ihlal etti’, 26 September 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/43nOj9V.

[21] Evrensel, ‘Kendilerini polis olarak tanıtan kişiler girdikleri evde Suriyeli mülteci Ahmad Rafik Olabi’yi katletti’, 19 February 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3rlTycV.

[22] Cumhuriyet, ‘İstanbul’da Suriyeli işçilerin kaldığı eve saldırı: 22 yaşındaki Sherifi El Ahmed öldürüldü’, 6 June 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3PT4TeQ. 

[23] Sondakika, ‘17 yaşındaki Suriyeli Mecit’i, sigarası yok diye bıçakladılar!’, 28 August 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/44pf9Qk. 

[24] Birgün, ‘Kullanılan ırkçı dil düşmanlaştırıyor’, 6 September 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/43uy373.