Protection and resettlement in Turkey

Contact details 

Submitted by: Directorate General of Migration Management, Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Turkey

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.goc.gov.tr

Introduction

Country

Turkey

Duration

2017-2020

Description

Protection desks have been established in verification centres within the scope of “Verification Project” initiated by Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM). Protection practices were maintained in 2019 through the “Support to Provincial Directorates of Migration Management Project” led by DGMM and supported by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). As of 2020, protection desks carry out their activities through the “Support to Provincial Directorates of Migration Management Phase II Project” led by DGMM and supported by UNHCR.  

Persons under Temporary Protection (TP) and International Protection (IP) having special needs are referred to protection desks and their sensitive situations are elaborately evaluated through interviews. Those in special needs are referred to relevant institutions for social, economic support, legal remedies, pyscho-social support, rehabilitation services. Following the first interview, relevant institutions are responding to an emergency by assessing such situation (low/moderate/high risk).

Persons under TP and IP in special needs are evaluated by DGMM and those who meet the resettlement criteria are included in the resettlement program.

Main activities of the Good Practice

Women who are victims of violence are referred to the Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centres of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, and those who want to file a complaint are responded immediately through contacting the Provincial Security Directorates. 

Those who would like to receive information on legal issues are directed to the Bar Associations under Union of Turkish Bar Association. 

The persons in need of socio-economic support are referred to the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services and the Turkish Red Crescent. 

Families and Provincial Directorates of National Education are informed and notified regarding the children who cannot attend their classes. 

Provincial Directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services are informed in order to carry out the necessary assessment and supervision for those identified as child or young worker. 

Both Public Prosecution Office and Provincial Directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services are informed about the children who are at risk of child marriage in order to start the legal process for the best interests of the child. 

After the health checks of unaccompanied minors are completed, the Provincial Directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services are informed, and the child is taken under protection.

During the interviews with the children, if the child is detected to be exposed to neglect and abuse by his/her family and the people around him/her, the protection desk staff immediately notifies the Provincial Directorate of Family Labour and Social Services in order to take protective and supportive measures in accordance with the Child Protection Law No. 5395. 

In addition, all children with special needs are referred to the relevant public institutions and organizations. If notification through official channels deemed necessary, urgent actions are taken.

All interviews received from the protection desks are transferred to DGMM by the commissions. The commissions, formed by Governorates under the coordination of DGMM, determine the persons who are in special needs. 

The evaluation of those submitted under the criteria of “Women at Risk” or “Children at Risk” are prioritized and the ones meeting the admission conditions of the relevant countries are included in the resettlement programme.

Partners

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Results of the Good Practice

School attendance rate of the children who are identified, informed and referred to the Provincial Directorates of National Education by protection desks has increased.

Provincial Directorates of Family, Labour and Social Services were notified regarding the unaccompanied and abused children that must be protected and necessary assessments were made. 

Female victims of violence who do not know how to reach and apply to the competent authorities and need legal assistance were informed and assisted to apply to the relevant institutions. 

The persons in special needs who were included in resettlement are resettled within the scope of quotas determined by countries. Within this scope, till 10 December 2020, 16.627 Syrians have left Turkey.

In the framework of 1 to 1 formula under EU-Turkey Agreement of 18 March 2016, till 10 December 2020 27.253 Syrians have been resettled to European Union countries from Turkey. 

(These numbers does not include non-Syrian cases)