Türkiye

Mission context

Türkiye currently hosts approximately 4 million refugees from nearby countries such as Syria, Iraq, and the oPT. Syrians are the largest refugee group in Türkiye with a population of over 3.6 million. Refugees across Türkiye continue to face significant challenges in accessing and integrating within the local labour market. Issues in accessing work permits and the language barrier, as well as the lack of available job opportunities, force many refugees into the informal labour market. These work opportunities are often precarious as uncontracted workers can be fired without notice and cannot benefit from basic workers’ rights such as health insurance.

The protracted nature of the Syrian conflict is forcing refugees to stay longer in Türkiye, where they face increasing challenges and where the coexistence with host communities is not always easy. Integration into the economic and social fabric is challenging and only few refugees are employed due to the language barriers preventing them from accessing skilled professions. As a result, families face difficulties accessing basic services and must often resort to negative coping mechanism (reduced frequency of meals, etc.).