Popular in Political Science

Political Science

V-Dem’s Conceptions of Democracy and Their Consequences

University of Notre Dame Michael Coppedge

American Politics

Keeping the Republic

Boston College Marc Landy

British Politics

Entrepreneurial thinking: the politics and practice of policy impact

University of Sheffield Matthew Flinders

Canadian Politics

Parties and Elections: An End to Canadian Exceptionalism?

St. Francis Xavier University James Bickerton

Asian Politics

The Politics of Knowledge in Development

University of Delhi Madhulika Banerjee

American Politics

Fifty years of declining confidence and increasing polarization in trust

University of California Berkeley Henry Brady

American Politics

Displacing the displaced

View more insights in Social Sciences - Political Science - International Relations

View more figures from Universidad de León

View the page of Srabonty Das Gupta

Read the Study

Next in International Relations

After Exit

Richard Caplan | University of Oxford

Reframing International Law: The China Strategy?

Karen Alter | Northwestern University

How did the Covid-19 crisis expose systemic barriers for Syrian refugees in Türkiye, particularly in accessing healthcare and social services, and how have legal policies and asylum regulations, such as registration requirements, exacerbated their vulnerability and restricted access to essential state services during the pandemic?

Image courtesy of interviewee. November 5, 2024

Log-in or Sign-up to Faculti
Currently viewing this subject insight as a guest. You have insight(s) remaining for this month. Login to view 8000+ figures on the platform.

Generating Workspace...

Export as PDF

This video discusses the challenges faced by Syrian refugees in Turkey, focusing on their legal status and access to services. It highlights the difficulties in obtaining information about their situation, particularly regarding vaccination and economic conditions. The speaker notes that Syrian refugees are classified as "conditional refugees" under Turkish law, with legal recognition primarily for European refugees, resulting in limited rights and resources for Syrians.

Key barriers identified include a complex registration process, language issues, and restrictions on employment—only 10% of a company's workforce can be Syrian refugees. This video also addresses the lack of access to healthcare, where registered refugees must pay for services, and unregistered individuals have limited emergency care.

Additionally, the speaker points out that there are geographical limitations within Turkey's refugee policies, creating oppressive conditions for Syrians and hindering their integration. It argues for legal reforms to remove restrictions and enhance access to permanent status and opportunities for refugees. Finally, the text emphasizes the importance of digital rights and access to information, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on refugees' conditions in Turkey.

Language:

Export as PDF

Export as PDF
Here are five key points from the video regarding the situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey:

1. **Legal and Registration Barriers**: Syrian refugees in Turkey face significant obstacles in the registration process, which is complicated by language barriers and limited access to critical information. Most relevant data is available only in Turkish, making it difficult for refugees who do not speak the language to navigate the system. Furthermore, the registration must be done in-person, presenting additional challenges.

2. **Temporary Status and Employment Limitations**: Syrian refugees are often classified as "conditional refugees" rather than having full refugee status, which limits their rights and access to permanent residency. This classification restricts their employment opportunities, forcing many into informal work or "black market" jobs, as legal employment is severely limited.

3. **Geographical Restrictions**: Turkish laws dictate that refugees are only recognized as such when they enter from Europe, while those coming from countries like Syria are considered conditional refugees. Additionally, registered refugees are required to seek medical treatment only in the city where they are registered, creating a barrier to access healthcare when they move to other areas for better job opportunities.

4. **Changes in Healthcare Access**: Recent amendments to Turkish law have altered access to healthcare for refugees, including requiring them to purchase medical insurance and limiting free access to registered individuals. This has raised concerns about the nature and definition of "emergency" medical care, which is subjectively assessed by providers.

5. **Impact of COVID-19 and Policy Recommendations**: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed and exacerbated existing barriers within Turkey's refugee policies, prompting calls for reform. There is a need for Turkey to revise its legal frameworks to remove geographical limitations, improve registration processes, and ensure that refugees have both permanent solutions and equitable access to employment and healthcare. Future research is suggested to focus on the role of technology companies in shaping refugee data and rights.

Export as PDF
Here are key quotes extracted from the video, summarizing significant points about the challenges faced by Syrian refugees in Turkey:

1. **Struggles for Information**: "We were really struggling to get all the information or data that is available on the websites of Turkey, which was really very difficult to get at the moment."

2. **Barriers to Registration**: "First of all, their registration process, it's really very difficult. I mean, if you want to register you, you must be there... All the informations are available in Turkey."

3. **Legal Recognition**: "Turkey does have two kinds of laws: one is law on foreign protections... and another one is temporary protection regulations... According to the article, 61 of those laws recognize Europeans as refugees in that particular sense, Syrians are not considered about the refugees."

4. **Temporary Situations**: "The conclusions of the work was they are still in the temporary situations."

5. **Restricted Employment**: "The employment is very restricted for the Syrian people to survive in that community, they have to do some kind of black marketing."

6. **Access to Healthcare**: "Even though it's, it's free access, has been restricted... If you are registered for a particular city, you must take the treatment in that particular city."

7. **Need for Permanent Solutions**: "We are not sticking for durable solutions. We are seeking for something which should be a permanent, at least there should not be any restrictions due to the registration."

8. **Movement Restrictions**: "This kind of movement restrictions could be removed from these kinds of legal situations because you can't within a particular city."

9. **COVID-19 as a Stress Test**: "We can say that COVID-19 has been a stress test for Turkey... unveiled a lot of barriers of Turkey."

10. **Call for Policy Revisions**: "They should remove all kind of restrictions. They should revisit their laws."

11. **Digital Rights Concerns**: "Our focus is on the digital rights of the refugees... whether we are having the actual informations that we should have."

These quotes encapsulate the complexity of the issues faced by Syrian refugees in Turkey, including legal, economic, healthcare, and digital rights challenges.

X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:90000

1
00:00:00.065 --> 00:00:03.285
Are doing, researching about the Syria refuses in Turkey.

2
00:00:03.695 --> 00:00:06.445
We're doing some kind of legal frameworks in Turkey

3
00:00:06.665 --> 00:00:07.725
at this moment available.

4
00:00:08.385 --> 00:00:11.285
So at the time we were really struggling

5
00:00:11.305 --> 00:00:12.725
to get all the information

6
00:00:12.745 --> 00:00:15.245
or data that is available on the websites of Turkey,

7
00:00:15.255 --> 00:00:18.445
which was really very difficult to get at the moment.

8
00:00:18.695 --> 00:00:20.405
While specifically looking

9
00:00:20.585 --> 00:00:22.645
for informations about the vaccinations

10
00:00:22.705 --> 00:00:24.045
of the Syria refugees

11
00:00:24.505 --> 00:00:27.965
and their are situations about their, economic earnings

12
00:00:27.985 --> 00:00:31.765
and everything at the time we have seen there are a lot

13
00:00:31.785 --> 00:00:34.325
of barriers they were facing at that moment.

14
00:00:35.235 --> 00:00:38.645
Then we, research on what kind of barriers

15
00:00:38.755 --> 00:00:40.405
that we're looking at the time.

16
00:00:41.185 --> 00:00:44.205
And specifically what we have faced is

17
00:00:44.205 --> 00:00:47.525
that their situations is pretty much temporary.

18
00:00:48.065 --> 00:00:51.045
As we can see. There are a lot of refugee we're looking

19
00:00:51.065 --> 00:00:55.325
for reciting them, a kind of solutions, you know,

20
00:00:56.105 --> 00:00:59.325
see when we are, diverting

21
00:00:59.325 --> 00:01:02.045
to another culture we would like, look forward

22
00:01:02.225 --> 00:01:04.005
to integrate in their culture.

23
00:01:04.585 --> 00:01:07.165
But in case of Syrian, it was a bit complicated.

24
00:01:07.705 --> 00:01:10.125
Uh, first of all, their registration process,

25
00:01:10.455 --> 00:01:11.645
their registration process.

26
00:01:11.835 --> 00:01:13.605
It's, it's really very difficult.

27
00:01:14.125 --> 00:01:17.565
I mean, if you want to register you, you must be there.

28
00:01:17.665 --> 00:01:18.965
And there are a lot

29
00:01:19.025 --> 00:01:21.685
of information is only available in Turkey

30
00:01:22.225 --> 00:01:23.645
at the time of research.

31
00:01:23.945 --> 00:01:25.365
We also faced the same problem

32
00:01:25.365 --> 00:01:28.765
because in our group, we don't know, any,

33
00:01:28.785 --> 00:01:30.125
anyone can speak in Turkey.

34
00:01:30.625 --> 00:01:34.005
So all the informations are available in Turkey.

35
00:01:34.225 --> 00:01:37.645
So think, if our Syrian are there

36
00:01:37.825 --> 00:01:41.405
to get registered themself, so they have to deal it by phone

37
00:01:41.865 --> 00:01:44.605
and the phone information is only available in Turkey.

38
00:01:45.385 --> 00:01:49.405
So this kind of various like language, like information

39
00:01:49.865 --> 00:01:53.605
and like, registration barriers was really very exerted

40
00:01:53.605 --> 00:01:55.125
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

41
00:01:55.145 --> 00:01:57.805
Turkey is the, part of the conventions

42
00:01:57.805 --> 00:02:00.045
that is 1951 refugee conventions,

43
00:02:00.425 --> 00:02:02.965
but Turkey was pretty much aware of that,

44
00:02:03.275 --> 00:02:05.725
that they have ratified the conventions

45
00:02:05.795 --> 00:02:07.605
with a geographical limitations.

46
00:02:08.305 --> 00:02:11.245
Now, I would like to discuss about what kind

47
00:02:11.245 --> 00:02:14.885
of geographical limitations according to the Turkish law,

48
00:02:15.115 --> 00:02:17.405
they consider refugee only from the Europe,

49
00:02:17.945 --> 00:02:19.525
not from any part of the countries.

50
00:02:19.545 --> 00:02:22.925
For example, if any refugees are from,

51
00:02:22.945 --> 00:02:26.205
coming from Europe, they only consider them as a refugee.

52
00:02:26.585 --> 00:02:29.445
But if any refugee are coming from any other part

53
00:02:29.525 --> 00:02:33.965
of the world, for example, Syria, Pakistani, Afghanistans,

54
00:02:34.185 --> 00:02:36.725
or Palestine, let me say,

55
00:02:36.955 --> 00:02:38.685
they don't consider them as a refugee.

56
00:02:39.035 --> 00:02:41.085
They consider them as a conditional refugee.

57
00:02:41.665 --> 00:02:46.605
So at this moment, Turkey does have two kind of laws.

58
00:02:46.905 --> 00:02:50.725
One is law on, foreign protections that is 2030,

59
00:02:51.185 --> 00:02:54.285
and another one is temporary, protection revelations.

60
00:02:54.305 --> 00:02:55.525
And that is 2014.

61
00:02:55.875 --> 00:02:58.885
Both of the laws deals with the refuses, but recognize

62
00:02:59.155 --> 00:03:02.645
According to the article, 61 of those laws recognize

63
00:03:03.205 --> 00:03:05.845
European as a refugee in that particular sense,

64
00:03:06.455 --> 00:03:09.445
Syria are not considered about the refuse,

65
00:03:09.585 --> 00:03:12.685
and they are deprived of a lot of facilities

66
00:03:12.685 --> 00:03:14.805
that are awarded by the conventions.

67
00:03:14.905 --> 00:03:18.645
So automatically within the Turkish legal policy,

68
00:03:18.775 --> 00:03:21.885
there are cartels by 1951 conventions.

69
00:03:22.715 --> 00:03:26.565
Then according to Article 62 of the same,

70
00:03:26.705 --> 00:03:30.845
law LFIP, I'm, I'm referring to LFIP 2013.

71
00:03:31.195 --> 00:03:32.925
According to article 62,

72
00:03:33.185 --> 00:03:35.405
all the refuses are coming from the Middle East.

73
00:03:35.625 --> 00:03:39.885
For example, Syria are that refuses, does, does not belong

74
00:03:39.885 --> 00:03:43.765
to Europe, are entitled only temporary protections.

75
00:03:44.505 --> 00:03:47.925
So there is no chances that they're going

76
00:03:47.925 --> 00:03:49.325
to be permanent near soon.

77
00:03:49.585 --> 00:03:53.485
So still, if there are in the safe side

78
00:03:53.585 --> 00:03:56.325
of the country, for example, they're not in Syria,

79
00:03:56.785 --> 00:03:59.885
but they're in Turkey still that doesn't have any kind

80
00:03:59.885 --> 00:04:01.205
of permanent ness.

81
00:04:01.385 --> 00:04:02.805
So the conclusions

82
00:04:02.805 --> 00:04:06.005
of the work was they are still in the temporary situations.

83
00:04:06.585 --> 00:04:10.645
And also according to the law of the Turkey, only 10%

84
00:04:10.945 --> 00:04:13.525
of the Syrian person can be employed

85
00:04:14.185 --> 00:04:15.805
by a hundred percent of the company.

86
00:04:16.265 --> 00:04:19.405
So the lever employment is very restricted

87
00:04:19.465 --> 00:04:23.995
for the Syrian people to survive in that community,

88
00:04:24.825 --> 00:04:28.635
they have to do some kind of black, marketing, you know,

89
00:04:28.815 --> 00:04:32.115
they have to do some kind of job that is,

90
00:04:32.475 --> 00:04:33.555
I mean, not allowed.

91
00:04:34.015 --> 00:04:37.395
So there are a lot of restrictions pulled by the law

92
00:04:37.935 --> 00:04:39.195
itself, by the Turkey.

93
00:04:39.895 --> 00:04:44.355
So Syrians are kind of a, a doll, you know, in the hands

94
00:04:44.375 --> 00:04:45.555
of the Turkish government.

95
00:04:45.575 --> 00:04:48.355
So there is no chance they're going to be permanent.

96
00:04:48.355 --> 00:04:49.515
There is no chance they're going

97
00:04:49.515 --> 00:04:51.795
to have a good employment situation.

98
00:04:52.095 --> 00:04:54.835
The problem is they have the free access,

99
00:04:54.865 --> 00:04:59.275
only the registered refugee, only those who are registered,

100
00:04:59.615 --> 00:05:03.155
not the unregistered, even though there was a new amendment,

101
00:05:03.615 --> 00:05:05.475
has been done on 2019,

102
00:05:05.885 --> 00:05:09.195
which was effective from January, 2020.

103
00:05:09.735 --> 00:05:11.595
And that is article 27 B.

104
00:05:12.095 --> 00:05:14.835
It is like, all the medical kits

105
00:05:14.935 --> 00:05:19.715
and all the basics, medical expenses, has to be bill

106
00:05:19.895 --> 00:05:21.715
by the, citizens of the Turkey.

107
00:05:22.215 --> 00:05:25.515
So if you are a resident of here, residents of the Turkey,

108
00:05:25.775 --> 00:05:29.275
you have to buy some kind of insurance before it was free.

109
00:05:29.615 --> 00:05:32.555
But at this moment now you have to buy some kind

110
00:05:32.555 --> 00:05:34.075
of, security.

111
00:05:34.225 --> 00:05:36.395
This is called DSS scheme.

112
00:05:36.925 --> 00:05:40.515
Under this scheme, you have to, take a little bit

113
00:05:40.515 --> 00:05:43.795
of insurance and also the insurance is, only

114
00:05:43.795 --> 00:05:44.955
for the registered one.

115
00:05:45.575 --> 00:05:48.395
So if we talk about what about the unregistered?

116
00:05:48.855 --> 00:05:51.595
So unregistered does have some kind of access,

117
00:05:51.735 --> 00:05:53.075
but that is emergency.

118
00:05:53.655 --> 00:05:56.155
Now, there is a confusion with the parameter

119
00:05:56.155 --> 00:05:59.565
of the emergency when you are going to call them emergency.

120
00:06:00.025 --> 00:06:02.885
For example, I'm, I'm calling to the medical provider

121
00:06:02.885 --> 00:06:04.125
that I have emergency.

122
00:06:04.265 --> 00:06:07.565
Now it's depend on the medical emergency that they're going

123
00:06:07.565 --> 00:06:11.405
to, identify if you are in emergency or not.

124
00:06:12.235 --> 00:06:15.015
So, even though it's, it's a free access,

125
00:06:15.875 --> 00:06:19.215
but as I have said, it's, it's in the law

126
00:06:19.755 --> 00:06:20.895
has been restricted.

127
00:06:21.115 --> 00:06:23.495
The free access. When we're looking

128
00:06:23.555 --> 00:06:26.095
for the refugee solutions, we are not looking

129
00:06:26.155 --> 00:06:27.735
for something like temporary.

130
00:06:28.185 --> 00:06:30.575
There should not be any barrier like temporary.

131
00:06:30.625 --> 00:06:31.975
There should be a permanent.

132
00:06:32.555 --> 00:06:34.895
We are not sticking for durable solutions.

133
00:06:34.995 --> 00:06:37.495
We are seeking for something which should be a permanent,

134
00:06:37.955 --> 00:06:40.455
at least there should not be any restrictions due

135
00:06:40.455 --> 00:06:41.735
to the registration.

136
00:06:41.995 --> 00:06:45.695
We, we say, about the fundamental rights of a person is

137
00:06:45.695 --> 00:06:47.535
of basic necessities, and that is medical.

138
00:06:49.735 --> 00:06:53.715
And the medical should be, not birthed by any kind

139
00:06:53.715 --> 00:06:55.075
of registration scheme.

140
00:06:55.445 --> 00:07:00.115
There should not be a, a move, a movement restrictions

141
00:07:00.145 --> 00:07:01.355
that I forgot to mention

142
00:07:01.355 --> 00:07:04.715
before in the medical policies of Turkey,

143
00:07:05.255 --> 00:07:07.595
if you are registered for a particular city,

144
00:07:07.775 --> 00:07:10.995
you must take the treatment in that particular city.

145
00:07:11.695 --> 00:07:15.155
So if you are moving to another city, you are not entitled

146
00:07:15.295 --> 00:07:16.635
to any kind of treatment.

147
00:07:17.225 --> 00:07:20.315
This is one of the biggest barrier for the refugees

148
00:07:20.315 --> 00:07:22.715
because they are very much movable since

149
00:07:22.715 --> 00:07:25.355
that doesn't have any kind of permanent solutions.

150
00:07:25.375 --> 00:07:29.355
So, most of the refugees would like to move to Istanbul

151
00:07:29.355 --> 00:07:31.955
because Istanbul has a lot of job opportunities.

152
00:07:32.455 --> 00:07:34.835
So for example, if you see any,

153
00:07:35.055 --> 00:07:37.595
Syrian is registered under Kiwis

154
00:07:37.935 --> 00:07:40.035
and he is moving to Istanbul

155
00:07:40.615 --> 00:07:43.835
and he became sick, he can take any kind of treatment.

156
00:07:44.095 --> 00:07:45.955
You understand me? So this kind of

157
00:07:46.515 --> 00:07:49.835
movement restrictions could be remote, from these kind

158
00:07:49.835 --> 00:07:52.715
of legal situations because you can't

159
00:07:53.475 --> 00:07:56.195
restrict a person within a particular,

160
00:07:56.215 --> 00:08:00.395
within a particular city, at least for the labor, at least

161
00:08:00.455 --> 00:08:02.875
for the residents, at least for the medical expenses.

162
00:08:03.375 --> 00:08:05.915
So first of all, they should remove all

163
00:08:05.915 --> 00:08:07.115
kind of restrictions.

164
00:08:07.905 --> 00:08:09.875
They should revisit their loss.

165
00:08:10.135 --> 00:08:12.635
For example, geographical limitations.

166
00:08:12.775 --> 00:08:16.915
We know, from Europe, we don't get many kind of refugees

167
00:08:16.915 --> 00:08:20.035
that we receive from the South Asia, from Pakistan,

168
00:08:20.035 --> 00:08:21.795
for example, from Middle East, Syria,

169
00:08:22.155 --> 00:08:24.755
Palestine is still there, is going on a lot of crashes.

170
00:08:25.255 --> 00:08:28.435
So the geographical limitations, it's kind

171
00:08:28.435 --> 00:08:32.195
of a political game which has been, unveiled

172
00:08:32.215 --> 00:08:33.835
by the COVID-19 pandemic.

173
00:08:34.335 --> 00:08:35.395
So we can say

174
00:08:35.395 --> 00:08:39.275
that COVID-19 has been a stress test for Turkey.

175
00:08:39.695 --> 00:08:43.355
So this stress test has been unveiled a lot of

176
00:08:44.275 --> 00:08:45.315
barriers of Turkey.

177
00:08:45.505 --> 00:08:49.155
That has been, I mean, in hidden for the refugees

178
00:08:49.155 --> 00:08:50.715
that we have pulled up

179
00:08:50.895 --> 00:08:53.195
and take a model based refugee policy,

180
00:08:53.335 --> 00:08:54.915
for example, from Europe,

181
00:08:55.265 --> 00:08:58.685
German asylum policies, they have very good kind

182
00:08:58.705 --> 00:09:00.205
of German asylum law.

183
00:09:00.505 --> 00:09:02.725
So we can, make a model.

184
00:09:02.945 --> 00:09:04.965
I'm not saying that we need to follow all of them

185
00:09:04.965 --> 00:09:07.125
because there is a cultural differences too,

186
00:09:07.505 --> 00:09:11.845
but there is some restrictions we can meet, remove easily.

187
00:09:12.065 --> 00:09:15.245
For example, the medical restrictions,

188
00:09:15.425 --> 00:09:17.245
the registration restrictions,

189
00:09:18.025 --> 00:09:19.845
I'm not sure if you aware of that.

190
00:09:20.095 --> 00:09:22.765
There is no registration at this moment happening.

191
00:09:22.865 --> 00:09:24.525
All the registration has been suspended.

192
00:09:25.285 --> 00:09:27.305
So if you want to register at this moment,

193
00:09:27.455 --> 00:09:28.785
it's not possible in Turkey.

194
00:09:30.095 --> 00:09:33.315
So there is a lot of restrictions due to this kind

195
00:09:33.315 --> 00:09:35.875
of barriers, from the legal policy of Turkey.

196
00:09:36.765 --> 00:09:38.995
Apart from that, if you want to work,

197
00:09:39.455 --> 00:09:42.475
you can't work immediately after registrations.

198
00:09:43.345 --> 00:09:46.045
So you have to wait at least six months

199
00:09:47.025 --> 00:09:48.665
to get a work permit.

200
00:09:49.245 --> 00:09:51.385
The future research should be in this area.

201
00:09:52.415 --> 00:09:55.985
It's the roles of the big tech company at this area.

202
00:09:56.485 --> 00:10:00.945
For example, if you are looking for any kind

203
00:10:00.945 --> 00:10:03.345
of informations, we have to look through up Google

204
00:10:04.045 --> 00:10:06.265
or we have to look through up, Microsoft

205
00:10:06.365 --> 00:10:07.985
or Metadata or Facebook.

206
00:10:08.605 --> 00:10:10.945
But now we need to ensure

207
00:10:11.085 --> 00:10:13.825
how much data they're realizing if the data is

208
00:10:14.065 --> 00:10:15.225
accurate data that we have.

209
00:10:15.645 --> 00:10:18.865
For example, if you're looking at the COVID-19 vaccinations

210
00:10:18.865 --> 00:10:21.545
of the Syrian refugee, you won't get any kind of data

211
00:10:21.545 --> 00:10:23.105
because that is not realist.

212
00:10:23.685 --> 00:10:27.625
So now our focus is on the digital rights of the refugees,

213
00:10:27.895 --> 00:10:30.785
that whether there are all the informations has been

214
00:10:30.785 --> 00:10:33.745
disseminated with all the big tech company like now

215
00:10:33.745 --> 00:10:35.465
available in the Turkish territory,

216
00:10:35.655 --> 00:10:38.185
whether we are having the actual informations

217
00:10:38.215 --> 00:10:40.665
that we should have, whether

218
00:10:41.795 --> 00:10:45.865
there is any algorithm bias that we are receiving that,

219
00:10:46.325 --> 00:10:47.905
we are looking forward to.

220
00:10:48.315 --> 00:10:52.065
Since we, we can't take any kind of interview,

221
00:10:52.285 --> 00:10:57.165
we are not allowed to in their own matters.

222
00:10:57.345 --> 00:10:59.645
So we are only depend on the data

223
00:10:59.915 --> 00:11:01.725
that we are receiving online.

224
00:11:02.345 --> 00:11:06.445
So now the focus is moved more on the digital,

225
00:11:06.495 --> 00:11:09.725
technology, you know, the digital rights of those people

226
00:11:09.795 --> 00:11:12.365
that the rights they have.

Challenges Faced by Syrian Refugees in Turkey: Legal Barriers and Information Access

00:00:00 - Are doing, researching about the Syria refuses in Turkey. We're doing some kind of legal frameworks in Turkey at this moment available. So at the time we were really struggling to get all the information or data that is available on the websites of Turkey, which was really very difficult to get at the moment. While specifically looking for informations about the vaccinations of the Syria refugees and their are situations about their, economic earnings and everything at the time we have seen there are a lot

00:00:35 - Then we, research on what kind of barriers that we're looking at the time. And specifically what we have faced is that their situations is pretty much temporary. As we can see. There are a lot of refugee we're looking for reciting them, a kind of solutions, you know, see when we are, diverting to another culture we would like, look forward

00:01:04 - But in case of Syrian, it was a bit complicated. first of all, their registration process, their registration process. It's, it's really very difficult. I mean, if you want to register you, you must be there. And there are a lot of information is only available in Turkey at the time of research. We also faced the same problem because in our group, we don't know, any, anyone can speak in Turkey. So all the informations are available in Turkey.

Barriers to Refugee Registration in Turkey

00:01:37 - to get registered themself, so they have to deal it by phone and the phone information is only available in Turkey. So this kind of various like language, like information and like, registration barriers was really very exerted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkey is the, part of the conventions that is 1951 refugee conventions, but Turkey was pretty much aware of that, that they have ratified the conventions

00:02:08 - Now, I would like to discuss about what kind of geographical limitations according to the Turkish law, they consider refugee only from the Europe, not from any part of the countries. For example, if any refugees are from, coming from Europe, they only consider them as a refugee. But if any refugee are coming from any other part of the world, for example, Syria, Pakistani, Afghanistans, or Palestine, let me say,

00:02:39 - They consider them as a conditional refugee. So at this moment, Turkey does have two kind of laws. One is law on, foreign protections that is 2030, and another one is temporary, protection revelations. And that is 2014. Both of the laws deals with the refuses, but recognize According to the article, 61 of those laws recognize European as a refugee in that particular sense, Syria are not considered about the refuse,

Turkish Legal Barriers for Syrian Refugees

00:03:12 - that are awarded by the conventions. So automatically within the Turkish legal policy, there are cartels by 1951 conventions. Then according to Article 62 of the same, law LFIP, I'm, I'm referring to LFIP 2013. According to article 62, all the refuses are coming from the Middle East. For example, Syria are that refuses, does, does not belong

00:03:44 - So there is no chances that they're going to be permanent near soon. So still, if there are in the safe side of the country, for example, they're not in Syria, but they're in Turkey still that doesn't have any kind of permanent ness. So the conclusions of the work was they are still in the temporary situations. And also according to the law of the Turkey, only 10%

00:04:14 - by a hundred percent of the company. So the lever employment is very restricted for the Syrian people to survive in that community, they have to do some kind of black, marketing, you know, they have to do some kind of job that is, I mean, not allowed. So there are a lot of restrictions pulled by the law itself, by the Turkey. So Syrians are kind of a, a doll, you know, in the hands

Barriers to Refugee Rights and Healthcare Access in Turkey

00:04:45 - So there is no chance they're going to be permanent. There is no chance they're going to have a good employment situation. The problem is they have the free access, only the registered refugee, only those who are registered, not the unregistered, even though there was a new amendment, has been done on 2019, which was effective from January, 2020. And that is article 27 B. It is like, all the medical kits

00:05:19 - by the, citizens of the Turkey. So if you are a resident of here, residents of the Turkey, you have to buy some kind of insurance before it was free. But at this moment now you have to buy some kind of, security. This is called DSS scheme. Under this scheme, you have to, take a little bit of insurance and also the insurance is, only for the registered one.

00:05:48 - So unregistered does have some kind of access, but that is emergency. Now, there is a confusion with the parameter of the emergency when you are going to call them emergency. For example, I'm, I'm calling to the medical provider that I have emergency. Now it's depend on the medical emergency that they're going to, identify if you are in emergency or not. So, even though it's, it's a free access,

Barriers to Permanent Refugee Solutions in Turkey

00:06:19 - has been restricted. The free access. When we're looking for the refugee solutions, we are not looking for something like temporary. There should not be any barrier like temporary. There should be a permanent. We are not sticking for durable solutions. We are seeking for something which should be a permanent, at least there should not be any restrictions due to the registration. We, we say, about the fundamental rights of a person is of basic necessities, and that is medical.

00:06:53 - of registration scheme. There should not be a, a move, a movement restrictions that I forgot to mention before in the medical policies of Turkey, if you are registered for a particular city, you must take the treatment in that particular city. So if you are moving to another city, you are not entitled to any kind of treatment. This is one of the biggest barrier for the refugees

00:07:22 - that doesn't have any kind of permanent solutions. So, most of the refugees would like to move to Istanbul because Istanbul has a lot of job opportunities. So for example, if you see any, Syrian is registered under Kiwis and he is moving to Istanbul and he became sick, he can take any kind of treatment. You understand me? So this kind of movement restrictions could be remote, from these kind of legal situations because you can't

Revisiting Refugee Policies and Barriers in Turkey

00:07:56 - within a particular city, at least for the labor, at least for the residents, at least for the medical expenses. So first of all, they should remove all kind of restrictions. They should revisit their loss. For example, geographical limitations. We know, from Europe, we don't get many kind of refugees that we receive from the South Asia, from Pakistan, for example, from Middle East, Syria, Palestine is still there, is going on a lot of crashes.

00:08:28 - of a political game which has been, unveiled by the COVID-19 pandemic. So we can say that COVID-19 has been a stress test for Turkey. So this stress test has been unveiled a lot of barriers of Turkey. That has been, I mean, in hidden for the refugees that we have pulled up and take a model based refugee policy, for example, from Europe,

00:08:58 - of German asylum law. So we can, make a model. I'm not saying that we need to follow all of them because there is a cultural differences too, but there is some restrictions we can meet, remove easily. For example, the medical restrictions, the registration restrictions, I'm not sure if you aware of that. There is no registration at this moment happening. All the registration has been suspended.

Barriers and Digital Rights of Syrian Refugees in Turkey

00:09:27 - it's not possible in Turkey. So there is a lot of restrictions due to this kind of barriers, from the legal policy of Turkey. Apart from that, if you want to work, you can't work immediately after registrations. So you have to wait at least six months to get a work permit. The future research should be in this area. It's the roles of the big tech company at this area.

00:10:00 - of informations, we have to look through up Google or we have to look through up, Microsoft or Metadata or Facebook. But now we need to ensure how much data they're realizing if the data is accurate data that we have. For example, if you're looking at the COVID-19 vaccinations of the Syrian refugee, you won't get any kind of data because that is not realist. So now our focus is on the digital rights of the refugees,

00:10:30 - disseminated with all the big tech company like now available in the Turkish territory, whether we are having the actual informations that we should have, whether there is any algorithm bias that we are receiving that, we are looking forward to. Since we, we can't take any kind of interview, we are not allowed to in their own matters. So we are only depend on the data