Page 58 - Syrians in Türkiye - Special Report

GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TÜRKİYE THE OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION

In addition, the Ministry of Family and Social Policy (MFSP), along with United
Nations staff, has informed Syrians who want to return to their country during the
decision-making process about their country and the living conditions.

Within the context of the Humanitarian Aid Program, brochures on violence against
women, domestic violence, marriage age, legal marriage, women’s rights, and human
trafficking were published in Turkish and Arabic and distributed to relevant institutions
and organizations for the benefit of Syrians. In addition, we learned from MFSP that,
in provinces where there are women’s guesthouses, women who are admitted to the
guesthouses are provided legal counseling services.

Also, after the Ministry of Labor and Social Security published guidelines on how to
submit applications through the Ministry website, the “Reference Book on Working
Life,” which explains labor rights of Syrians, the “Information Brochure” in Turkish
and Arabic, and posters showing the process of obtaining permission to work have been
distributed to 81 provinces, especially in places where most Syrians live. In addition
to these, after the “Regulation on Work Permits for Foreigners under Temporary
Protection” entered into force on January 15, 2016 (published in the Official Gazette
No. 29594), informational meetings on Syrian employment, access to the labor market,
and work permit procedures have been held in the Turkish Chambers of Industry,
UCCET, NGOs, and with employers in the 10 provinces where most Syrians that have
temporary protection live.
IV. LEGAL AID SERVICES

Legal aid services provided pursuant to Articles 176-181 of the Attorneyship Law
No. 1136 are conducted by the Legal Aid Bureau formed among lawyers in the bar
associations that have been established by the management boards of the bar associations.
Within the scope of legal aid services, it is very important to increase the professional
capacity of lawyers who will serve the Syrian population in our country, and on this
issue, there are projects carried out by the Ministry of Justice and by the Union of
Turkish Bar Associations. (“Strengthening Legal Aid Services in Türkiye European
Union Matching Project,” “Support to the Development of Legal Aid Procedures for
Access to Justice in Türkiye (SILA) Project”). With these projects, we evaluate that the
quality and efficiency of legal aid services provided to Syrians, in providing information
on services and application rights will be increased.

In some provinces densely populated by Syrian refugees, we observed that the local
institutions have to create faster solutions because of the needs. For example, during a
research visit to Şanlıurfa province, a meeting was held in the Şanlıurfa Bar Association,

58 SYRIANS IN TÜRKİYE SPECIAL REPORT