Engaging Syrian Communities: The Role of Local Government in Istanbul

Author(s)
Woods, A., Kayali, N.
Publication language
English
Pages
22pp
Date published
01 Jan 2017
Publisher
Istanbul Policy Center
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
National & regional actors, Government, Forced displacement and migration, Urban
Countries
Syria, Turkey

The size of the Syrian population in Istanbul is continuing to grow. Over 400,000 Syrians are registered in the city, with at least an estimated 100,000 unregistered. Due to the size, complexity, and urbanization of Istanbul, engaging with this growing constituency is challenging. This paper cannot provide a full report on the myriad of activities and state agencies working in Istanbul. Rather, it aims to shed some light on how Istanbul’s 39 local government districts are reacting to these new constituents and the issues they bring. The report highlights some of the bureaucratic mechanisms in Istanbul municipalities (both the belediye and kaymakamlik offices) trying to address refugee needs; what is their perception of issues facing Syrian communities in their areas; and what information is available to them, as well as their relationships with other critical actors such as government agencies and NGOs. This information is critical to understanding the role of local government in refugee affairs.