Communication with Communities

Communicating with refugees is a vital component of UNHCR’s work in Türkiye. In cooperation with the Government of Türkiye and a wide range of partners, UNHCR engages with refugees and asylum-seekers, providing them with the information they need through a variety of tools, to access protection and assistance as well as to make informed decisions about their lives. UNHCR receives feedback from refugee communities to tailor its communication to the needs of affected communities.

Protection counselling is an important activity in the refugee response in Türkiye. Refugees and asylum seekers approach UNHCR and its partners to share protection concerns, ask for advice on specific matters, including legal problems or enquire about the status of their files. In addition to counselling carried out by its partners, UNHCR also responds to requests through its Counselling Line established in July 2019 with dedicated operators who answer queries on the full spectrum of rights, obligations, services and procedures relating to refugees and asylum-seekers in Türkiye, as well as to make any necessary referrals for follow-up action. The counselling line operates with 50 multi-lingual operators.

The Help website provides refugees with information on a wide range of key themes, ranging from registration to livelihoods. The platform is available in the languages most frequently spoken by refugees and asylum-seekers living in Türkiye (Arabic and Farsi), and in English and Turkish. In addition to specifically targeting refugees, the website also serves a coordination role as it guides partner organizations and other stakeholders in accurately producing messaging on technical issues. Check out the Help website at http://help.unhcr.org/Turkiye

Another platform through which UNHCR communicates with refugees is the Facebook page ‘UNHCR Türkiye Information Board’. It provides regular information on relevant topics, announcements, available services, and useful online resources in the most frequently spoken languages (Arabic and Farsi). Through the interaction of refugees and asylum seekers, UNHCR can get feedback, comments and the most compelling information needed on relevant topics that are shared on the page. Check out the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/unhcrturkiyeinfo

Services Advisor is also a platform which enables refugees to locate available humanitarian and governmental services closest to them in a simple and user-friendly manner. The information is displayed in Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, Kurdish, Ukrainian, English and Turkish. Check out the Services Advisor page at https://Turkiye.servicesadvisor.org