Flickr/MIchael Davis-Burchat. Some rights reserved.As the Syrian conflict enters its fifth year, there is little hope that the violence will come to an end in the near future, despite increased involvement of the international community. Since the war started in 2011, about 4.4 million dispossessed Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries, and the number of internally displaced persons has climbed to around 7.6 million. Roughly 2.3 million Syrians fled to Turkey, making it the world’s largest recipient of refugees, while others have settled in Lebanon, Jordan and, to a much lesser extent, in Iraq.
All of them are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. With their basic needs provided mostly by the UNHCR, the Syrian refugees are subjected to regulations that limit their employment opportunities and block their access to education, thereby hindering their integration into the host society and compromising their wellbeing. On the other hand, the economic, social and political impact of the current crisis on Turkey is enormous. Its complex internal situation is affecting its ability to provide assistance and refuge to those in need.
So far, Turkey has spent about $7.5 billion in efforts to meet the needs of refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly after the recent migrant wave that hit the country this summer. The recent EU pledge of 3 billion euros is of great help but it will not stop the growing resentment toward refugees witnessed among the average Turkish population.
