Photograph: Mustafa Bilge Satkın
The infrastructure development and technical support in 4 municipalities in Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis and Şanlıurfa help to better cope and recover from the impact of displacement.
The large number of Syrians residing in Southeast Anatolia region of Turkey, is increasingly straining the capacities of local municipalities to provide required basic services. Thus, strengthened municipal services and infrastructure are among the most pressing needs of the provinces that host high number of Syrians. The provinces of Kilis, Hatay, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa host more than 1,5 million Syrians (May 2018).
Social Cohesion and Empowerment for Syrian Women
UNDP's response serves to both Syrians and host communities, noting the needs of both population groups and aiming to enhance peaceful coexistence.
UNDP provides support for Syrian women and women in host communities to enhance their social and economic empowerment and to enable them to engage actively within the community. UNDP's language trainings for over 52,000 Syrians in 2018-2019 aims to contribute to enhance local social anc economic integration. UNDP also supports Multi-Purpose Community Centers (ÇATOMs) and local organizations by providing equipment, technical assistance and counselling.
Among the trainees provided with vocational trainings and competency development programmes UNDP supports, 34% of them are young people and 46% of them are women.
UNDP improves livelihoods and job opportunities through addressing both the labour market supply and demand side.
In terms of labor supply side, UNDP's support focuses on adult language skills training, vocational training, strengthening local capacities in terms of registration, counseling and job matching, including Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR). In terms of labor demand side, UNDP helps job creation through support to the establishment of Small and Medium Enterprises' (SME) Capability and Innovation Centers, the transformation of industrial zones, business development services and value chain development.
To support Syrians, host communities and municipalities to meet the challenges of the changing development landscape, UNDP strengthens stability through various increased livelihoods opportunities and better municipal services in Southeast Anatolia.
With the support of the project implemented for over 2 years in Southeast Anatolia, the self reliance of Syrians and host communities were enhanced and institutional capacities of local and national partners were strengthened.
There is a common recognition among partners that a resilience-based approach is becoming increasingly important in the response, noting that the impact on host communities, Syrians, national and local institutions has been growing due to the protracted nature of the situation.
With the project's support, a mix of 1,750 Syrian and local people completed high-demanded vocational trainings in 33 different fields including service, manufacturing and local agriculture sectors in the region. 1,200 Syrians attended Turkish language courses. 5 pilot and demonstrative initiatives imporved the productivity of local value chains and provided opportunities for labour absorption.
Regarding the strengthening municipal services, through construction of 2 waste transfer stations and addressing the most pressing challenges through urban level investments, waste management services became stronger.