Turkey: Update: Durable Solutions for Syrian Refugees, July/August 2019
The July/August 2019 update on durable solutions for Syrian refugees provides a figures and trends update at the mid-way point of 2019. The issue also focuses on local solutions and opportunities in the 3RP countries, looking particularly at progress and challenges related to the Education, Livelihoods, and Health sectors.
Local Solutions and Opportunities
The protracted nature of the Syria refugee crisis urges for durable solutions in order for refugees to look to the future with hope and dignity. The comprehensive protection and solutions approach seeks to: support host country resilience; ensure planning and support for voluntary, safe and dignified return; expand access to resettlement and other safe (complementary) pathways to a third country, and; expand and promote local solutions and sustained refugee protection, including access to basic social services, well-being and self reliance.
Local solutions and opportunities constitute a crucial form of protection which provide refugees with sustainable opportunities that would mitigate the need to resort to harmful coping mechanisms. As mentioned in the 3RP 2019/20, this can include providing livelihood support for refugees, which would mitigate the need to consider irregular movements to third countries, and bridging the gap between refugees’ skills and local market demands through supportive legal frameworks and more certification and recertification opportunities for recognizing education and skills.
The Global Compact on Refugees provides that “States and relevant stakeholders will contribute resources and expertise, including technical guidance on legal and institutional frameworks that foster the peaceful and productive inclusion of refugees and the well- being of local communities, and to address issues such as documentation and residence permits”.
However, the implementation of local solutions and opportunities is often limited by legal, economic, social and cultural barriers. The political sensitivities related to this critical solution vary from country to country and are linked to context-specific challenges and opportunities. In fact, currently, local integration of Syrian refugees is not a viable durable solution in the region on a large scale or at all in certain countries.
Despite the limitations, a number of positive developments occurred over the past years. The below focuses on those achievements, and remaining challenges, in relation to Education, Livelihoods and Health.
