The priorities for 2017 based on the results of participatory assessments and resources allocated for 2017 are as follows:
- Supporting the Government of Turkey in strengthening registration and RSD with a view to facilitating the transition towards an effective national asylum system in line with international standards and mindful of protection safeguards;
- Increasing livelihood opportunities for refugees to strengthen self-reliance;
- Expanding opportunities, in collaboration with the Turkish authorities, for access to higher education, skills training and Turkish language training;
- Increasing outreach and community mobilisation in urban contexts for protection monitoring, information sharing, identification of cases with special needs and specific protection concerns to be referred for strategic RSD and resettlement processing, along with expansion and capacity building of local protection partners for individual case management, referrals and follow-up with particular attention to child protection cases as well as prevention and response to SGBV;
- Resettling 27,000 vulnerable individuals (17,000 Syrians and 10,000 of various nationality including Iraqis, Afghans, Iranians, Somalis and other nationalities);
- Strengthen coordination with local authorities, such as municipalities and host communities.
2017 is expected to be a crucial year for the transition towards a fully functioning and effective national asylum system including RSD and protection sensitive registration by the Turkish authorities of all people of concern (PoC). In this regard, UNHCR will build on the strong partnership established with concerned governmental counterparts to support the authorities at the central and provincial level in the operationalization and strengthening of national registration (including verification) and RSD procedures.
UNHCR will continue the implementation of the livelihood strategy elaborated in 2016, in close coordination with relevant government counterparts, UN Agencies, NGO partners and private sector interlocutors. In parallel, UNHCR will continue pursuing options to expand access to higher education through additional scholarships and prioritise skills and Turkish language training. UNHCR will also work closely with the Ministry of National Education to ensure that systems are in place to support refugee children enrolled in the national system.
In 2017, UNHCR will consolidate and expand community-based protection outreach activities. UNHCR will make increased use of refugee outreach volunteers and other community mobilisation tools such as community and multiservice centers. This will be done in close coordination with the Turkish authorities and UNHCR partners to ensure harmonisation of services and stronger coherence among all actors involved in the implementation of urban protection programmes.