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Self Report 2019

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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  • 1B
    Act early

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to act early upon potential conflict situations based on early warning findings and shared conflict analysis, in accordance with international law.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to make successful conflict prevention visible by capturing, consolidating and sharing good practices and lessons learnt.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Situated in a volatile geography prone to fragility and conflict, Turkey attaches special importance to preventive diplomacy and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Turkey’s approach on this issue draws on the fact that preventive diplomacy is the most cost-effective method in terms of dispute settlement.

    In line with UN General Assembly Resolution 68/303, Turkey believes that international, regional and sub-regional organizations can play a key role in contributing to the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

    To this end, Turkey focuses on raising awareness and capacity-building for prevention as a part of the conflict cycle in international and regional organizations. Turkey simultaneously co-chairs three distinct mediation-focused initiatives within the UN, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), convenes two annual Mediation Conferences as well as the “Mediation for Peace” Certificate Program for officials from OIC Member States. All of these annual activities were also realized in 2018 (see 1C for a detailed list.)

    Turkey also co-sponsors, since 2005, the UN Alliance of Civilizations initiative, which aims to provide lasting solutions to the dangerously rising trends of hatred, discrimination, xenophobia and extremism. 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The most effective way to prevent crises and provide stability is to reduce the impact of risk factors which requires a holistic approach. Identifying those factors which may turn out to be root causes and eliminating them require, among other things, cooperation and support of host countries and coordinated action among regional and international actors.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Actions at the national level to reduce specific risk factors and to enhance the relevant national infrastructures are crucial. Yet the ultimate success depends on all relevant players to act in concert and to cooperate to support the UN to better fulfill its mandate in the area of conflict prevention.

  • 1C
    Remain engaged and invest in stability

    Joint Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey (and Finland) commit(s) to enhance the visibility of mediation efforts and to bring mediation to the core of UN peace work. Through the work of the Group, Turkey (and Finland) will strive to strengthen the normative basis of mediation and enhance the UN mediation support capacities. Turkey (and Finland) will also capture, consolidate and disseminate good practices and lessons learnt on conflict prevention.


    • Capacity
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    Partners: Finland

    • Turkey commits to continue providing strong political and financial support to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations initiative. The Alliance, which Turkey co-sponsors with Spain, remains as one the major international initiatives for promoting harmony, dialogue and peaceful co-existence based on mutual respect for the development of peaceful and inclusive societies.


    • Financial
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    Partners: Spain

    Individual Commitments (9)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey commits to allocating additional, predictable resources to the Peacebuilding Fund in the manner of US $1 million by 2020 ($200,000 annually for a period of 5 years) to allow the Fund to continue operations at the current level of $100 million by year.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity

    • In addressing the root causes of crises and in ending human suffering, Turkey will work together with the United Nations to take due consideration of the humanitarian aspects in all mediation and conflict resolution efforts, in line with the findings of the World Humanitarian Summit.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • In order to increase the effectiveness of mediation efforts, Turkey commits to continue encouraging effective cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations, in line with General Assembly Resolution 68/303.


    • Advocacy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey commits to assist the Secretary General and the Member States who are willing to draw a well-prepared and comprehensive framework for their mediation efforts that would take psychological, intellectual, ethical and methodological dimensions into account.


    • Policy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey commits to continue its active engagement in the resolution of regional problems in its near abroad and beyond, through the Trilateral / Multilateral Cooperation Mechanisms like the ones launched with the participation of Serbia and Croatia to achieve lasting peace and stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the mechanism implemented with Afghanistan and Pakistan.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey commits to continue its work for raising awareness of mediation as an effective tool for peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution, in particular through the Group of Friends of Mediation within the UN, which was established in 2010 within the framework of the Turkey-Finland joint initiative of Mediation for Peace.


    • Advocacy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey commits to maintain and further develop effective coordination and cooperation among its public actors to ensure maximum impact of its assistance in fragile and conflict affected states and to encourage and support similar efforts among different actors of the global humanitarian system.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey reiterates its determination to continue working in conflict affected countries to create a conducive environment for ensuring stability and resilience.


    • Operational
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    • Turkey will assist the Secretary General in raising awareness regarding the complementary aspects between Alliance of Civilizations and Mediation for Peace, in order to create synergies and fully realize each initiative's aims and purposes. To this end, Turkey invites all Member States and relevant stakeholders to contribute to the replenishment of sustainable and predictable financial and human resources for these two initiatives.


    • Advocacy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to improve prevention and peaceful resolution capacities at the national, regional and international level improving the ability to work on multiple crises simultaneously.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to sustain political leadership and engagement through all stages of a crisis to prevent the emergence or relapse into conflict.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    • Commit to address root causes of conflict and work to reduce fragility by investing in the development of inclusive, peaceful societies.
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Investing in stability in its region and beyond has long constituted a major priority for Turkey. Turkey’s engagement included humanitarian operations by Turkish stakeholders - Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Turkish Red Crescent and Turkish NGOs - in conflict-affected countries. Turkey also actively contributes to multilateral efforts on different themes with a common objective to enhance stability, such as UN Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, UN Alliance of Civilizations, three distinct mediation-focused initiatives within the UN, OSCE and the OIC, and promotes multilateral consultation mechanisms.

    - Turkey has allocated USD 160,000 for the year 2018 to the UN Peacebuilding Fund. Turkey also allocated USD 200,000 for the year 2018 to support the UN Standby Team of Mediation Experts.

    - "Mediation for Peace” Training Program for officials from OIC Member States was convened for the first time in Ankara in September 2018, as a part of Turkey’s capacity-building efforts in the field of mediation.

    - UN Group of Friends of Mediation convened at a Ministerial level on the margins of the high-level week of UN General Assembly in New York, in September 2018, with a focus on youth inclusion in mediation processes.

    - OIC Contact Group of Friends of Mediation convened for the first time at a Ministerial level on the margins of the high-level week of UN General Assembly in New York, in September 2018.

    - The Fifth Istanbul Mediation Conference was hosted in Istanbul, in November 2018 with the theme “Enhancing the Practice of Mediation for Sustaining Peace.”

    - The three respective Groups of Friends of Mediation at the UN, OSCE, and OIC convened at the level of Permanent Representatives and/or experts.

    - Turkey’s efforts in the field of raising awareness and building capacity for mediation were presented to delegations from various countries taking part in Turkish Diplomacy Academy’s programs.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Human resources/capacity
    • Information management/tools
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The most effective way to prevent crises and provide stability is to reduce the impact of risk factors which requires a holistic approach. Identifying those factors which may turn out to be root causes and eliminating them require, among other things, cooperation and support of host countries and coordinated action among regional and international actors.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Actions at the national level to reduce specific risk factors and to enhance the relevant national infrastructures are crucial. Yet the ultimate success depends on all relevant players to act in concert and to cooperate to support the United Nations to better fulfill its mandate in the area of conflict prevention.

  • 1D
    Develop solutions with and for people

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey will continue to strive to increase and strengthen women'™s participation in mediation.


    • Advocacy
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    The Fifth Istanbul Mediation Conference, convened in November 2018, under the theme “Enhancing the Practice of Mediation for Sustaining Peace,” had a session focused on improving gender and youth inclusion in mediation processes. During the “Mediation for Peace” Certificate Program, convened in Ankara in September 2018, a day was dedicated to the role of women in mediation processes.

    For the second edition of the “Mediation for Peace” Certificate Program (to be convened in Ankara, in September 2019), OIC Member States will be asked to nominate one male and one female candidate to achieve gender balance in the cohort.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Field conditions, including insecurity and access
    • Information management/tools
    Keywords

    Gender, Youth

  • 2A
    Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Turkey recognizes all international agreements, that it is a party to, to protect the rights of civilians during conflicts and adheres to their full implementation within its borders. Turkey, in this context, has been an avid supporter of strengthening international frameworks governing the rules of war and promoting the protection of civilians. To this end, Turkey advocates the restriction of the use and transfer of certain arms and ammunitions and setting up of human rights monitoring mechanisms.

    For the protection of civilians and civilian objects Turkey is engaged in training programs. In the military context, studies were conducted regarding the compatibility of the means and instruments of war with international humanitarian law; arrangements for the use of distinctive emblems. Civil–Military cooperation with OCHA was further enhanced in 2018.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Increase the level of training activities domestically and enhance cooperation with the relevant international partners in this field.

  • 2B
    Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey holds the view that responsibility to protect is implemented not only through military means but also by humanitarian assistance. In this regard, Turkey will continue to contribute to efforts of the UN on developing the appropriate framework for the implementation of the "Responsibility to Protect" (RtP), also duly taking into account this aspect of the issue.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Turkey commits to continue its ongoing efforts to ensure that all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance. Turkey will continue to participate in the discussions at various fora with a constructive approach.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Turkey will continue to draw the attention of all the stakeholders to the need for evading steps that will result in legitimization of terrorist organizations while extending humanitarian assistance and also the need for preventing these organizations to abuse humanitarian action.


    • Operational
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Turkey is an ardent advocate of international solidarity and partnership especially during the humanitarian crises with a view to building a safer world, saving human lives and protecting the environment, through a sustainable and collective strategy. As one of the leading countries, Turkey faces all the direct consequences of the Syria crisis.

    Turkey, from the outset [of the Syrian crisis] till today, has strived to ensure unfettered humanitarian access to all in need. In line with this understanding, Turkey provides uninterrupted humanitarian access to neighboring Syria, through its two border gates Öncüpınar and Cilvegözü. Drawing from its own experiences, Turkey strongly supports the universal principles of humanitarian law and continues to work in all platforms to enhance the security of humanitarian and medical missions.

    Turkey does not distinguish between religion/race/ethnicity when providing humanitarian assistance to those who are in need all over the world. Turkey utilizes a combined humanitarian - development assistance nexus in its humanitarian aid endeavors, in line with the New Way of Working initiative launched at the World Humanitarian Summit. 

    Turkey played a central role in the extension of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Decision 2165 that allows for and facilitates the cross-border humanitarian assistance to Syria. In the military context, civil-military coordination was further strengthened between UN OCHA and the Turkish armed forces including the sharing of GPS locations of convoys.

    B. Please select if your report relates to any initiatives launched at World Humanitarian summit
    • New Way of Working
    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Human resources/capacity
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Effective coordination among humanitarian/medical missions is needed.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Increase the level of training activities domestically and enhance cooperation with the relevant international partners in this field.

    Actions at the country level to reduce specific risk factors and to enhance the relevant national infrastructures are crucial. Yet the ultimate success depends on all relevant players to act in concert and to cooperate to support the United Nations to better fulfill its mandate in the area of conflict prevention.

    Keywords

    Humanitarian-development nexus, IHL compliance and accountability

  • 2D
    Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

    Individual Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey commits to continue its efforts to strengthen its institutional, intellectual and training capacities on international humanitarian law.


    • Capacity
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

    • Turkey will continue to support all efforts for the reform of the UN Security Council, to eliminate the major obstacles which prevent its effective functioning or from taking decisive action to protect civilians against massive human rights violations, in particular the use of veto power. In this regard, Turkey reiterates its support for the "Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes" proposed by the ACT Group (Accountability, Coherence, Transparency Group), as well as the initiative by France and Mexico for the suspension of the veto in case of mass atrocities.


    • Policy
    • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Other

    Turkey continued its vocal and active stance regarding the absolute need for the UN Security Council Reform under the motto of "World is Bigger Than Five". 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Information management/tools
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Holding international humanitarian law at the highest standards while improving harmonization of national laws with universal standards and increasing the level of training activities domestically and enhancing cooperation with the relevant international partners in this field.

  • 3A
    Reduce and address displacement

    Individual Commitments (13)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Currently hosting the largest number of refugees in the world, Turkey will continue to emphasize the primary importance of fair burden sharing by the international community in dealing with large flows of refugees and migrants. The neighboring countries which currently bear the brunt of this burden have to be supported on a sustainable basis.


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey calls on the international community to further support UNHCR in its efforts to achieve a genuine and functioning resettlement programme. In light of the fact that only limited number of states offer resettlement on a regular basis and allocate annual resettlement quotas, Turkey proposes the establishment of an international quota system, for fair burden-sharing.


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to continue sharing its experience and "know-how" regarding the national mechanisms and services for those under temporary protection in Turkey with other partners and stakeholders at the regional and international level.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to continue to work on ensuring full access of Syrians under temporary protection to education and vocational training. In this context, Turkey will strive to provide such services in Turkish and Arabic, in line with national standards.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to cooperate with other countries that are hosting large refugee groups and to encourage them to develop similar approaches where appropriate.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to include assistance projects for refugees in its development planning and to encourage similar medium and long-term approaches at the regional and global level.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to share the results of the implementation of employment policies for Syrians under temporary protection based on the legislation on labour market access adopted in January 2016, with a view to encouraging similar approaches across the globe.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey commits to work on increasing the recognition and visibility of the contributions of refugee hosting countries and communities in the global humanitarian system.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will continue its efforts in providing social protection, security and access to justice as well as health and education services for Syrians under temporary protection in order to strengthen their resilience and self-reliance.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will continue to encourage joint analysis and engagement by development and humanitarian actors, as the needs of refugee groups cannot be met only on the basis of short term strategies.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will continue to seek and encourage strong regional and international cooperation for overcoming the challenges posed by the large movement of refugees and migrants, based on the principle of shared responsibilities at the global level.


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will continue to take a leading role in the fight against xenophobia and hate speech specifically targeting the victims of forced displacement and to support national and international initiatives to this end.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey, as currently hosting the largest group of refugees in the world, commits actively to work on, to encourage and to support new approaches for addressing the issues related to forced displacement in light of the principles of "shared responsibility" and "burden sharing".


    • Advocacy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new approach to addressing forced displacement that not only meets immediate humanitarian needs but reduces vulnerability and improves the resilience, self-reliance and protection of refugees and IDPs. Commit to implementing this new approach through coherent international, regional and national efforts that recognize both the humanitarian and development challenges of displacement. Commit to take the necessary political, policy, legal and financial steps required to address these challenges for the specific context.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Acknowledge the global public good provided by countries and communities which are hosting large numbers of refugees. Commit to providing communities with large numbers of displaced population or receiving large numbers of returnees with the necessary political, policy and financial, support to address the humanitarian and socio-economic impact. To this end, commit to strengthen multilateral financing instruments. Commit to foster host communities' self-reliance and resilience, as part of the comprehensive and integrated approach outlined in core commitment 1.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Commit to collectively work towards a Global Compact on responsibility-sharing for refugees to safeguard the rights of refugees, while also effectively and predictably supporting States affected by such movements.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    IDPs (due to conflict, violence, and disaster)

    In order to support Rohingya refugees who are in need of shelter, “typhoon-resistant bamboo houses” were designed by AFAD engineers; 2,065 bamboo houses have been completed so far.

    In Syria, the needs of 25 regular and 61 irregular camps were met by AFAD with local/international NGOs in the Euphrates Shield area. In the  Olive Branch area, the needs of 13 camps were met by AFAD with local/international NGOs.

    A “Social Cohesion Program” has been launched for the social integration of Syrian children living outside the camps in cooperation with UNICEF.

    The Framework of Policy through Law no: 6735 on internal labour force was put in force for displaced persons, including access to work and integration into labor market.

    Awareness raising activities and information meetings were held between public institutions, private sector, NGOs and foreigners under protection.

    In cooperation with the European Union (EU), the MADAD project ,which provides courses and training targeting Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey on language, business and employment of women has been strengthened.

    In cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), relevant Turkish institutions pursued a project on supporting management on labour migration policy in Turkey.

    In cooperation with World Bank the program, under the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRiT) framework, employment support for Syrians under temporary protection was developed in 2017 and enhanced in 2018.

    Refugees

    AFAD, TİKA and the Turkish Red Crescent not only focused on the short-term needs of refugees but also tried to cover long-term needs of refugees, which is Turkey's approach to handle the refugee crisis, especially in Bangladesh and Syria. Schools and hospitals have been reopened. Water wells and other infrastructures which normalize daily life has been built on the Syrian side of the border. Relevant Turkish institutions coordinate their efforts with local and international NGOs.

    The Turkish Red Crescent, progressively continued its humanitarian aid activities carried out at ground zero of the Turkish-Syrian border in line with the regional needs arising from the intense consequences of crisis. Today, the Turkish Red Crescent accepts donations of humanitarian aid supplies from national and international institutions, organizations and people; and delivers these to those in need at the 14 Border Relief Points established across the Turkish-Syrian border in the provinces of Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin.

    Cross-border, disaster and climate related displacement

    Acting on the basis of the clause stating ‘Humanitarian aid needs to be people-oriented’ mentioned among Wolrd Humanitarian Summit commitments; the Turkish Red Crescent continues to transport humanitarian aid supplies from Turkey to Syria and to distribute these humanitarian aid supplies, in order to meet the needs and alleviate the problems of people who were displaced from their homes in Syria and have to endure difficult living conditions.

    These operations are carried out in a coordinated manner both with Turkish Official Authorities and with United Nations Agencies. Border relief activities are performed with more than 2,300 donors (corporate and individual) and a great part of operational expenses are funded by UN OCHA.

    Furthermore; Turkish Red Crescent, as an institution, continues efforts to develop new projects and programs aimed at bringing forward the problems of internally displaced people (IDP) and alleviating these problems, as one of the commitments of World Humanitarian Summit.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding modalities (earmarking, priorities, yearly agreements, risk aversion measures)
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Turkey is committed to address and reduce displacement, however it is evident that continuous funding is needed by the international community for burden sharing purposes. Human resources capacities of humanitarian actors should also be increased to fulfill increasing needs for humanitarian action. 

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Burden sharing and donor fatigue must be addressed. Turkey provided information on humanitarian activities via Reliefweb. International, regional and local meetings about humanitarian aid activities were held by AFAD.

    Relevant Turkish institutions participated in international, regional and local meetings about humanitarian aid activities to share information with global humanitarian actors. Such meetings must be encouraged for effective implementation of humanitarian action. 

    Keywords

    Displacement, Gender

  • 3D
    Empower and protect women and girls

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey will continue to support displaced women and girls by providing them with effective access to education at all levels and will continue its efforts, to the greatest extent possible, with a view to awareness raising to prevent early and forced marriages.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will continue to take appropriate steps to strengthen the leadership role of women in temporary protection centers for Syrians in Turkey and among the displaced communities. Turkey will also continue to make the necessary legal arrangements which will allow women and girls to benefit from education services, financial aid and legal working permits on an equal footing with men.


    • Operational
    • Leave No One Behind

    • Turkey will strive to ensure that humanitarian assistance and disaster response manuals are prepared in a gender sensitive way by duly taking into account the needs of women and girls. For this purpose, the contribution of the civil society organizations and academicians will also be sought.


    • Policy
    • Leave No One Behind

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
    • Leave No One Behind
    • Ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
    • Leave No One Behind
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Empowerment of women and girls

    In the context of the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRiT), projects supported are considered from the aspect of gender responsiveness as well. Education projects for women and girls are prioritized. Women shelters in Turkey are all accessible by all displaced people regardless of their status and nationality. Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations provided assistance to refugee families. An Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN), with the financial support of the EU, has been launched.  The Humanitarian Assistance Program on Combating and Response to Gender-based Violence was implemented to promote awareness on gender violence, to build solidarity among women and develop their skills.

    The Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE) program aims to diminish the economic burdens of poor families who have children going to school and support them to regularly send their children to school. The program positively discriminates and favors girls. Financial aid is provided in cash until the 8th grade of primary school in the amount of TRY 35 for boys and TRY 40 TRY for girls; TRY 60 for girls and TRY 50 for boys are provided until the 12th grade on the condition that the student continually attends school.

    Other

    - With current changes in the legislation, all foreign women victimized by domestic violence and violence against women are provided with access to Violence Prevention and Monitoring Centers (ŞÖNİM) and women’s shelters of the Ministry of Social Policies; women can be accompanied by their children,  regardless of their status or nationality.

    - The Group of Action against Gender Violence comprised representatives of relevant Turkish institutions and UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). It convenes monthly in order to share information on the activities and services for Syrian women in refuge in Turkey.

    - Outreach activities to displaced women and girls in Turkey were prioritized.

    - A “Social Cohesion Program” was launched to support the social integrations of Syrian children living outside the camps, with the cooperation of UNICEF.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Gender and/or vulnerable group inclusion
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    More gender-responsive projects by relevant stakeholders are needed, and also funding for these projects must be guaranteed. Integration between information systems of the relevant institutions is needed in order to implement the emergency social safety net (ESSN) efficiently.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    More involvement from international stakeholders in the ESSN program is needed, particularly to reach out to the most vulnerable people. Proactive participation of the refugees in the implementation of the ESSN will further advance the transformation.

    Keywords

    Cash, Displacement, Education, Gender, PSEA

  • 4A
    Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey will continue to support the capacity building projects in countries affected by ongoing crises through bilateral assistance programs with a view to increasing resilience at the local and national level.


    • Capacity
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (4)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Other

    Turkey supports two thousand development projects abroad annually and to date Turkish development actors operated in 150 countries. In these projects, support to local and national systems has been prioritized for long-term resilience and sustainability, as in Somalia and Palestine. Turkey has started the preparation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Plan of Turkey (TARAP). The plan will be instrumental in preventing duplication and investments at different levels of disaster response. Turkey’s development-oriented humanitarian operations in countries such as Afghanistan and Somalia support local and national systems for long term resilience.

    In light of the role of Turkish local administrations in the overall response to Syrian refugee influx, Turkey has been emphasizing the enhancement of local capacity in its aid operations, particularly in countries affected by displacement. For the preparation of Turky's Risk Reduction Plan (TARAP), existing national and international plans have been reviewed, targets have been set, stakeholders have been identified and analysis work is in progress.

    Cash-based programming

    The Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) Program has been in operation since November 2016, aiming to assist 1.5 million people from among the immigrants in Turkey who fit the criteria that was determined pursuant to discussions between the Republic of Turkey and the European Union. Beneficiaries are given monthly financial aid of TRY 120 per person via the Kizilaykart.

    Emphasis was placed on alleviating the problems of displaced persons; developing fund-raising organizations, the coordination between humanitarian aid actors and data capacity, and the importance of local-level efforts in the World Humanitarian Summit. In this context, Kizilaykart Program provides financial aid for foreigners living in Turkey and grants them the freedom of choosing for themselves. The program is implemented in cooperation with both United Nations’ agencies and governmental institutions. The ESSN program is conducted with Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Ministry of Family and Social Policies (ASPB), ​ Ministry of Interior - General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİGM) and Ministr of Interior -  Directorate General of Migration Management (GİGM).

    The Conditional Cash Tranfer for Education (CCTE) program is carried out with AFAD, UNICEF, Ministry of National Education (MEB), ASPB, ​NVİGM, GİGM and is funded by ECHO. The funds for the programs are multi-annual and long-term. Applications for the ESSN and ​CCTE programs are compiled over a database integrated with public systems. Using these programs, the data of foreigners living in Turkey is recorded.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Information management/tools
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    High number of stakeholders from public, private sector adds complexity to coordination efforts.

    Keywords

    Cash, Displacement, Education, Local action, Strengthening local systems

  • 4B
    Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

    Individual Commitments (8)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey commits to effectively support seismic retrofit strategies.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to implement the requirements of the "The Ankara Initiative", which commits Turkey to support those countries working on developing against land degradation and drought and promoting Sustainable Land Management, and on enhancing rights to property and resources, especially for women and most vulnerable groups. Turkey commits to support the work which aims to understand the linkages between land degradation, drought and desertification and social instability and migration. Turkey commits to support the work, through technical training, for the establishment and development of drought early warning systems in the most vulnerable countries.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to implement the requirements of the United Nations Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD) and to strengthen the Convention'™s implementation.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to join the efforts in achieving Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030.


    • Partnership
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to work on the implementation of "public-private partnership" in the humanitarian assistance field. Turkey strongly believes that this approach will help to ensure the effective use of limited resources, strengthen the accountability and transparency of the system and prevent the recurrence of humanitarian crises.


    • Partnership
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey supports the commitments under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will continue to develop effective models and programmes at the national level in order to reduce possible future risks and losses, with the aim of creating a disaster resilient society.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will share its "Disaster-Prepared Turkey" project with the international community in order to create further awareness for better disaster-preparedness at the national, regional and global levels.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to improve the understanding, anticipation and preparedness for disaster and climate-related risks by investing in data, analysis and early warning, and developing evidence-based decision-making processes that result in early action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management (including resilience)

    Current efforts to strengthen disaster risk management at the national, regional and global levels are coordinated by Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). AFAD is a member of European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR).

    The National Earthquake Strategy and Action Plan 2023 (UDSEP-2023) has been in effect since 2012. The Regulation Preparation Commission updates the regulations for buildings to be constructed in earthquake-prone regions.

    A workshop on 'The Role of Local Authorities in the Building of Disaster Resilient Communities' was held on 10-11 May 2018 in Kocaeli province. The aim of the workshop was to better define the role of local authorities and empower them in order to raise awareness within the scope of the “Making Cities Resilient” campaign launched by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). During the workshop, which aimed at contributing to institutional capacity strengthening, relevant groups came together to discuss the problems encountered in Turkey in a multi-dimensional and disciplinary manner and to recommend solutions after listening to the presentations about the “formation of resilient cities”.

    Preparedness

    Turkey is a signatory to the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Nevertheless, becoming a party to the Agreement is still under consideration, as Turkey’s expectations regarding the post-2020 climate regime are not being met and a viable solution to the country's special circumstances is not being found.

    However, Turkey has carried on to maintain efforts in reducing climate change-related disaster risks within the “Natural Disaster Risk Governance” section of the Climate Change Adaptation National Strategy and Action Plan. Moreover, and Adaptation to Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan for the Black Sea is in effect.

    On the basis of UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, as the focal points, have conducted joint projects towards adaptation to climate change.

    The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have made efforts to tackle land degradation within the framework of climate change adaptation.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Information management/tools
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Turkey will continue to support the commitments set forth by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Continue to plan for sustainable urban transportation, innovative production, improving social adaptation and health.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Bilateral and multilateral cooperation must be enhanced to allow for transfer of know-how in disaster risk reduction, to allow for a complete preparedness.  

    Keywords

    Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, Strengthening local systems, Urban

  • 4C
    Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

    Individual Commitments (9)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey commits to continue its humanitarian assistance efforts, focusing not only on the vital and urgent needs of the affected people, but also on their medium and long term needs, in order to strengthen their resilience where needed. In this regard, Turkey will continue to make sure that its urgent humanitarian assistance teams also include experts in the development field, for the transition from humanitarian assistance to development assistance where needed.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to encourage and support the active participation of its non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in humanitarian interventions with a view to aligning actions for sustainable development goals.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to further develop academic and expert studies concerning contemporary challenges of the humanitarian work in light of its recent experiences. With this aim, a special academic research center on humanitarian issues has recently been established in the Gaziantep University.


    • Policy
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey commits to support new approaches and efforts to explore, develop and adopt innovative means in cooperation with the private sector at national, regional and global levels to facilitate investments in the recipient countries to enhance employment and income generation opportunities.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey reiterates its readiness to share its experience and expertise in its policies helping to overcome humanitarian-development divide for the benefit of those in need in relevant crises such as ones of recurrent and protracted nature.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will continue to share its "know-how" relating to innovative practices like the e-food cards for financially assisting Syrians living in temporary protection centers. It will strive to enhance its response and prioritizes respect for human dignity.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will continue to share national models, programmes and good practices and expand cooperation at the regional and international levels.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will continue to strengthen the ongoing coordination among its national institutions in charge of development and humanitarian assistance in order to ensure the planning and distribution of financial resources in an efficient and effective manner.


    • Operational
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    • Turkey will strive to enhance its planning and coordination efforts at the national level with the aim of increasing the contributions of individuals, civil society organizations and the private sector in the humanitarian field and carry out due consultation processes with these stakeholders to this end.


    • Partnership
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis and planning towards collective outcomes

    A Research and Implementation Institute for Humanitarian Crisis Response was established in Gaziantep. The Institute organized events to elaborate on effects of the humanitarian crisis in Syria and figure out how to improve the services provided for Syrians in Turkey. Projects within the Facility for Refugees in Turkey are ready to be implemented. Cooperation between Turkish stakeholders and international partners, particularly UN agencies has been enhanced. AFAD and TIKA have cooperatedg in field operations e.g. Somalia and Myanmar. Innovative solutions in the field are in progress. E-food card program allowed savings. Employment opportunities are provided for women in Africa through projects for self-employment. Turkish private sector supported transfer of entrepreneurial know-how to partner countries particularly in infrastructure capacity building. UNDP technical cooperation projects were revised to include social infrastructure projects for Syrians. The World Humanitarian Summit provided a new conceptual approach  which has led to the New Way of Working (NWOW).

    The scope and the volume of Turkey's development assistance and humanitarian aid have increased in the last years. Turkey not only distributes humanitarian assistance to those who are in need, but also provides basic services such as education and health. 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Better coordination among bilateral and multilateral actors providing humanitarian and development assistance is needed. Stakeholders need to align their activities with the needs assessment document. Different institutional cultures hamper efficient coordination. National legal framework needs to be reviewed for effective implementation of the projects.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Various mechanisms which combine humanitarian and development aid systems on the basis of local conditions must be comparably presented to the donor community. Developing a culture of working together and preventing duplications is essential. Private sector should be encouraged to contribute also in social, environmental and ethical terms.

    Keywords

    Cash, Displacement, Gender, Humanitarian-development nexus

  • 5A
    Invest in local capacities

    Individual Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey calls for more support and funding tools to frontline responders, by reconfiguring the international financing system to allow critical front-line responding actors, particularly national governments, to access adequate, timely and quality funding on a fair basis by: providing support to capacity investment for frontline responders on a multi-year basis and bringing development approaches and expertise to bear on these efforts, and funding these activities both out of humanitarian and development budget lines; significantly increasing long-term investment in the functional and operational capacity of frontline responders; creating incentives for international actors to channel a greater proportion of their funds, on reasonable terms, to local and national front-line responders; reducing barriers to accessing funding by simplifying and harmonizing partner capacity assessments and application and reporting requirements; ensuring front-line responders are included in collective coordination platforms and response processes have a seat at the table in collective response processes.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Capacity building of national/local actors

    - Turkey’s development-oriented humanitarian operations mainly in Afghanistan, Palestine and Somalia support local and national systems for long-term resilience.
    - In light of the role of Turkish local administrations in the overall response to the Syrian refugee influx, Turkey has been emphasizing the enhancement of the local capacity in its aid operations particularly in countries affected from displacement.
    - Turkey, through its infrastructure development activities in the Euprates Shield Region in Syria, has contributed significantly to the health, education and other necessary infrastructure in the region, hence enhancing local services  for the population.

    Regarding Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey, activities such as adaptation to Turkey, provision of information on legal rights and humanitarian services; language education in Turkish, Arabic and English, and professional training; individual and group psychosocial support activities, group therapies, individual therapies; drama, music and workshop activities for children; and information meetings, handicrafts, garment manufacture, art and design training for women; field work (determination of need etc.), case tracking and protection are carried out under the roof of Community Centers.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Authorities of affected countries should cooperate with incoming aid teams. Insufficient funds for capacity-building projects, low quality of projects submitted by stakeholders and limited human resources at the local level are main challenges.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Effective working relations between local actors and international stakeholders based on mutual trust are vital. Activities for awareness raising on the role of local capacity should be conducted for donors and funders.

    Keywords

    Community resilience, Displacement, Education, Local action, Strengthening local systems

  • 5B
    Invest according to risk

    Core Commitments (2)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to invest in risk management, preparedness and crisis prevention capacity to build the resilience of vulnerable and affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Pursuant to the Law on the Regeneration of Areas under Risk of Disaster, there is need to improve environmental conditions. Urban transformation projects have been carried out in order to create safe urban areas. Current efforts to strengthen disaster risk management at the national, regional and global levels are coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). AFAD is a member of European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR).

    The National Earthquake Strategy and Action Plan 2023 (UDSEP-2023) has been in effect since 2012. The Regulation Preparation Commission updates the regulations for buildings to be constructed in earthquake-prone regions.

    - Training programs have been conducted in the fields of risk management, preparedness, prevention and risk reduction.
    - Two projects, “Update of Turkey Seismic Hazard Map” and “Improvement of Earthquake Hazard Analysis and Hazard Maps”, have been completed. Based on the outcomes of these projects, earthquake hazard maps were produced.
    - Construction of most of the 27 logistical support depots are completed or close to completion.
    - As of end of 2017, transformation studies in 216 risky areas with a total population of 1.7 million have started.
    - An Urbanism Forum was held in January 2017 and the Urban Transformation Commission has released its legislation studies regarding the scope of risky areas and buildings.
    - The goal of renewing 7.5 million risky buildings was set. The aim is to transform 500,000 houses per year for the next 15 years.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Enhancing coordination and preventing duplications in assistance are most needed. Human resource development in risk management, reduction and preparedness will further advance the transformation.

    Keywords

    Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, Urban

  • 5C
    Invest in stability

    Individual Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Commitment Type
    • Core Responsibility

    • Turkey commits to allocating additional, predictable resources to the Peacebuilding Fund in the manner of US $1 million by 2020 ($200,000 annually for a period of 5 years) to allow the Fund to continue operations at the current level of $100 million by year.


    • Financial Contribution ()
    • Political Leadership to Prevent and End Conflicts Invest in Humanity

    • Turkey commits to continue its financial contribution to the mediation efforts of the UN.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity

    • Turkey will continue to support the efforts of the Secretary General for the review of the UN peacebuilding and peacekeeping activities with an understanding "to bring conflict prevention and mediation back to the fore". In this regard, Turkey will be supportive of efforts for providing the UN with the necessary financial means for realizing this objective.


    • Financial
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Investing in stability in its region and beyond has long constituted an important agenda item for Turkey, particularly in the last decades. Turkey’s engagement included humanitarian operations by the Turkish stakeholders (AFAD, TIKA, Turkish Red Crescent and Turkish NGOs) in conflict-affected countries. Turkey also actively contributes to multilateral efforts on different themes with a common objective to enhance stability, like UN Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Friends of Mediation and Alliance of Civilizations and promote multilateral consultation mechanisms among countries.

    Turkey focuses on raising awareness and capacity-building for prevention as a part of the conflict cycle in international and regional organizations. Turkey simultaneously co-chairs three distinct mediation-focused initiatives within the UN, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), convenes two annual Mediation Conferences as well as the “Mediation for Peace” Certificate Program for officials from OIC Member States. All of these annual activities were also realized in 2018 and aimed to reach a wide audience and raise awareness on the importance of prevention in conflict resolution.

    Turkey is a police and troop contributing country for various UN peace operations. Turkey contributed USD 160,000 to the UN Peacebuilding fund and USD 128,000 to the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) for the year 2018. 

    Turkey is the  co-sponsor as well as the biggest financial and political supporter of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which is an important soft-power prevention tool with a lot of potential. Turkey strongly supported and contributed to the effective implementation of UN Alliance of Civilization's projects throughout the year. 

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Adherence to standards and/or humanitarian principles
    • Joined-up humanitarian-development analysis, planning, funding and/or response
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    The most effective way to prevent crises and provide stability is to reduce the impact of risk factors which requires a holistic approach. Identifying those factors which may turn out to be root causes and eliminating them require, among other things, cooperation and support of host countries and coordinated action among regional and international actors.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Turkey will continue to assist the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) in his efforts to bring fore his vision of surge diplomacy. Turkey will take benefit of all related platforms to strengthen the normative basis of mediation and enhance UN mediation support capacities. Turkey will continue to work on creating synergies between Alliance of Civilizations and Mediation for Peace and fully realizing each initiative's aims and purposes.

  • 5D
    Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing

    Core Commitments (3)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to enable coherent financing that avoids fragmentation by supporting collective outcomes over multiple years, supporting those with demonstrated comparative advantage to deliver in context.
    • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    • Commit to broaden and adapt the global instruments and approaches to meet urgent needs, reduce risk and vulnerability and increase resilience, without adverse impact on humanitarian principles and overall action (as also proposed in Round Table on "Changing Lives").
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Turkey conducts two thousand development projects annually and has reached 150 countries. Turkey has increased its assistance more than 50-fold since 2003 and became the second largest donor country in 2015, 2016 and the most generous donor in 2017. Turkey has also been the most generous donor according to the ratio of its assistance to its GNP. In the last decade, resilience enhancement has become a core part of Turkey’s assistance program. Personnel skills and competences engaging in international assistance activities have been developed through training programs. In response to the Syrian crisis, Turkish institutions under the coordination of AFAD developed a professional approach and a sound humanitarian aid system. An Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN), with the financial support of the EU, has been launched.

    - The list of projects to be supported in context of “Facility for Refugees in Turkey” is finalized and the projects are under progress.
    - The Working Group on Action against Gender Violence has been established with the participation of the public institutions and relevant UN agencies to further improve the services provided to Syrian women in Turkey.
    - The number of refugees benefited from the monthly cash transfer within the ESSN has increased significantly.
    - Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) assistance program was launched in 2017 for children of refugees and asylum seekers who reside in Turkey under temporary protection or international protection. Implementation of the program continued in 2018. Girl students in the CCT program are favoured.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Funding amounts
    • Multi-stakeholder coordination
    • Other: Transparancy
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Funding and/or financing must be conducted in the most transparent way for accountability. 

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) assistance program was launched in 2017 for children of refugees and asylum seekers who reside in Turkey under temporary protection or international protection. The Turkish Red Crescent has been working with its counterparts to implement similar projects in other parts of the world. Such initiatives are needed to make a collective progress. 

    Keywords

    Cash, Community resilience, Displacement, Gender

  • 5E
    Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency

    Core Commitments (1)

    • Commitment
    • Core Responsibility
    • Commit to promote and increase predictable, multi-year, unearmarked, collaborative and flexible humanitarian funding toward greater efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability of humanitarian action for affected people.
    • Invest in Humanity
    1. A. Highlight concrete actions taken between 1 January – 31 December 2018 to implement the commitments which contribute to achieving this transformation. Be as specific as possible and include any relevant data/figures as well as any good practices and examples of innovation.

    Turkey increased its assistance more than 50-fold since 2003 and maintained its second biggest donor country status in 2017 and the “most generous” donor status according to ratio of its assistance to its GNP. In the 8th year of the Syrian crisis, Turkey’s support for Syrians in Turkey exceeded USD 35 billion. Syrians living in various cities in Turkey are provided services funded by public institutions, local administrations and NGOs. In these efforts, Turkey introduced cost efficient solutions like the e-card program. On the other hand, Turkey actively engages in international efforts especially after the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) on diversification of resources.

    T​urkey offers free health and education services to almost 3.5 million Syrians within its borders. The Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) coordinates services provided to the Syrians in temporary accommodation centers through the Disaster Temporary Urban Management System (AFKEN), a software program developed by Turkish engineers.

    The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) assistance program was launched in 2017 for children of refugees and asylum seekers who reside in Turkey under temporary protection or international protection.

    In order to ensure cost efficiency, relevant Turkish humanitarian and development institutions strengthened their cooperation.

    2. A. Please select no more than 3 key challenges faced in implementing the commitments related to this transformation. Only the categories selected by the organisation will be seen below.
    • Data and analysis
    • Institutional/Internal constraints
    B. How are these challenges impacting achievement of this transformation?

    Need to coordinate humanitarian and development assistance in a more effective manner. Duplications are caused by lack of communication and systematic planning should be reduced by better interagency communication.

    3. What steps or actions are needed to make collective progress to achieve this transformation?

    Effective management of scarce resources and diversification of resources should be the primary objective of international community, along with multi-stakeholder coordination. 

    Keywords

    Cash, Displacement, Education, Humanitarian-development nexus

Attachments

  • Additional notes on 1C_Turkey reporting 2018
    Transformation - 1C | Community resilience