Country: Turkey

Committee: UNHCR
Delegate: Annika Constantino

MUN Policy Paper

Introduction:
There were 19.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2015, 14.4 million of them under the
mandate of the UNHCR. Many are forced to flee from violence or warfare, collapsed infrastructure, and
for the safety and benefit of their familys future. According to a UNHCR report, developing countries
host over 86% of the worlds refugees, which is a 10% increase from ten years ago. The presence of
refugees affects the already prevailing economic, environmental, social, and sometimes political
difficulties in these countries. Refugees flood into these countries and become a substantial proportion of
the local population. The presence of these refugees places additional demands on the already strained
economies, services and infrastructure of these countries.. In many instances, refugees along with other
problems lead to a pause in the development efforts of host countries. A social impact occurs as already
struggling locals see refugees receiving service, healthcare, shelter, and more that are not even available
for the local impoverished citizens. With many hosting countries lacking in resources, food, staff, medical
care, and the ability to financially afford this in general, many refugees are left in horrible conditions. The
care given to these people are often referred to as temporary, for there are laws in many countries such
as Turkey that forbid refugees to apply for asylum. They are unable to get legal employment, property,
healthcare, etc. There needs to be a more long term solution to the ongoing problem since 2011. With no
control over how many of these refugees will, we must see what we can do to better the situations for
both the host countries as well as the refugees.
National Actions:
Turkey has become the country hosting the most refugees as of 2014. As of mid March 2015, the
population of Syrian immigrants was approximately 1.7 million. Turkish reception policies has assumed
that the conflict would come to a conclusion, allowing the Syrians to return home. But as conditions in
Syria continued to deteriorate, and the problem still unresolved in it's fifth year, it has become clear that
there needs to be a shift in policy to accommodate for a more long-term solution. Europe fears that
Turkeys border will serve as a gateway for ISILs spread. Yet Turkey cannot do anything about the
refugees, because of the rights of refugees under Turkish law that allow registered refugees to travel
freely within the country. They are persistent, and dont stop trying, and many of them lack
documentation, so they cannot be arrested. The scale of these groups is too large to ever control,
especially without the needed resources that the country itself lacks. According to a Huffington Post
report, Turkey has spent over $7.6 billion on the 2 million refugees that enter their country. For example
spending $2 million dollars per month trying to maintain more than 30 refugee camps. Despite the
amount of money, effort, and time spent on trying to improve conditions for incoming Syrians, many are
eager to flee to other areas of Europe. Many of them explain that there is no future in Turkey. Refugees
are not allowed to apply for asylum, they are only provided with temporary protection. The generous
protection is given to vast numbers of people, but never leads to actual legal status. Many call it being
given guest status, where they cannot receive work permits, or take advantage of health and education
services that is provided to citizens. Many Turkish citizens and the Prime Minister himself expresses
frustration to the ongoing problem. Ahmet Davutolu quotes No country has more to say on these peace

talks than Turkey because 2.5 million Syrians are in Turkey, he said. It is for us now a domestic issue if
there is no well-established peace in Syria. If Assad is sitting there in Damascus, no Syrian will go back.
UN Actions and International Actions:
In 2015 the UNHCR began working with Turkish authorities in building the countrys capacity to
accommodate the new asylum constitution and establishing a rights-based reception system. From the
outset of the Syrian crisis, UNHCR has supported Turkey through the provision of core relief items, field
monitoring and technical advice. In 2015, UNHCR will continue to support the authorities in addressing
basic needs and core protection areas. The greatest challenge will remain the size of the refugee
population and the geographical area they cover. Based on a UNHCR Resolution adopted by the General
Assembly in December 18th of 2014, the general assembly proposed and expressed concern about many
problems with the global refugee crisis. Many statements such as re-emphasizing the protection of and
assistance to internally displaced persons are primarily the responsibility of States, in appropriate
cooperation with the international community; have not been carried through with. We definitely support
all these proposals made on the 69th General Assembly, but our question is why havent any of these
great resolutions been done? It has been nearly one and a half years since they published this Resolution,
but has anything really improved?
Recommendations:
Until all war is abolished, and until it is safe enough for citizens to reintegrate, until we can
rebuild the lives of these refugees. According to Article 14(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights provides that the right to seek and to enjoy asylum. According to this law, seeking and obtaining
asylum is a definite human right, there is no need for someone to qualify. Asylum will allow refugees to
receive the proper care they deserve and will give them opportunities for healthcare, housing, education,
and employment. Education and employment will not only help integrate refugees into the community,
but will help prepare and build these peoples futures and new lives. To accommodate for the struggling
host countries and overpopulation, we should strive to have all countries contribute something, regardless
of financial status. Whether it be donating or hosting refugees, each country should put in effort to If a
country is unable to donate, then they can host refugees. Wealthier countries can donate money to
countries with struggling economies, as well as supporting poorer countries who need to accommodate
for a moderate population of refugees. There will be no abnormally large populations in host countries
once refugees are integrated more equally. Asylum granted in all countries will lessen the overpopulated
host countries such as Turkey. A lessened population will give us a chance to better benefit the conditions
of camps and will give us the financial ability to give more to those that choose to live in Turkey. Being
able to accommodate for a smaller population means camps will be able to provide larger amounts of
food for each person, there will be smaller amounts of refugees in housing units, and the percentage of
malnourishment and communal disease will lessen. Let us equal out the financing, the population, the
care. We ask of this from the UNHCR Executive Committee, and more specifically High Commissioner
Filippo Grandi. No one who is fleeing from war and prosecution should be welcomed to a closed border

Work Citation
World Vision - Syria War Refugee Crisis (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.worldvision.org/news-stories-videos/syria-war-refugee-crisis

Migration Policy Research - Syrian Refugees: Turkey Long Ahead. Retrieved February 24, 2016, from
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/syrian-refugees-turkey-long-road-ahead
Left Foot Forward - What is life like in a Refugee camp? (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016,
http://leftfootforward.org/2015/09/what-life-is-like-in-a-turkish-refugee-camp/
UNHCR Pages - Turkey. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e48e0fa7f.html
UNHCR Key facts and Figures about Syrian Refugees 13, O. (1994). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.unhcr.org.uk/about-us/key-facts-and-figures.html
Do something - 11 Facts about Refugees (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2016, from
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-refugees
Todays Zaman - Syrian Refugees in Turkey. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.todayszaman.com/anasayfa_22-mln-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-struggling-demandbetter-living-conditions_404561.html
Blogs.wsj - How Turkeys porous Border with Syria ties into Islamic State Financing (n.d.). Retrieved
February 26, 2016, http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/12/02/how-turkeys-porous-border-withsyria-ties-into-islamic-state-financing/
Quora - Why Syrian Refugees dont want to claim Asylum in Turkey. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016,
from https://www.quora.com/Why-dont-Syrian-refugees-want-to-claim-asylum-in-Turkey
EURO NEWS - Gateway to Europe: Why Turkey isnt stopping the migrants. (n.d.). Retrieved February
26, 2016, from http://www.euronews.com/2015/09/22/gateway-to-europe-why-turkey-isn-tstopping-the-migrants/
NPR - Syrian Migrants: MANY reasons to leave Turkey for Europe . (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2016,
from http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/09/17/441168633/for-syrian-migrants-manyreasons-to-leave-turkey-for-europe
Stripes News - Europes Fear Turkey Porous Border Serves as Gateway for Isil spread. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 26, 2016, from http://www.stripes.com/news/europe-s-fear-turkey-s-porous-borderserves-as-gateway-for-isil-s-spread-1.291646

We must try to require any country that is capable of hosting refugees to host some
refugees.
People that dont contribute to anything.
Rich Countries

US - GDP $17.698 trillion dollars

Hosting only about 10,000 refugees, but contributing and donating

a significant amount of money.
$419 million more in humanitarian aid to assist Syrian refugees
and the countries that are hosting them
Germany - GDP $3.842 trillion dollars
Hosts a moderate amount of refugees and is not struggling
financially.
Russia - GDP $3.474 trillion dollars
Doesn't want refugees in their country but can help with
humanitarian resources
UK - GDP $2.660 trillion dollars

France - GDP $2.647 trillion dollars

Trillion Brutal to refugees and are forced to live in harsh conditions
Italy - GDP $2.174 trillion dollars
Doesnt want refugees at all, is well off.
Spain - GDP $1.636 trillion dollars
Turkey - GDP $1.576 trillion dollars
Basically host the large majority of refugees, struggling with large
amounts of them and suffering economically.

15. Spain: $1.636 trillion (up 4.1%)

17. Turkey: $1.576 trillion (up 4.1%)

Austria - GDP 395.5 billion dollars

Hosts a lot of refugees, the influx of them slowing down economic
development
Denmark - GDP 249.7 billion dollars
Greece - GDP $242.2 billion dollars

Serbia Hosts a lot of refugees, does not have the financial power to
support them.

Lebanon
Jordan

Egypt - GDP $272 billion dollars

Hosting refugees
Afghanistan - GDP $20.31 billion dollars
Iraq
Turkey

Refugee Camp Outview:

More moderate amount of refugees will give better opportunities for hosting
countries to give better quality care.

LESS POPULATION: BETTER QUALITY CAMPS

With a smaller amount of population to control, hosting countries
will be able to increase the quality of the things given to the refugees. Its like
quality over quantity. More refugees means lesser quality homes and resources.
The countries have to provide more food to large amounts of people, education
isnt granted to all, and living conditions themselves are much worst. With less
refugees means better quality everything. Instead of having to split food between
2,000 people in a camp, giving them small meals, camps will be able to split food
for 500 people, giving them much more nutritional and plentiful meals.
ASYLUM ITSELF WILL FURTHER BENEFIT REFUGEES LIVES, IT WILL
PROVIDE BETTER JOBS, EDUCATION, HOUSING, AND CAN HELP REFUGEES
INTEGRATE INTO THE SOCIETY.
EDUCATION - How to integrate refugees into countries.
Education may not seem like the most important thing, compared
to actually surviving. But it is actually vital to these refugees future.
A lot of these refugees state that they would like to move of back
to their home countries. They are thinking of their time in the hosting countries as
temporary lives. Such as many Syrians who wish to go back to Syria once able.
But as said in a TED Talk with Melissa Fleming, The average
exile of a refugee is about 17 years. Which means a very long time away from
home.
These refugees have a choice of living a new life in a European
country, or waiting until war is over and their home countries are safe to return to.
Either way, education is vital to their future.
NEW FUTURE: Life in Hosting Countries - This
option still should require education. Many refugees dont feel welcomed
into hosting countries, and many locals claim them to not be contributing
anything to the society. These things are due to their lack in education.
Education should be a human right for these people, it is almost as
important as surviving. If these children are educated, they will be able to
live amongst the other kids, they will be given opportunities for future
jobs, they will become a part of the community. Adults as well, being
educated on specific jobs can help them contribute to the community.
They can be trained to be doctors, engineers, office workers, and more.
They just need the opportunity. Education is vital to their future.
WAIT TO RETURN: Waiting until Home Country is
safe: This option definitely requires education. These people are away

from their homes because of one reason, their home has fallen. The
infrastructure, the economy, everything. Their home is a place of war, and
is no longer a normal functioning community that is safe for a civilization
to develop or for people to inhabit. These people, many of them women
and children (approximately 51%), are the future of their countries. They
need to reinvent their future country. For example Syria, the young girls
and boys are the future. They will one day return and must help rebuild
their collapsed society. It is the second priority after surviving, it is the next
step. It is surviving, then moving forward. A society cannot move forward
without educated men and women. We must not think merely about
survival, but we need to think of their future, we must help them thrive. A
society needs doctors, engineers, teachers, and so much more. These
children, these people, they must be prepared for a future like this. Who
will run a place like Syria once the war is over? Who will rebuild their
society?
It is important to know that education is the first step to moving
forward after survival.

JOBS Under E.U. regulations, if they were already registered and

fingerprinted in another country, they may be unable to receive asylum benefits in
Germany at all, and unable to apply legally for work, as well. Many end up living
indefinitely in an assigned lager, or camp, which may lie far from social centers
and places of business. This supports why I believe we need to have asylum as a
human right.
Without asylum, refugees cannot apply for jobs or proper housing.
To actually become better parts of the society, refugees must be able to have
asylum.

http://www.wfp.org/emergencies/syria
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cec.html

FOOD and NUTRITIONAL VALUES

There is a clear link between nutrition and public health.
Communicable diseases brought on in part by malnutrition are responsible for
millions of preventable deaths each year. Mass population movements can result
in high rates of malnutrition, sickness and death. Shortage of food also makes
people more vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation. Poor quality diets
contribute to delayed childhood development, causing irreparable damage due to
vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
As said in the report from
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cec.html, the food provided to refugees is
extremely vial to their future and of course health. Malnutrition will not only cause

damage to younger, developing children, but can cause death in two ways.
Starvation, deprived of food, or diseases beginning because of malnutrition that
can potentially widespread in the camp.
WFP - World Food Programme is struggling to meet the needs of
more than 5 million displaced refugees in neighboring countries of Syria
1) To deliver food to people affected by conflict,
malnourished children, pregnant women and nursing mothers;
2) To provide emergency food assistance, and;
3) To offer tailored programmes focusing on relief
and recovery, school feeding and nutrition.

Brooklyn
Sammie
Other Resolutions to possibly oppose:
Spread out refugees equally around Europe
We agree with the idea of sharing the weight and having numbers lessen in hosting countries,
but we have to remember that not all countries can financially afford an intake of refugees. This
rule should be spread out refugees to countries that are economically capable of hosting
refugees. No country should reject refugees, only if necessary. Countries who are very well off
financially should all be hosting even a small amount of refugees. It should not be whether or
not a country wants them, for these people are desperate. If each capable country can afford to
host even a few refugees, it will benefit all hosting countries. It will even out the influx of
refugees in each country, and will provide better lifestyle for these people. Our countries need to
work in union to benefit this situation.
We must rely on the richer countries to take the extra step in this situation. Poorer countries are
hosting refugees as well, and are suffering financially because of them. Well off countries can
extend a helping hand and possibly donate money to the countries that cannot control the large
amount of refugees.
We must equally share the load of this situation, whether it be donating money to those in need,
or hosting these refugees themselves.
How to respond to people that say I do not want refugees,
There will be countries that say they cannot afford to have refugees, that they do not want them
or need them. They say that it hurts their economy and will just hurt the land.
The only excuse to not help would be not being
able to financially afford it.
We believe that it is all of our duty as countries of the UNHCR to do our best to help these
refugees and our neighboring countries to benefit this problem to an extent. To work in union is
what we must do. Each country here should be contributing something, whether it be donating

money to the countries who host, or hosting a moderate amount of refugees. It is unfair to say
that you dont want anything to do with refugees. This is our world, this is our committee. How
selfish can we be to not do anything about it. Even very little things help. Yes, the refugees can
sometimes cause difficulties in countries economically, socially, etc. But that happens with all
these countries.
For countries getting hurt by refugees and struggling financially, and now wanting to drive them
out. Join us and we will try to distribute funding to countries like that.
It is fine to be incapable of not holding refugees, but you need to contribute somehow.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY CANNOT HOLD REFUGEES DUE TO CRISIS BUT ALSO
CANNOT DONATE MONEY
How to respond to those that cannot donate and those that cannot afford to hold refugees.
What happens to those countries?

UNHCR is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, with 86 per cent coming from
governments and the European Union. Six per cent comes from other inter-governmental
organizations and pooled funding mechanisms, while a further six per cent is from the private
sector, including foundations, corporations and the general public. In addition, the agency
receives a limited subsidy (2 per cent) from the UN regular budget for administrative costs, and
accepts in-kind contributions, including items such as tents, medicines, trucks and air transport.
The top five donors in 2012 were the United States, Japan, the European Commission, Sweden
and the Netherlands.
European Commision is an executive of the Europe Union.

Funding: Who will it go to?

The money that we will acquire will go to the companies that can afford to have refugees. We
are aware that not all countries can support refugees. But those that do can be the ones to
receive the donated money. Any country that is suffering because of a large influx of refugees
should be given the money. There wont really be any countries that offer more than others, for
once asylum is proven to be a human right, there will be equal amounts of opportunities in all
countries.

The money will go to countries that are struggling with their economy due to too many refugees.
Money isnt the first priority, for once things are evened out with population, there will be less
problems financially for host country.