Date posted: April 29, 2013

The Journalists and Writers Foundation Women’s Platform, which hosts many international meetings, is organizing a workshop on “Refugee-Asylum Seeker Policy of Turkey in the Light of Recent Developments” on April 25, 2013.

Refugee issue has become a hot topic in Turkey, especially with the influx of a large number of Syrian people to Turkey due to the current conflict in Syria. In this workshop, the issues will be analyzed, related problems will be identified, and steps towards a solution will be discussed along with the Government and NGOs.

This event will be organized by the Women’s Platform of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, which has General Consultative Status in UN ECOSOC. A speech will be delivered at this workshop by Carol Batchelor, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ representative in Turkey. Several national and international NGO representatives, government officials, journalists, academicians and representatives of diplomatic missions will participate as speakers or panel participants.

The meeting will be a full-day event and will take place at the Rixos Grand Ankara Hotel. A final declaration reflecting the views of the participants will be made at the end of the workshop.

*

Workshop Program

11.00 – 12.30 – Session I

Turkey’s Refugee Policy from International Perspectives

Moderator: Prof. Ömer Çaha, Yıldız Technical University, Department of Political Science and International Relations

• Turkey’s Policy on Refugee-Asylum Seekers: Current Practices

Ms. Esen Altuğ, Deputy Director General for Immigration, Asylum and Visas, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• The UNHCR’s Focused Studies on Turkey and the Latest Updates

Ms. Carol Batchelor, UNHCR Turkey Representative

• Evolving Migration Trends and Challenges: The Case of Turkey

Ms. Meera Sethi, Chief of Mission, IOM Turkey

• NGO Perspectives on Turkey’s Refugee Policies and Practices

Mr. Oktay Durukan, Director of Helsinki Citizens Assembly (hCa) Refugee Program

12.30 – 13.30 – Lunch

13.30 – 15.00 Session II

Turkey’s Position and Its Practices Pertaining to Syrians in Turkey

Moderator: Prof. Cengiz Başak, Turkish National Police Academy, President of Criminal Justice Head Office

• A Friendly Hand Extended to the Neighbor: Syria

Mr. Turan Erkoç, Advisor, AFAD Turkey (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency)

• The Syrian Crisis from the European Union Perspective

Mr. Francois Naucodie, First Counsellor, Political Officer, Foreign Policy, Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey

• International Protection Methods and the Legal Status of Syrians in Turkey

Prof. Nuray Ekşi, Chair of the Department of Private International Law and Procedure, Yeditepe University

• Syrians in Turkey and the Relief Activities of “Kimse Yok Mu”

Mr. Metin Çetiner, Vice Chairman, “Kimse Yok Mu” Association

Discussant:

Mr. Yahya Munis- President of GÖÇ-DER

15.00-15.15 – Coffee Break

15.15 – 16.30 Session III

The New Legislation on Refugees in Turkey and The Field Studies

Moderator: Prof. Ahmet Nuri Yurdusev, Department of International Relations, Middle East Technical University

• Syrian Asylum Seekers, the Role of NGOs in Turkey, and the Status of “Satellite Cities”

Taner Kılıç, President of Mülteci-DER, Refugee Rights Coordination Representative

• The Most Hospitable Country to Refugees: Turkey

Ms. Nevval Sevindi, Journalist

• Law on Foreigners and International Protection in Turkey

Grand National Assembly of Turkey the Human Rights Inquiry Committee

Discussant:

Asst. Prof. Zeynep Şahin Mencütek – Gediz University

Migration Research Group Representative

16.30-17.00 – Coffee Break

17.00-17.30 – Session IV

Final Declaration

*

Information on JWF Women’s Platform

JWF Women’s Platform was established in order to solve several problems in an atmosphere of dialogue, in line with the purpose of Journalists and Writers Foundation. Without being advocate for or against a gender, the aim is identification and resolution of existing problems and being another wing and method of generalizing dialogue within the country.

The mission of the platform is to bring together women from different worldviews; to improve the dialogue through the common ground of being human first and then being women; and to put forward some projects for finding solutions not only for women’s problems but for those of all humanity.

Source: Women’s Platform, 28 April 2013

Tags: Journalists and Writers Foundation | Syria |