Location: Turkey - Istanbul 

Situation:

Due to its strategic geographical position, its commercial influence and its proximity to the Greek coast, Turkey attracts migrants from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Asia, in pursuit of the imagined European dreamland. The country refuses, however, to provide the usual protection to asylum seekers, abandoning this  growing, destitute population.

Activities:

Doctors of the World (DOW), in partnership with a Turkish human rights organisation,  advocates for migrants to be to able to access the health system and denounces violations of their human rights, particularly when they are locked up in Kumkapi detention centre. To this end, the organisation collects medical and social information and highlights European countries' responsibilities in this context. In addition, operational and financial support has enabled a socio-medical centre for information, exchange and harm reduction to be opened. Finally, DOW supports organisations defending human rights.

Outlook:

DOW wants to focus, with Turkish organisations, its work on internally displaced persons (mainly Kurds) and migrants passing through the country. As part of this, we will compare our data with those of the host countries and, in this way, contribute to a review of European policy towards refugees and asylum seekers.