Deadline: 06-Aug-2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting organizations in Türkiye to partner in delivering protection and assistance services for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons. The partnership focuses on child protection, gender-based violence (GBV), community-based protection, case management, psychosocial support, and improved access to asylum procedures and essential services across multiple locations in Türkiye.
UNHCR Partnership Opportunity in Türkiye: Protection and Assistance for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has launched a partnership opportunity to identify qualified organizations that can support the protection and assistance needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons in Türkiye.
The initiative seeks experienced partners to strengthen community-based protection, improve access to asylum and essential public services, provide specialized support for vulnerable individuals, and enhance protection responses for people facing displacement-related risks.
Program Overview
The partnership aims to strengthen Türkiye’s refugee protection system by working with local organizations, civil society, and service providers to deliver integrated protection services.
The programme focuses on:
- Improving access to asylum procedures.
- Strengthening community-based protection.
- Expanding child protection services.
- Preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV).
- Improving case management.
- Enhancing psychosocial support.
- Increasing access to legal and social services.
- Strengthening referral and outreach systems.
The initiative supports both immediate protection needs and longer-term inclusion through stronger links between refugee communities and national systems.
Background
Türkiye hosts one of the world’s largest refugee populations, including:
- Syrians under Temporary Protection.
- International Protection applicants.
- Refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan.
- Refugees and asylum seekers from Iraq.
- Refugees and asylum seekers from Iran.
- Stateless persons.
- Other forcibly displaced individuals.
Although national protection systems provide important services, many vulnerable individuals continue to face barriers such as:
- Limited access to registration and documentation.
- Difficulties accessing asylum procedures.
- Restricted access to healthcare.
- Barriers to education.
- Limited social protection.
- Lack of legal assistance.
- Economic hardship.
- Informal employment.
- Labour exploitation.
- Gender-based violence.
- Child protection risks.
The partnership seeks to address these challenges through coordinated, community-based interventions.
Program Objectives
The programme aims to:
- Improve access to asylum procedures and protection services.
- Strengthen case management systems.
- Enhance early identification of protection risks.
- Expand psychosocial support.
- Improve specialized protection services.
- Strengthen child protection.
- Prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
- Improve referral pathways.
- Increase community participation.
- Strengthen links between refugees and national systems.
Priority Focus Areas
The partnership supports interventions in the following areas:
- Child protection.
- Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response.
- General protection.
- Community-based protection.
- Psychosocial support.
- Case management.
- Legal assistance and referrals.
- Protection counselling.
- Outreach and community engagement.
- Social protection.
- Access to health services.
- Access to education.
- Documentation support.
- Registration assistance.
Target Beneficiaries
The programme primarily supports:
- Refugees.
- Asylum seekers.
- Syrians under Temporary Protection.
- International Protection applicants.
- International Protection status holders.
- Stateless persons.
- Children at risk.
- Survivors of gender-based violence.
- People with specific protection needs.
- Vulnerable households.
The partnership also strengthens services that benefit host communities through improved coordination and inclusive protection systems.
Key Activities
Selected partners may implement activities such as:
- Protection counselling.
- Individual case management.
- Psychosocial support.
- Legal referrals.
- Community outreach.
- Protection risk identification.
- Child protection interventions.
- Gender-based violence response services.
- Safe space management.
- Referral coordination.
- Awareness sessions.
- Community engagement activities.
- Documentation and registration support.
These activities aim to ensure timely and effective assistance for vulnerable individuals.
Community-Based Protection Approach
Community-based protection is a core component of the programme.
Partners will work closely with refugee communities by:
- Conducting outreach activities.
- Strengthening community networks.
- Identifying individuals at risk.
- Facilitating referrals to specialized services.
- Encouraging community participation.
- Building trust between communities and service providers.
This approach helps identify protection concerns early and ensures people receive appropriate support.
Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence
Special attention will be given to individuals facing heightened protection risks.
Priority concerns include:
- Child labour.
- Early and forced marriage.
- Gender-based violence.
- Discrimination.
- Exploitation.
- Abuse.
- Protection risks affecting children and vulnerable adults.
Partners are expected to provide survivor-centred and child-sensitive services while strengthening prevention and referral mechanisms.
Emergency Protection Assistance
Subject to available funding, partners may provide limited emergency assistance for urgent protection needs.
Support may include:
- Short-term cash assistance.
- In-kind assistance.
- Emergency healthcare costs.
- Temporary accommodation following protection incidents.
This assistance is intended to:
- Address immediate protection risks.
- Complement existing national services.
- Provide temporary, case-by-case support.
- Help individuals stabilize until longer-term solutions are available.
Expected Outcomes
The partnership seeks to achieve:
- Improved access to registration and documentation.
- Increased access to asylum procedures.
- Stronger social protection referrals.
- Better access to specialized services.
- Improved psychosocial wellbeing.
- Stronger child protection systems.
- More effective GBV prevention and response.
- Enhanced community-based protection.
- Reduced protection risks.
- Improved safety and dignity for displaced populations.
Who Can Apply?
UNHCR is seeking qualified organizations with expertise in refugee protection and humanitarian programming.
Potential applicants include:
- National Non-Governmental Organizations (NNGOs).
- International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs).
- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
- Community-based organizations.
- Humanitarian organizations.
- Organizations specializing in child protection, GBV, psychosocial support, legal aid, or community protection.
Applicants should have demonstrated experience delivering protection services in Türkiye or similar humanitarian contexts.
Eligibility Expectations
Organizations should demonstrate:
- Technical expertise in protection programming.
- Experience with refugee and asylum-seeker populations.
- Strong case management capacity.
- Financial and operational management systems.
- Experience coordinating with government institutions and humanitarian actors.
- Commitment to accountability, protection principles, gender equality, and inclusion.
How the Partnership Works
The partnership process generally includes:
- Organizations submit their partnership application or Expression of Interest.
- UNHCR evaluates technical expertise and operational capacity.
- Qualified organizations are selected based on programme priorities and geographic coverage.
- Selected partners deliver protection services in collaboration with UNHCR and national stakeholders.
- Programme implementation is monitored to ensure quality, accountability, and impact.
Why This Partnership Matters
Refugees and asylum seekers often face multiple barriers to safety, legal protection, and essential services.
This partnership helps to:
- Strengthen refugee protection systems.
- Improve access to asylum and documentation.
- Expand child protection services.
- Prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
- Improve psychosocial wellbeing.
- Strengthen community resilience.
- Enhance coordination between humanitarian actors and national institutions.
- Reduce protection gaps across Türkiye.
The initiative supports both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term protection outcomes.
Tips for a Strong Application
Organizations can strengthen their application by:
- Demonstrating expertise in protection programming.
- Highlighting experience with refugees and asylum seekers.
- Showing successful child protection or GBV interventions.
- Presenting strong case management systems.
- Demonstrating partnerships with local authorities and service providers.
- Explaining community-based protection approaches.
- Showing robust monitoring and accountability mechanisms.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these common application errors:
- Submitting incomplete organizational information.
- Providing limited evidence of technical expertise.
- Failing to demonstrate experience with vulnerable populations.
- Presenting unclear referral or case management systems.
- Not explaining operational capacity.
- Overlooking community engagement strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the purpose of this UNHCR partnership opportunity?
The initiative seeks qualified organizations to strengthen protection services, humanitarian assistance, and community-based support for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons in Türkiye.
Who can apply?
National and international NGOs, civil society organizations, humanitarian agencies, and community-based organizations with relevant experience in protection, child protection, GBV response, psychosocial support, or legal assistance are encouraged to apply.
What are the programme’s main focus areas?
The partnership focuses on child protection, gender-based violence prevention and response, general protection, case management, psychosocial support, community outreach, asylum access, and referral systems.
Who will benefit from the programme?
The initiative supports Syrians under Temporary Protection, international protection applicants and status holders, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, children at risk, survivors of gender-based violence, and other individuals with specific protection needs.
Will emergency financial assistance be available?
Subject to funding availability, partners may provide limited short-term cash or in-kind assistance for urgent protection needs, such as emergency health expenses or temporary accommodation following protection incidents.
Where will the programme be implemented?
The partnership will operate across multiple locations in Türkiye, supporting predominantly urban refugee populations through community-based protection approaches.
Why is this partnership important?
The programme strengthens access to asylum procedures, protection services, psychosocial support, child protection, and gender-based violence response while reducing protection risks and improving the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of refugees and other vulnerable populations.
Conclusion
The UNHCR Partnership Opportunity in Türkiye provides an important opportunity for experienced organizations to strengthen protection systems and improve access to essential services for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons. Through community-based protection, child protection, gender-based violence prevention, psychosocial support, and stronger referral mechanisms, the initiative aims to reduce protection gaps, enhance self-reliance, and improve the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable populations across Türkiye.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
