Martindale Center- Policy Briefs on the Future of Work

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Wages and Living Conditions of the Syrian Migrants in Turkey 36 36 The health of the Syrian refugees is of particular concern considering the rapid and broad spread of the pandemic. Fully 72% of refugee households interviewed indicated having limited or no information of COVID-19–related services, an increase from a previous assessment, and 44% of surveyed householdsexpressedreluctancetoapproachamedical center in case they fall ill. Furthermore, most Syrians surveyed indicated needing more information on hospitals in their respective areas that would treat COVID-19. Humanitarian organizations “are warning the pandemic of COVID-19 will have long term consequences for displaced Syrian refugees due to their type of living” (Ostrand). Policy Options Overall, the lack of protection in response to the rapid and widespread impact of COVID-19 has compounded the al- ready precarious conditions of Syrian refugees and resulted in an untenable situation, one that has pushed them toward social and economic ruin. In order to improve the prospects of refugees in Turkey, we recommend changes to policy in the following specific areas—voucher assistance program- ming, schooling, vocational training and entrepreneurship programming—and greater efforts to improve social and cul- tural understanding. As the foundation of every child’s eventual career, it is of the utmost importance that an education is made accessible to everyone. In Turkey, this means offering classes to refugees that emphasize language acquisition. A Refugees in Turkey survey conducted by Turkish Red Crescent and the World Food Programme found that 73% of refugees only had a basic command of Turkish, even after living in the country “for seven or more years.” Vocational training and entrepreneurship programming not only would improve the job prospects of refugees but also give them an opportunity to enter the formal economy, en- suring safer working conditions, benefits, and higher pay. This training also would give refugees access to more stable employment. Local solutions also are very applicable, since the conditions differ from city to city. International organizations, like the ILO and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, should cooperate with local governments, as well as the Turkish national government, to help the integration of Syrian refugees in the labor market. This can be skills- development programming or machinery maintenance or language courses. The simplification of obtaining work permits for Syrian refugees would better enable Syrian refugees to join the formal economy and escape being tied to participation in the informal economy. Turkish government programs enabling online registration or shortening the registration period would allow many more Syrian refugees to obtain legal work permits. The timing of the permit renewal should also be increased to every two years instead of annually, which will help alleviate some stress for both the employers and the workers. Collectively, these changes would better enable refugees to take part in the formal economy and afford them worker protections. The social environment also has a significant impact on Syrian refugees’ lives. An improvement in the relationship between the Syrian refugees and the host communities could have a particularly beneficial effect on the working conditions of both the Syrian refugees and Turkish native citizens. So the issue must be quickly depoliticized. Furthermore, some activities can be arranged to increase the dialogue between the twocommunities. Thiswouldhelp toalleviate instancesof xenophobia and discrimination that the refugees experience. For example, language and cultural acquisition programs or activities can be held between both Syrians and Turks. Finally, we recommend greater macroeconomic efforts to improve Turkey as a whole. As the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” When policy is passed to invigorate the Turk- ish economy, everyone benefits, including Syrian refugees. Conclusion In summary, compared to local populations, refugees are suf- fering significantly deeper economic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing economic hardships of Syrian refugees have only grown more dire. The lack of preparation for a crisis of this scale has resulted in “international and do- mestic NGOs” being “inadequate to meet the urgent needs of refugee populations,” with refugees sinking further into pov- erty. As a representative of an NGO put it, “[Syrian refugees] are not poor anymore, they are literally hungry now” (Üstübi- ci & Karadağ). The crowded living conditions of the urban areas where the majority of Syrian refugees reside do not help matters, as they must contend with both COVID-19 and the loss of work. Dempster and colleagues aptly recommend