CERF provides $2 Million for refugees in Turkey

9 May 2012: Unrest in Syria has lead to the displacement of thousands of people fleeing violence into the neighbouring countries of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.

To date, the Government of Turkey, with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has led the response to the population influx. Camps providing shelter to some 24,000 refugees have been established in ten locations where their food, accommodation and medical needs are met. During March and April 2012, a mass influx of an additional 15,000 people into Turkey prompted the Government to request international assistance.

In response, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) provided US$2 million in rapid response funding to two UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist refugees.

UNHCR was given $1.3 million to provide shelter assistance to 13,000 people in support of the efforts of the Turkish Red Crescent and coordination by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of the Prime Ministry.

A grant of $462,000 was given to IOM to procure and distribute non-food items to 10,000 people, including beds, clothing and kitchen sets, among other items.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received more than $325,000 from CERF to ensure refugee children resume schooling and provide psycho-social support to affected children.

CERF funding will enable UN agencies and IOM to provide timely support to Syrian refugees and help pave the way for additional resource mobilization to address the priority needs of refugees as identified in the UN Country Team’s Regional Response Plan.