Migrant Assistance

At the heart of all migration, management is ensuring the protection of all migrants’ human rights.  Some categories of migrants are more vulnerable and in need of special protection and assistance, such as:

• Trafficked persons,
• Exploited migrants,
• Separated or unaccompanied migrant children,
• Refugees,
• Asylum seekers,
• Stateless persons,
• Displaced, stranded migrants,
• Migrants caught in crisis,
• Minority groups,
• Women, the elderly, disabled, and youth.

During crisis situations or complex migration flows, it is particularly important to identify the specific needs of the vulnerable migrants to provide them with assistance and protection. 

IOM assists migrants by providing policy and technical guidance to assist voluntary return and reintegration (AVRR), counter-trafficking activities, and general assistance for stranded and vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied minors.

IOM Turkey continues to support the Turkish government to strengthen the National Referral Mechanism for Trafficked Persons and to establish a National Referral System for AVRR. In order to further assist migrants, IOM Turkey aims to:

• strengthen institutional capacities of government stakeholders
• enhance cooperation and coordination at national and regional levels
• initiate a needs-based approached to ensure the protection of vulnerable migrants entering irregularly.