A research carried out by the Ipsos Research Company and Human Development Foundation (Ingev) has revealed that an estimated three-fourths of Syrians in Turkey would like to become citizens.
Over half of Syrian refugees in Turkey would like to stay and live in the country in the future, according to a study carried out by the Ipsos Research Company together with Human Development Foundation (Ingev).
The research was carried out with one-on-one interviews on a sample of 1,282 Syrians in 10 provinces with a high percentage of refugees, mainly in border areas in south-east Turkey. Three out of four Syrians polled said they would like to obtain Turkish citizenship - an idea also suggested in the past by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, without mentioning who would be affected by the measure nor the criteria to get a passport.
3.2 million Syrians in Turkey
According to UNHCR, Turkey hosts over 3.2 million Syrians who have fled war, more than any country in the world. Less than 10 percent of the 3.2 million Syrians reported to be living in Turkey have found a place to stay at a refugee camp, mainly located in border areas. The others are distributed across the country, often in overcrowded and inadequate housing. After an 'open-door' policy that lasted for several years, the border between Turkey and Syria was closed in 2015, except under special circumstances as is the case for those who have been seriously wounded.
Syrians in Turkey have a temporary protection status that guarantees healthcare, education and social security. Yet in many cases these rights remain fine words on paper, several NGOs have denounced. The right to employment is a key issue. According to Ipsos and Ingev research, only 650,000 Syrians in Turkey have a job, about 30 percent of working-age Syrian refugees. In the majority of cases, moreover, refugees are employed illegally, underpaid and without rights. Only 15,000 working permits have been officially granted by Turkish authorities, Hurriyet reports.