Current Situation
The operational work of the UN in Türkiye in 2023 experienced significant shifts following the devastating earthquakes that struck the southeastern provinces on 6 February 2023. The widespread and multifaceted impact of these earthquakes severely undermined the progress made thus far to achieve sustainable development goals in the region.
The earthquakes inflicted extensive damage across eleven provinces: Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Şanlıurfa. The disaster affected fourteen million Turkish citizens and 1.8 million migrants, refugees, and Syrians under temporary protection (SuTP).
Action Undertaken
Following the earthquakes, the UN and its partners (INGOs, NGOs) initiated immediate response operations through OCHA, in close coordination with Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant ministries, AFAD, TRC, and local authorities. A Flash Appeal for 1 billion USD, launched on 16 February 2023 to support the government-led relief efforts, was funded for 540.8 million USD.
A Humanitarian Country Team comprising UN entities, government representatives, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC and TRC), and I/NGOs was established to ensure dedicated and coordinated support. Supporting this team was an intersectoral coordination hub in Gaziantep along with four hubs in Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Malatya. By May 2023, we provided assistance to 5.4 million people in the affected provinces.
The Turkish government, in collaboration with the UN Country Team, the World Bank, and the EU, formulated the Türkiye: Earthquakes Recovery and Reconstruction Assessment Report (TERRA). This comprehensive report offers an in-depth analysis of the disaster’s financial impact, estimating total damages and losses at 103.6 billion USD.
In July 2023, the UN Country Team in Türkiye developed a recovery framework together with its partners. This framework emphasizes the humanitarian-development nexus to ensure continued support to the government’s Earthquake response following OCHA’s departure in mid-August 2023. Aligning with government and local partner priorities, the UNSDCF 2021–2025, and the 3RP, it focuses on addressing ongoing humanitarian needs, supporting economic recovery, revitalizing social services and development, and promoting resilience and sustainability.
As a complementary and advisory body to the UN Country Team Plus (UNCT+), an Area-Based Coordination Team (ABC Team) was established in Gaziantep to coordinate UN activities in support of the government’s response, to enhance inter-agency coordination efforts, and to foster collaboration. This team includes representation from the Local Humanitarian and INGO Forums and operates through hub-level coordination in Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Malatya.
A comprehensive approach is necessary to effectively advance resilience and create sustainable solutions within the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This involves integrating Disaster Risk Reduction, embracing the Building Back Better strategy, and prioritizing the Leave No One Behind principle—all of which are in alignment with Türkiye’s Vision 2030.
1 Yardım çalışmaları kapsamında oluşturulan sektörler: Eğitim, Acil Barınma/Gıda Dışı Malzemeler, Gıda Güvencesi ve Geçim Kaynakları, Sağlık ve Beslenme, Koruma, Geçici Yerleşim Desteği, Su, Sanitasyon ve Hijyen (WASH), Çok Amaçlı Nakdi Yardım ve Sosyal Koruma, Erken Toparlanma ve Enkaz Kaldırma, Lojistik ve Acil Durumda Telekomünikasyon.
2 https://reliefweb.int/report/turkiye/turkiye-earthquakes-recovery-andreconstruction-assessment
3 Hasar analizi; sosyal sektörler (konut, eğitim, sağlık bakım hizmetleri, istihdam, çevre), altyapı sektörleri (su ve sanitasyon, belediye hizmetleri, enerji, ulaştırma, iletişim) ve ekonomik sektörler (tarım, madencilik, imalat sanayii, turizm) tarafından gerçekleştirildi. TERRA Raporu’nda dirençli, kapsayıcı, yeşil ve sürdürülebilir deprem sonrası toparlanma süreci için temel bir ilke olarak Afetlerde Risk Azaltma çalışmalarının yapılması gerektiğini vurgulanmaktadır. TERRA, Daha İyiyi Yeniden İnşa Et [Build Back Better] girişimini vurgulayarak, özellikle sismik açıdan yüksek risk taşıyan bölgelerde dayanıklı altyapılara ve kapsayıcı karar alım sürecine duyulan ihtiyacın altını çizmektedir. Acil yardım, iyileştirme ve yeniden imar süre.lerinin tüm aşamalarında “Kimseyi Geride Bırakma” [Leave no one behind (LNOB)] SKA ilkesinin uygulanması zaruri görülmektedir.
4 Koruma, Ekonomik Güçlenme, Sağlık, Eğitim, Afetlerde Risk Azaltma ve Çevre, Su, Sanitasyon ve Hijyen [Water, Sanitation, Hygene (WASH)], Barınma, Geçici Yerleşim Desteği, Temel İhtiyaçlar, Nakit Temelli Müdahaleler [Cash-Based Interventions (CBI)], İnsani Yardım Faaliyetlerinde Kadının Güçlenmesi Çalışma Grubu [Women Empowerment in Humanitarian Action (WEHA) Working Group], Cinsel Sömürü ve İstismarın Еnlenmesi [Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)], Etkilenen Topluluklara Karşı Hesap Verebilirlik [Accountability to Affected. Populations (AAP)], Engelli Dahiliyeti Görev Ekibi [Disability Inclusion Task Team (DITT)], Depreme Yönelik Çözümler ve Hareketlilik Analiz Ekibi [Earthquake Solutions and Mobility Analysis Team (ESMAT)], Bilgi Yönetimi Çalışma Grubu [Information Management Working Group (IMWG)]