The Research Centre on Asylum and Migration (İGAM)

Organisation type
National

HQ location (City/Province)
Ankara

Other locations / Cities where you operate
-

IGAM, The Research Centre on Asylum and Migration, was founded in 2013 by a group of academics, researchers, journalists and humanitarian workers, as an independent and non-profit association to fill the void of there not beeing any independent research center in Turkey dealing with asylum and migration.

The purpose of the organization is to contribute to the development of international refugee laws and principals, and to promote the effective implementation of these in Turkey. The main activities of the organisation are to conduct academic studies on this subject, support academic research, create database, raise public awareness, organize training and establish networks. IGAM, with the Refugee Information and Support Centre, provides legal and psychosocial support as well as informing and guiding refugees about access to services. IGAM supports the integration processes of refugees and local communities with its staff consisting of a large number of volunteers, as well as lobbying activities, media events and activities to influence decision makers. IGAM conducts activities related to the participation of girls in quality education with Gulmakai Education Championship. Participating in the UNHCR Annual NGO Consultation meetings, IGAM was selected as one of the "Best Practices in Fighting Xenophobia and Discrimination Against Refugees and Immigrants" by the UN Economic and Social Council, NGO subcommittee in 2018. With the IGAM Academy, it creates a network between academics and supports research and academic activities in the fields of asylum and migration. In addition to these, IGAM continues its awareness raising activities on all issues affecting this field with the conferences it organizes.