Human Resource Development Foundation (İKGV)

Type of organization
National

City/Province of head office
İstanbul

Other cities/Cities you operate in
Ankara, Bilecik, Kütahya, Eskişehir, Ağrı and Van

Human Resource Development Foundation (IKGV) was established in 1988 by businesspeople and academics who came together to contribute to the development of human resource in reproductive health/sexual health and migration. 

The “emigration of Turks” from Bulgaria in 1989 marked the first step of the work of IKGV in migration. This was followed by the relief the wounded in the war in Bosnia, and the efforts for the Kosovar who emigrated to Turkey in 1993.

With a collaboration launched with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1999, IKGV included delivery of services and consultancy to refugees and asylum-seekers in Turkey in migration program.

The conditions and requirements in Turkey led IKGV to be more effective the fight against human trafficking, and the Foundation launched its “Anti-Human Trafficking Program” in 2003. Under the program, direct support services were offered to survivors of human trafficking until the end of 2016. From the early years of the program until today, IKGV has continued to work in collaboration with civil society organizations and government institutions to protect the rights of the oppressed.

As the implementation partner of UNHCR, IKGV has offered psychosocial support to refugees and asylum-seekers, including children, in 7 provinces since 2007: Ankara, Ağrı, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Kütahya, İstanbul and Van. Refugee support offices work to inform the clients about their rights, to offer psychosocial and legal support, to take actions to protect vulnerable groups, to identify defenseless cases and refer them to financial aid, and adopts a community-based approach in these cities by developing structures and procedures to facilitate communication, dialogue and mutual support. The project team has a good collaboration with official institutions and CSOs in these cities to improve the overall conditions for refugees and asylum-seekers and to maximize the capacity to deliver necessary services to refugees and asylum-seekers.

With the increase in the number of Syrian refugees in İstanbul, IKGV created a separate office in 2014 that was dedicated for offering protection service to Syrian refugees. This unit is based in Esenler district. It offers psychosocial support and functions as a community center for Syrian refugees and host communities.

IKGV is a founding member of the Refugee Council of Turkey. It is an internationally accredited CSO by the UNFPA, and is a special consultant at UN ECOSOC.