Snapshot
Entities sharing this good practice: Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN) and Refugee Rights Turkey (RRT)
Submitted by: Leila Shifteh, Deputy Director of Global Advocacy and Strategy
Key stakeholders: Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN) and Refugee Rights Turkey (RRT)
Visit their website: https://refugeesolidaritynetwork.org/ l http://mhd.org.tr/tr
Link to the Platform: https://multecihukuku.net/
Link to video about the Platform: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iz04ucorLU
Good Practice
Established in 2014, Refugee Solidarity Network (RSN), based in the United States, collaborates with civil society advocates in refugee host countries to improve legal protection of those displaced from their homes. Since 2015, RSN has partnered with Türkiye-based NGO Refugee Rights Turkey (RRT). Together, their comprehensive partnership seeks to enhance legal protection afforded to refugees at the individual and community level while building capacity of the legal field to respond to refugee needs in Türkiye. Over the years, RSN and RRT have undertaken various projects and initiatives aimed at strengthening access to reliable legal information and providing specialized legal assistance for refugees within Türkiye. Additionally, they have played a key role in developing and reinforcing the skills and capacities of Türkiye’s legal professionals, contributing to a more robust legal support system for refugees in the country.
In 2020, RSN and RRT launched the Information Platform for Lawyers’ (hereinafter The Platform) available at multecihukuku.net. The Platform provides access to various resources including relevant international and national legislation on refugee law, a selection of positive court decisions as well as a collection of prepared, compiled and translated resources, including examples of administrative decisions issued by national asylum authorities, and other sample forms and documents necessary when representing asylum-seekers. These materials are relevant for lawyers’, advocates, and rights defenders.
Before the development of the Platform and its physical predecessor, the ‘Refugee Law Handbook for Lawyers’, lawyers’ representing clients reported difficulties accessing the full scope of relevant legislation applicable to refugee needs. These challenges were highlighted during focus group and evaluation sessions with provincial bar associations. The original Lawyers’ Handbook produced by RRT was among the first attempts to centralize the relevant resources, serving as the definitive reference for Turkish lawyers’ and NGO legal practitioners. It included key international standards, domestic laws and regulations, and samples of documents and decisions.
Recognizing the need for easy digital access to up-to-date legal material for advocates, RSN and RRT adapted the paper-based handbook into a mobile-friendly website-the Platform. This adaptation enabled lawyers’ to access crucial documents on the go, such as when traveling to removal centers or prior to representing clients.
The Platform is entirely in Turkish, and targets provincial bar associations across Türkiye and individual lawyers’ assigned refugee and asylum cases via the state-run legal aid system. Another important target group includes CSO practitioners at other organizations who are not necessarily lawyers’ but need access to resources for asylum law, and private lawyers’ in Türkiye who charge fees to represent refugee clients. Academic researchers working on topics like international human rights law, the situation of migrants and refugees in Türkiye, and related subjects often utilize the website as an informational resource to gain insight into Türkiye’s legal system concerning asylum-seekers.
The case law database currently (as of July 2024) contains over 100 positive judgments issued by Turkish courts on cases litigated by RRT, offering critical insights into asylum related jurisprudence, including first instance judgments. With this tool, lawyers’ and rights defenders can build stronger case strategies to protect their clients’ rights.
The Platform enables quick and convenient access to relevant domestic and international legislation, sample documents, and official forms. It helps users understand the operating rationale of Turkish courts in deciding asylum claims. The latest version includes a feature that allows users who have set up a free-of-charge account to bookmark their most-used resources. This ease of reference is particularly beneficial for lawyers’ who do not regularly represent refugees and who may wish to refer to specific case information.
Additionally, the Platform now features a full site search function. For example, if an attorney searches for “unaccompanied minors,” the Platform will return relevant legislation and case law tagged with that metadata, making navigation more efficient.
There is also a newly established online self-guided learning course for anyone interested in an introduction to refugee law in Türkiye, with plans to expand to more topics. The current module focuses on international protection and appealing administrative court decisions accessible via a registered account.
Users can now directly reach out to the RRT Lawyers’ Helpdesk through a form on the website, streamlining the process of requesting resources or connecting with other lawyers’ in specific areas of law. A capacity-building team at RRT helps create training materials, and also staffs the Helpdesk.
In addition to the Platform, RSN and RRT launched the Information Portal for Refugees in Türkiye in 2019 (available at http://www.multecihaklari.info) which you can read more about here. These tools utilize accessible technology (multiple formats, application of best practices in web accessibility, and localization in several languages) to expand knowledge and empowerment for asylum-seekers and legal practitioners. By developing and centralizing resources for legal practitioners and for refugees, these tools promote and strengthen the legal protection of refugees in Türkiye and can be replicated in other contexts.
These digital interventions have enhanced accessibility and availability of reliable information for asylum-seekers and refugees as well as strengthened the capacities of legal practitioners in Türkiye to better assist them.
Good Practice and the Global Compact on Refugees Pledge
Refugee Solidarity Network has made three pledges within the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees in 2023: the Global Legal Community Pledge, the Family Reunification Pledge, and the Localization pledge.
Ahead of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum and under the Global Legal Community Pledge, RSN committed to expanding legal capacity development initiatives for practitioners and civil society organizations in key contexts over the next four years. This includes providing additional technical support, knowledge sharing, training materials, and mobilization of additional funding. As part of this commitment, RSN and RRT are enhancing the functionality of the Lawyers’ Platform in the Turkish context, with regular updates to resources and cases. New features, such as advanced filtering for the case law database and topic tags for legislation, have been added based on community feedback.
Additionally, RSN committed to transitioning jointly implemented programs to national actors within four years. In line with this Localization Pledge, RSN and RRT are working towards fully transferring the joint project, including the management of the Platform, product development, and monitoring and evaluation processes, to RRT by 2025.
Impact of the good practice
Since its launch in October 2020, the Refugee Law Information Platform has attracted 33,400 users across Türkiye, including visits from every Turkish province.
The Platform has significantly enhanced access for legal practitioners to essential documents and information, enabling them to more effectively secure legal protection for refugees and migrants. The site serves as a valuable and supportive resource for lawyers’, fostering a sense of community, legal awareness, training, and capacity development.
As a result, better-informed lawyers’ mean more asylum-seekers can access their rights, improving both the quantity and quality of legal counsel available to asylum-seekers and refugees.
As the primary creator of one of the leading resources for asylum law in Türkiye, RRT has solidified its reputation as a leading expert in this field. The Platform’s reach extends beyond the in-person and online training RRT offers, and the introduction of self-guided online study courses has further increased accessibility for lawyers’, expanding geographical reach.
The combination of an Information Platform, direct inquiries from lawyers’, and processes through which RRT has engaged with its community of legal practitioners, has better enabled RRT to understand the evolving needs of legal practitioners in Türkiye. This has contributed to raising the profile of asylum law in Türkiye. Beyond the Platform, RRT’s cumulative efforts, including seminars in major law schools in Türkiye and various other initiatives, have positively impacted the availability and quality of legal counsel, thereby improving the fairness and efficiency of the asylum system.
The Case Law database, focusing primarily on first instance court decisions, informs lawyers’ case strategies by exposing the rationale behind court decisions and how case law operates in Türkiye. This contributes to fairness and integrity of the asylum system. For example, if a lawyer cites a court decision with similar facts but receives an entirely different outcome, there may be grounds to question the court’s reasoning. Centralized, searchable, and anonymized, the database offers visibility into court decisions that was previously lacking, directly applicable knowledge that can be used in court to improve asylum outcomes.
Lessons learned
Reflections, Experiences, Adjustments
Originally a digitization of information project, the Platform initially offered fixed resources updated only when legislation changed. While the resources were substantial, they were limited to international and national law and sample documents. Over time, content was expanded to include online learning modules and a case law database. This evolution was driven by feedback from legal practitioners who noted that the initial content was of value for those lawyers’ that infrequently represented refugees or who needed to brush up or for newcomers to the field. Continuous development has aimed to provide reasons for users to return, such as the latest precedent-setting case law useful for asylum lawyers’ practicing daily as well, plus engaging resources and updated legislation.
Significant resources were invested in developing resource-intensive features like search and filter capabilities based on metadata. Engaging with the target audience of legal practitioners inside and outside RRT identified key gaps and needs, which was beneficial to underscore for potential donors.
User feedback highlights both an enthusiasm about the Platform and the need for greater awareness among lawyers’ who may be unaware that the Platform exists. Lawyer requests include adding FAQs, visual infographics breaking down asylum procedures, simplified legal content, and practical resources. Adjustments have been made, including the inclusion of case study-oriented material in the online learning modules.
Long-term Strategy Considerations
RSN and RRT made a strategic upfront investment in developing a design system and style guide that can ensure long-term efficiency by reducing future design costs.
Moreover, the Lawyers’ Platform is part of a multi-modal support information ecosystem. This system integrates various components to provide comprehensive support to lawyers’, ensuring that they receive the necessary resources and guidance regardless of geographical or logistical constraints.
When an asylum-seeker contacts RRT from a location where RRT does not have a physical office (and therefore is limited in helping represent the individual), RRT initiates a multi-step process to ensure they receive appropriate legal representation. RRT contacts the provincial bar association in that location to make a referral, explaining the asylum-seeker is unable to cover legal fees, and their eligibility for free legal services through the bar association. The lawyer assigned to the case may not have specific experience in asylum law. To bridge this gap, the assigned lawyer can access the Refugee Law Information Platform, the Lawyer’s Helpdesk for individualized support and resources, and/or capacity building trainings organized by RRT. This ensures the lawyer is well-prepared to handle the case effectively. The Information Platform is part of a model of providing a holistic support system or wraparound services for lawyers in Türkiye.
This support system is not limited to direct casework assistance. Lawyers often learn about the Helpdesk and the Platform through various channels, including word of mouth, RRT’s training sessions, and referrals. This interconnectedness ensures that knowledge about these resources spreads widely, increasing their usage and impact. This multi-modal approach embodies a holistic support framework, integrating training, resource provision, and direct assistance.
Key Takeaways for Others
Developing the Refugee Law Information Platform was a resource-intensive process due to the need to bridge diverse stakeholder requirements and ensure effective localization of the website content. A significant challenge for RSN was acting as a bridge between the legal practitioners at RRT and the web developers who were unfamiliar with the Turkish language and legal system. Therefore, it was crucial to work closely with Turkish legal experts to accurately convey the specific legal terminology and contextual nuances required for the Platform. This required detailed communication and coordination to ensure the Platform met both technical specifications and the practical needs of its users. Implementing such a resource-intensive project may require organizations to reallocate staff from direct services to development activities. This can be challenging as it may temporarily reduce the capacity to provide immediate support to asylum-seekers. However, the long-term benefits of creating a comprehensive support system can outweigh these short-term trade-offs. By investing in the development of the Platform, RRT aimed to enhance the overall quality and efficiency of legal support available to asylum-seekers in Türkiye, ultimately creating a sustainable and scalable solution.
Future plans
Expanding the use of AI technology to assist lawyers’ is currently under consideration. Careful consideration is being given to the potential tradeoffs and shortcomings of incorporating AI technology into the platform to assist lawyers. AI could potentially analyze case law to identify and suggest relevant keywords, streamlining the process of organizing and retrieving legal documents.
Additionally, potential plans include enabling a community of exchange among practitioners, allowing lawyers to upload precedent cases and communicate with each other, moving away from reliance solely on interpersonal networks.
Overall, the Platform exemplifies a strategic investment in long-term efficiency and effectiveness, providing a model for other organizations aiming to support legal practitioners and asylum-seekers through comprehensive, multimodal services.
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