Women's Access to Higher Education and Participation in the Labor Market under the Temporary Protection Regime: The Case of Türkiye

Abstract

Following the armed conflicts that began in Syria in 2011, Türkiye granted various social rights to Syrians under the temporary protection regime in response to mass migration movements. This study examines access to higher education and participation in the labor market among Syrian women under temporary protection from a rights-based and gender perspective. A qualitative research approach was adopted, and legal regulations, administrative decisions, official statistics, and academic studies were analyzed through document analysis and literature review methods. The study is not based on field research; rather, it focuses on the structural factors shaping de facto access to education and labor rights through existing legal and administrative regulations and secondary data. The findings indicate that although education and labor rights are legally recognized under the temporary protection regime, women’s actual and equal access to these rights remains limited. In higher education, despite facilitative measures introduced through decisions of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and administrative admission mechanisms, structural barriers continue to affect women’s participation. Data show that male students had higher enrollment rates for many years, although the number of newly enrolled female students increased after 2022. Regarding labor market participation, access to formal employment remains limited, particularly for women. Existing statistics and literature demonstrate that Syrian women are predominantly concentrated in low-paid, insecure, and informal employment. The study concludes that legal recognition of rights alone is insufficient and that actual access must also be evaluated together with gender dynamics and institutional practices.