1) Turkey is a Party to the 1980 Hague Convention.

The 1980 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which provides procedural guidelines on the return of children and their protection in cases of international parental child abduction.

Contact the Central Authority in Turkey for cases of child abduction (operational languages: Turkish, French and English).

2) Turkey is a Party to the 1996 Hague Convention.

The 1996 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which determines jurisdiction, applicable law, co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and access rights, as well as civil and public measures for the protection or care of children.

Contact the Central Authority in Turkey for cases of dispute concerning cross-border parental responsibilities and rights of contact with children (operational languages: Turkish, French and English).

You can determine whether countries relevant to your case are Parties, or not, to the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction and/or the 1996 Hague Convention on Child Protection in order to locate the appropriate central authority. As for the 1980 Hague Convention, you can check whether the Convention is in force between two specific States in the Spreadsheet showing acceptances of accessions to the Child Abduction Convention.

The Department of European Union and Foreign Relations of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy provides child services, woman, family and society-oriented services (website in Turkish). Here is the Department contact information:
Söğütözü Mah. 2177 Sk. No: 10/A
Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
Telephone: (+90) 312 705 50 15
Emails: bbol(at)aile.gov.tr; fdik(at)aile.gov.tr; eyasal(at)aile.gov.tr

The Union of Turkish Bar Associations (UTBA) provides a directory of bar associations in each region of country (website in Turkish). You can contact them if you need legal aid in your divorce case or in a case initiated against administrative decisions. If it is determined by the authorities that you do not have the financial capacity to hire a lawyer, you may be able to benefit from legal aid provided by the Legal Aid Bureaus under each Bar Association in Turkey.

Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation providing medical, social and psychological assistance for torture survivors and documenting human rights violations in Turkey.

The Foundation for Women’s Solidarity is an independent organisation that aims to fight all types of violence against women, especially domestic violence and trafficking. The Foundation provides free of charge legal and psychological counselling with guidance on issues such as sheltering, health and work. You can contact their office in Ankara directly here.

Mor Çatı provides psychological counselling to women that are victims of domestic violence. The organisation has also three shelters in Istanbul for women and their children.

SOHRAM-CASA, in Diyarbakir, offers therapy and medical help to those who have been affected by violence and torture. They are also able to help in the preparation of legal reports and consultations for torture victims. You can contact them directly here (website in Turkish).

Center of Family, Women Counseling and Solidarity in Uşak provides legal, psychological and social counselling services in cases of violence against women (website in Turkish).

Caritas Turkey provides services in the fields of emergencies, health, education, social adjustment and employment to ill-treated women, children and minorities.

General Directorate for Children Services of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy provides social and psychological services in collaboration with relevant partners supporting children. You can contact the Directorate directly here (website in Turkish).

Youth Centers have been established by the Social Services Provincial Directorate of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy, such as Taksim Child and Youth Center (TCYC) and the Bahcelievler Child and Youth Center (BCGM) in Istanbul which provide protection, first aid, treatment, rehabilitation and special education services to commercially sexually exploited girls between the ages of 11 and 18 (website in Turkish). It also offers individual therapy, family interviews and observations, social and sports activities. Special efforts are undertaken to reintegrate the children with their families. Those girls who cannot go back to their families are encouraged to find a job and become financially independent.

The International Children’s Center is a Turkish non-governmental organisation that advocates for and supports all children to achieve their full potential in health, growth and development within the framework of health and rights.

The Partnership Network for Preventing Violence against Children is composed of 72 NGOs which contributes to monitoring child right activities and support activities to prevent violence against children (website in Turkish).

A special Unit of the National Police known as the Children’s Police was created to deal with child victims (website in Turkish). Presently, the Children’s Police have 3,500 officers and staff throughout the country including social workers and psychologists, as well as police officers. Child police units exist throughout the country.

The Union of Turkish Bar Associations (UTBA) provides a directory of bar associations in each region of country (website in Turkish). As an asylum-seeker or a refugee, you have the right to approach and request legal aid from these Bar Associations for any legal dispute you may face.

Refugee Rights Turkey is an independent non-governmental organisation based in Istanbul that provides free of charge legal counselling and assistance services to asylum seekers from all nationalities, who have left their countries of origin for reasons of war or persecution and seek to access legal protection in Turkey as refugees.

The Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM) is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation providing social and psychological support as well as legal and health counselling for asylum seekers and refugees coming from neighbouring countries or conflict zones. The association has multiple service centers across the country such as multi-service support centers or child and family support centers. You can find contact details of a center in your region here.

The French-Turkish association 'La Passerelle' gathers binational couples established in Turkey. Its purpose is to make the special features of binational families recognised by consular and local authorities, to inform of the formalities relating to a residence permit, marriage, divorce, social security, and retirement among other. For all contacts please write to this email: passerellefranco-turque(at)gmail.com.

Ad.dar is an all-volunteer, non-political, non-religious, multi-cultural community initiative established for Syrian and Syrian-Palestinian refugees living in Istanbul. It provides various forms of practical, social, and emotional assistance for children, families, and youth. You can contact them directly here.

Caritas Turkey provides refugees with medical and food assistance, legal advice, child education and employment opportunities for adults.