Living on the Edge: The Struggles of Wellhead Communities

Mardin (Kurdish: مێردین / Mêrdîn; Arabic: ماردين; Syriac: ܡܪܕܝܢ; Armenian: Մարդին), a province rich in history and culture, is renowned for its multicultural heritage. However, the Turkification processes initiated with the Republic, coupled with subsequent sanctions against non-Muslims, forced many Assyrians, Chaldeans, Armenians, and Yazidis to leave the city. Today, this once vibrant multiculturalism is largely preserved through a tourism-focused narrative, a few active churches, and the promotion of “Syriac wine.” In other words, while the term “multicultural” is often used, it frequently refers to cultures that have largely disappeared or minority groups whose numbers are small enough not to pose a “threat.” The absence of representation of Kurdish culture in touristic areas, or the lack of a dominant cultural element that emphasizes Kurdish identity as a fundamental component of Mardin’s multicultural fabric, is particularly striking. This omission is even more glaring considering that, according to unofficial estimates, the population of Mardin today is predominantly Kurdish.

A similar invisibility applies to the Syrian refugees, whose numbers in Mardin have decreased from around 90,000 in 2019 to approximately 59,000 today, according to the Provincial Migration Administration. Despite shared cultural and linguistic ties—both Kurdish and Arabic are spoken within these communities—Syrians in Mardin are seldom visible. The rising hostility towards refugees across Turkey has affected Mardin as much as any other province. Refugees in Mardin often find themselves relegated to jobs that local citizens are unwilling to do, particularly in the vast, isolated agricultural lands along the border.

In these remote/isolated areas, refugees frequently work not for monthly wages but for annual payments under minimum wage, very often without any formal registration. Payment is typically issued on a per-family basis, with a single sum distributed regardless of the number of family members, including children, women, the elderly, and even those who have a disability or are pregnant—all of whom are seen as potential laborers. These individuals, living in makeshift shelters amid the fields, sometimes go days without access to electricity or clean water. The children of these families face significant barriers to accessing education, their right to which is guaranteed under international conventions on children’s rights and human rights.

This article will specifically address the challenges faced by refugees living in these wellhead areas, examining how their living conditions violate fundamental human rights and the rights of the child.

Access to Education: A Distant Dream

For the children of wellhead communities, education remains a distant dream. The scattered nature of these settlements, coupled with poor road infrastructure, creates significant barriers to accessing schools. Children must travel long distances on unpaved roads, often impassable during winter and spring, to attend school. Even when they manage to continue their education, frequent disruptions in transportation services add another layer of difficulty.

Moreover, the demands of agricultural work, particularly during irrigation seasons, force many children into labor, further hindering their ability to attend school regularly. This not only disrupts their education but also exposes them to a range of child protection issues, including child labor, early marriage, and social isolation. 

Health Services: Out of Reach

Access to health services is another critical issue plaguing the wellhead communities. Living in remote areas with inadequate infrastructure, refugees face significant challenges in reaching state hospitals and utilizing appointment systems. The lack of health personnel in village health houses exacerbates the situation, leaving families without regular medical care, including vital services like vaccinations and pregnancy monitoring.

Public health issues are further compounded by poor water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions. In overcrowded, single-room shelters, diseases spread rapidly, and malnutrition remains a persistent threat due to limited access to sufficient food. Pregnant women and children working in hazardous conditions, such as placing heavy water pipes in agricultural fields, face severe health risks, with little to no access to emergency medical care.

Isolation and Protection Risks

The isolation of wellhead communities in Mardin significantly exacerbates protection risks, particularly for women and children, who are among the most vulnerable. These remote areas, far removed from urban centers and the reach of protective services, create an environment where harmful traditional practices, such as child marriage and polygamy, are perpetuated with little to no external oversight or intervention.

In these isolated settings, the absence of regular monitoring and the scarcity of resources allow such practices to persist, often becoming deeply ingrained in the social fabric of the community. Child marriage, for example, is not only a violation of children’s rights but also a reflection of the broader systemic issues that these communities face, such as poverty, lack of education, and cultural norms that prioritize traditional customs over the well-being of the individual.

Gender-based violence (GBV) in these areas is a particularly grave concern. The remoteness of the wellheads means that women and girls have limited access to legal protection, healthcare, and social services, making it exceedingly difficult for them to seek help or report abuse. The stigma associated with GBV further silences survivors, who may fear retribution or social ostracization if they speak out. This creates a cycle of violence that is rarely interrupted by outside intervention, as the distance from urban centers also means that law enforcement and social workers are rarely present to offer support or take action.

Moreover, the lack of access to education and economic opportunities leaves women and girls with few options for escaping these cycles of abuse and exploitation. Without the means to support themselves independently, they are often forced to remain in abusive situations or adhere to harmful traditions that continue to be passed down through generations.

This combination of physical isolation, cultural entrenchment, and systemic neglect leads to a precarious existence for women and children in the wellhead communities, where their rights are routinely violated, and their needs are largely ignored. Addressing these protection risks requires targeted interventions that prioritize the safety, education, and empowerment of these vulnerable populations, ensuring that their voices are heard and their rights are upheld.

Legal Barriers and Documentation Challenges

One of the most pressing issues facing refugees in the wellhead areas is the challenge of legal documentation. Many refugees live in makeshift shelters that do not qualify as official residences, making it impossible for them to declare their addresses. This leads to the deactivation of their refugee IDs, effectively cutting them off from essential services such as healthcare and education. In Mardin alone, almost 30,000 refugees may have lost access to basic rights due to these bureaucratic barriers. 

Additionally, the lack of clear and consistent policies regarding address registration, road permits, and work permits creates further obstacles for refugees. The demands for supporting documents, which are often impossible to obtain in rural areas, only add to their frustration and exclusion from the legal system.

A Call to Action

The situation in the wellhead areas of Mardin requires urgent and comprehensive action. Despite efforts by local and international civil society organizations and some public institutions, the support provided to these isolated communities is gravely insufficient. The persistent protection risks, especially for women and children, highlight the need for intensified advocacy and intervention.

Child protection, a key focus of projects funded by agencies like United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), remains precarious. Though these efforts have alleviated some risks, many challenges persist, particularly in areas of education, healthcare, and overall safety. It is crucial to advocate for broader action plans to address these issues, including the substandard wages paid to refugee families and the makeshift shelters they inhabit. These shelters often lack basic amenities, further exacerbating the vulnerabilities of those living in them.Advocacy for the principles enshrined in humanitarian aid, human rights, refugee rights, and children’s rights conventions is essential in tackling the complex and multifaceted issues these communities face. For instance, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25) asserts the right to an adequate standard of living, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 28) emphasizes the right of children to education, and Article 19 mandates the protection of children from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury, abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

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 1 – Mülteciler Derneği. Türkiye’deki Suriyeli sayısı. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://multeciler.org.tr/turkiyedeki-suriyeli-sayisi/

2 –  Mülteciler Derneği. (2019, December). Türkiye’deki Suriyeli sayısı (Aralık 2019). Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://multeciler.org.tr/turkiyedeki-suriyeli-sayisi-aralik-2019/

Photo:

“Old Mardin” Neighborhoods of Mardin with historical houses. Photographed by Murat Bayram in 2021.

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