Migrant Agency and Advocacy through Civil Society: Insights from a Balkan NGO

OpenAlex bg

In the contemporary world migration is a significant reality. People, commodities, services and labor have been moving constantly across the world. International migration has several types, however, experiencing the consequences of migration can be difficult because migration alters the lives of people. As a result of the international migration, people experience living in poor conditions. In addition to that, migrants are exposed to exploitation, human trafficking, or unemployment, and many of them even lose their lives. Hence, refugees, asylum seekers, irregular migrants, trafficked women and children, and transit migrants are the main actors of world migration tragedy. In this article, initially the issues of migration covering irregular migration, refugees and asylum seekers, and how civil society works in Turkey will be discussed. Particularly, this research aims to explore the experiences of migrants within civil society, focusing on how they participate in activities and practices, particularly in the areas of solidarity and self-advocacy. Using a qualitative approach, the study involved interviews with the members of a non-governmental civil society organization.