A Home Away from Home: How Kareemat Supports Syrian Refugees’ Integration to Life in Kilis, Turkey

The ongoing war in Syria has resulted in the world’s largest refugee crisis with more than 13 million people forcibly displaced since the beginning of the conflict in 2011. Kilis, a Turkish border city, is the main point of entry from Syria and is home to around 200,000 Syrians.

Kareemat, a women-led peacebuilding organization in Kilis, Turkey, is making a profound impact on Syrian refugee women and their families. Supported by ICAN, Kareemat addresses the challenges of displacement, isolation, and economic hardships through psychological support, language classes, and economic empowerment resources, fostering integration and reducing tensions between Turkish and Syrian communities.

Women Peacebuilders’ Turkey/Syria Earthquake Appeal

ICAN is fundraising to support the urgent humanitarian needs of its partners in the earthquake-affected region and the communities they serve. We are raising funds to help them with safe shelter, blankets, food, water and medicine, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Please donate if you can.

She Builds Peace in Syria: Zenobia

Based in Turkey, Zenobia Association organized two home sessions for Syrian women in the Turkish states of Gaziantep and Shanley Urfa to enable women peacebuilders to understand the Syrian context and the causes of conflict.

Peace Heroes: Najlaa El Sheikh Helps Syrian Women Refugees Become Business Owners

“I often dream the jasmine returns to Syria to decorate and perfume our streets.”
As the Syrian regime rained barrel bombs on her hometown in Syria, Najlaa and her family were forced to flee to Turkey where she established the first organization led by a Syrian woman to help other women refugees with literacy, economic empowerment, and psychosocial support.
Peace Hero Najlaa El Sheikh speaks to ICAN about her journey, her work, and her dreams.

Realizing Real Peace in Syria

Amidst the violence, thousands of Syrians are working for peace in their communities but the voices of Syrian civil society and peace actors are missing from the negotiating table.

Breaking the Silence on SGBV in Syria

December 9, 2015: The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) and InterAction held an event on sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in the Syrian conflict.Speakers included ICAN Co-Founder and MENA Programming Director, Sussan Tahmasebi, Ambassador Steven Steiner from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), and Cindy Dyer from Vital Voices. Shabnam Mojtahedi, SJAC’s Legal and Strategy Analyst, moderated the panel after first explaining […]