Ten Stories...

The UN issued its list of 10 Stories the World Should Hear More About yesterday. These are stories that unfolded in 2007, and included among them is a reference to the plight of the stateless. For the first time, each story is also accompanied by useful web links to enable readers to find more information about an issue of interest. Previous 10 Stories listings are available at the above URL as of 2004.

Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Publications: Armed Conflict, Asylum/UK, Iraq, Iraqi Refugees, Protection/IDPs

Fit for Purpose Yet? The Independent Asylum Commission's Interim Findings (March 2008) [exec. summary text via The Independent] [text of report]

Five Years Later, A Hidden Crisis: Report of the IRC Commission on Iraqi Refugees (International Rescue Commission, March 2008) [text]

How is the Term "Armed Conflict" Defined in International Humanitarian Law? (ICRC, March 2008) [text via Refworld]

Iraq: No Let-Up in the Humanitarian Crisis (ICRC, March 2008) [text]

Protection of Conflict-Induced IDPs: Assessment for Action (Protection Cluster Working Group and the Early Recovery Cluster Working Group, Feb. 2008) [text via Refworld]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Dev. in Practice, IJMS, IMR, JEMS, Researcher

Development in Practice, vol. 18, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one analyzing the international humanitarian relief system.

International Journal on Multicultural Societies, vol. 9, no. 2 (2007) [full-text]
- Special issue on "Migration and Integration in the Asia-Pacific Region."

International Migration Review, vol. 42, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on refugees in Australia.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 4 (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Economics in Migration Research: Prospects for Disciplinary Integration."

The Researcher, no. 9 (Feb. 2008) [full-text]
- From the Refugee Documentation Centre in Ireland.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Stats., Case Law, Detention, Displaced Iraqis, FGM, Integration, Urban IDPs/Uganda

Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries, 2007: Statistical Overview of Asylum Applications Lodged in Europe and Selected Non-European Countries (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

ECRE 2008 Iraq Survey (ECRE, March 2008) [text]

Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An Interagency Statement (WHO, Feb. 2008) [text]

Local experiences of migration: Consulting Coventry (ICAR, Feb. 2008) [text]

"States should not impose penalties on arriving asylum-seekers," Viewpoint of CoE Commissioner for Human Rights (Council of Europe, March 2008) [text]

Uganda’s Urban IDPs Risk Being Left Out Of Government’s Return Plans (Refugee Law Project, March 2008) [text]

UNHCR Compilation of Case Law on Refugee Protection in International Law (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Working Papers/Policy Briefs: EU Interdiction, Gaza, Iraq, Palestinians/Lebanon

Amnesty International et al., "The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion," A Joint Agency Report (Oxfam, March 2008) [access]

Baraka, H., “Palestinians in Lebanon: Chains of Misery (Bound by the Law and the Market),” FMRS Working Paper, no. 9 (Forced Migration & Refugee Studies, American University in Cairo, Feb. 2008) [text]

Gammeltoft-Hansen, T., "The Refugee, the Sovereign and the Sea: EU Interdiction Policies in the Mediterranean," DIIS Working Paper no 2008/6 (Danish Institute for International Studies, March 2008) [access]

Humanitarian Policy Group, “Humanitarian action in Iraq: putting the pieces together,” HPG Policy Brief 30 (ODI, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Pubs: Assistance/Afghanistan, Asylum/Europe, Civil-Military, Climate Change, Community-based Approaches, Iraqis/Jordan & Lebanon, Unacc. Minors/UK

The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance (AREU, Feb. 2008) [access]

Assessment on psychosocial needs of Iraqis displaced in Jordan and Lebanon: survey report (IOM, Feb. 2008) [text via Eldis]

Civil-Military Guidelines & Reference for Complex Emergencies (IASC and OCHA, March 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Claiming Asylum at a Screening Unit as an Unaccompanied Minor (Children's Commissioner, March 2008) [text]

Climate Change and International Security (EU, March 2008) [text via Euractiv]

Comments from the European Council on Refugees and Exiles on the Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Directive 2003/109/EC to extend its scope to beneficiaries of international protection (ECRE, March 2008) [text]

UNHCR Manual on a Community Based Approach in UNHCR Operations (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Annual Surveys: Humanitarian Assistance, Peace Operations

Two new annual reports have been issued:

Annual Review of Global Peace Operations 2008 (Center on International Cooperation)
- Looks at issues and trends in peacekeeping operations. The book is available for purchase through Lynne Rienner Publishers. A briefing paper summarizing the report's findings is currently available online.

Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 (Development Initiatives)
- Looks at humanitarian aid expenditures, and who is spending how much, where and on what. The full report is available on the DI site as well as in the ReliefWeb library.

Posted in Publications.

2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

The 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices were released yesterday by the U.S. State Department. Submitted annually to Congress, the reports are frequently consulted by country conditions researchers as part of the refugee status determination process. The reports along with other regularly issued human rights and conflict surveys are incorporated into the repositories of country of origin information databases produced by Ecoi.net and Refworld.

That said, human rights groups emphasize that while "[t]his year’s reports provide an honest assessment of the human rights practices of countries around the world...'the United States’ own policies on torture, rendition and detention' [make it more difficult for] the Bush Administration...to combat human rights abuses abroad' (Human Rights First press release, 11 March 2008)." See other commentary from Amnesty International USA.

Posted in Publications.

State of the World's Minorities 2008

Minority Rights Group International (MRG) just launched the online World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples. Now it has released the 2008 edition of the State of the World's Minorities. The volume can be downloaded in its entirety or by chapter. Contents include thematic articles such as "climate change and minorities" and regional sections with an initial introduction to relevant issues affecting the region, followed by profiles of minority populations in individual countries.

Previous editions are available on the MRG web site.

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, Destitution, EU Asylum Law, Iraqi Returnees, Standing Comm. Docs., Migration Management,

The Destitution Tally: an indication of the extent of destitution among asylum seekers and refugees (Asylum Support Programme Inter-Agency Partnership, Jan. 2008) [text]
- Note: If the link doesn't work, alternate access is available through Refblog.]

EXCOM Standing Committee, 41st Meeting, Documents (4-6 March 2008) [access]
- Issues discussed include protracted refugee situations, supporting the return and reintegration of displaced populations, assessing unmet needs of populations of concern, among others.

"Managing Migration: The Global Challenge," Population Bulletin, vol. 63, no.1 (March 2008) [text]

Migration and Climate Change, IOM Migration Research Series, no. 31 (IOM, 2008) [text]

UNHCR Observations on the Commission Proposal for a Council Directive Amending Directive 2003/109/EC Establishing a Long-Term Residence Status to Extend its Scope to Beneficiaries of International Protection (UNHCR, 2008) [text]

UNHCR second rapid assessment of return of Iraqis from displacement locations in Iraq and from neighbouring countries (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New IDP Database

The Global Database on the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement was recently launched by the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement and the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM). Its aim is to facilitate the development of national legal and policy frameworks on internal displacement by providing "instant access to official documents, including recommendations of United Nations treaty-monitoring bodies, reports of UN charter bodies, and UN General Assembly resolutions about the rights of these IDPs."

It is browsable by four sections, some of which are not yet fully finalized:
- Internal Displacement (an introduction and overview, with an FAQ section and an incomplete related materials section
- Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (includes history, a link to legal annotations to the principles, an incomplete handbook on the application of the principles section, and an incomplete related materials section)
- Legal Database on the Guiding Principles (searchable database housing a variety of related documents)
- Representative of the UN Secretary-General (introduction to the mandate and activities)

The database is available in English, French and Spanish.

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

First Podcast from IASFM Conference

As promised in this earlier post, Forced Migration Online (FMO) has released the first of a planned series of podcasts recorded during the 11th International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM) conference, which was held in Cairo earlier this year. The theme of the initial plenary was "Emerging patterns of irregularity and their effects among migrants and refugees in the Middle East."

Posted in Web Sites/Tools and Events.

Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls yesterday in commemoration of International Women's Day. The last UNHCR protection guidelines relating to women were issued in 1991. Chapters in the new handbook cover gender equality, addressing risks faced by women and girls, UNHCR's protection strategy, women's human rights, and the relevant legal framework. A 28-page glossary rounds out the handbook.

While in years past, March 8th has been the official date designated by the UN as International Women's Day, this year it was observed on March 6th. The 2008 theme is "investing in women and girls."

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of AWR, FEX, JRMI, RSQ, Women's Asylum News

AWR Bulletin, vol. 45, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- Mix of articles on asylum and migration policies in Europe and North America.

Field Exchange, no. 32 (Jan. 2008) [text]
- From the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN).

Journal of Refugee and Migration Issues, vol. 4, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Two articles, including one on immigration and asylum law in Australia.

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- This issue reproduces presentations to the 12th Annual Humanitarian Conference of Webster University, Geneva. The theme was "The Spirit of Geneva in a Globalized World."

Women's Asylum News, no. 73 (March 2008) [text via Refworld]
- From the Refugee Women's Resource Project (RWRP).

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Law, FGM, Iraqis/Jordan, Libraries, RCOs, Resettlement/Europe

Asylum Law and Female Genital Mutilation: Recent Developments (Congressional Research Service, Feb. 2008) [text]

Iraqi Asylum Seekers in Jordan: A Report of the ICMC-USCCB Mission to Assess the Protection Needs of Iraqi Asylum Seekers in Jordan (International Catholic Migration Commission, Dec. 2007) [text]

The Meeting Room: Libraries as Community Centers for Culturally Diverse Populations (Paper presented at 16th BOBCATSSS Symposium 2008, 28-30 Jan. 2008) [text]

More responsive public services? A guide to commissioning migrant and refugee community organisations (Joseph Roundtree Foundation, Feb. 2008) [text]

Welcome to Europe! A Guide to Resettlement (International Catholic Migration Commission, Dec. 2007) [access]

Posted in Publications.