Climate Change: Conference & Resources

The UN Climate Change Conference is meeting in Cancun, Mexico from 29 November to 10 December 2010. The Towards Recognition blog has posted a listing of some of the migration/displacement-related side events due to take place. In addition, IRIN has compiled a guide on How to Sound Knowledgeable in Cancun: Selected Articles on the Humanitarian Implications of Climate Change.

Elsewhere, Jane McAdam has posted a preprint of her forthcoming International Journal of Refugee Law article in SSRN. It's entitled "Swimming Against the Tide: Why a Climate Change Displacement Treaty is Not the Answer." Here's the abstract:

Drawing on field work in Tuvalu, Kiribati and Bangladesh, this article argues that advocacy for a new treaty to address climate-related movement is presently misplaced for a number of reasons. The article does not deny the real impacts that climate change is already having on communities, or that migration is a normal adaptive response to such change. Rather, it queries the utility – and, importantly, the policy consequences – of pinning ‘solutions’ to climate change-related displacement on a multilateral instrument, in light of the likely nature of movement, the desires of communities affected by it, and the fact that a treaty will not, without wide ratification and implementation, ‘solve’ the humanitarian issue. The argument is developed by examining some conceptual and pragmatic difficulties in attempting to construct a refugee-like instrument for people fleeing the effects of climate change, and by critiquing whether there are legal benefits, as opposed to political benefits, to be gained by advocating for such an instrument.

Finally, Susan Martin's background paper for the World Migration Report on "Climate Change and International Migration" is now available on IOM's web site. The aim of the paper is to discuss "the potential impact of climate change on migration patterns, examine the existing capacities to address these forms of movement and the areas where capacity‐building is required, and make recommendations for addressing climate change-induced migration" (p. 6).

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Legal Items: Asylum/Belgium, Bad Faith & Asylum Claims, Coercion & Human Trafficking, Gender & Asylum, Legal Aid/UK

Bad Faith in Asylum Claims under the Refugees Convention: The Australian Experience (IARLJ, Nov. 2010) [text]

Belgium's Asylum Crisis: An Overview (Gazet Van Antwerpen, Nov. 2010) [text via LGBT Asylum News]

"The Coercion of Trafficked Workers," Iowa Law Review, vol. 96, no. 2 (forthcoming Jan. 2011) [text via SSRN]

"The Development of Gender as a Basis for Asylum in United States Immigration Law and under the United Nations Refugee Convention: Case Studies of Female Asylum Seekers from Cameroon, Eritrea, Iraq and Somalia," Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, vol. 24, no. 2 (Winter 2010) [text via SSRN]

Green Paper Proposes Changes to Legal Aid (Migrant & Refugee Communities Forum, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

Focus: Substance Abuse

The ICMHD Blog recently published a post entitled "Four Loko and the broader issue of alcohol abuse: a particular concern for migrant groups." It notes:

Despite known links between alcohol abuse and issues of health, poverty, and violence, little concentrated action has been directed towards vulnerable migrant populations. This is not due to a lack of capability. An inexhaustible list of NGOs and agencies have long been working with migrant groups on related issues, yet remarkably few organizations include alcohol education or rehabilitation among their list of programs. This gap represents an unfortunate missed opportunity.

Also published recently, although not in full-text, was the following journal article: "Drinking and Displacement: A Systematic Review of the Influence of Forced Displacement on Harmful Alcohol Use" (Substance Use & Misuse, vol. 45, no. 13, Nov. 2010). The authors conclude that "There is a significant need to improve the quality and quantity of research on harmful alcohol use by forcibly displaced persons in order to better understand the scale and nature of the problem and inform appropriate response strategies" (p. 235). (Note: Other literature reviews that have focused on the issue of substance abuse among displaced populations are available via my forced migration research guide.)

The latest issue of Intervention: International Journal of Mental Health, Psychosocial Work and Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict (vol. 8, no. 3, Nov. 2010) includes a focus on substance abuse in refugee settings, with the following articles: "Screening and brief intervention for high-risk alcohol use in Mae La refugee camp, Thailand: a pilot project on the feasibility of training and implementation," "Perspectives on alcohol and substance abuse in refugee settings: lessons from the field," and "The hunting of the snark: detecting and managing abusers of alcohol and other drugs in refugee camps – a commentary on Ezard et al. and Streel & Schilperoord."

Tagged Publications.

New Issue of JRS

A new issue of the Journal of Refugee Studies (vol. 23, no. 4, Dec. 2010) is now available. The theme is "Critical Reflections on Refugee Integration: Lessons from International Perspectives." Contents include:

• Introduction: Critical Reflections on Refugee Integration: Lessons from International Perspectives [abstract]
• Legal Status and Refugee Integration: a UK Perspective [abstract]
• When Policy Creates Politics: the Problematizing of Immigration and the Consequences for Refugee Integration in the UK [abstract]
• State Assisted Integration: Refugee Integration Policies in Scandinavian Welfare States: the Swedish and Norwegian Experience [abstract]
• Living in Limbo: Integration of Forced Migrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Slovenia [abstract]
• 'When They don’t Use it They will Lose it': Professionals, Deprofessionalization and Reprofessionalization: the Case of Refugee Teachers in Scotland [abstract]
• Barriers to Care: The Challenges for Canadian Refugees and their Health Care Providers [abstract] [text via Oppenheimer Chair]
• 'I Integrate, Therefore I Am': Contesting the Normalizing Discourse of Integrationism through Conversations with Refugee Women [abstract]
• Community Moments: Integration and Transnationalism at 'Refugee' Parties and Events [abstract]
• Refugee Integration: Emerging Trends and Remaining Agendas [free full-text]

Tagged Periodicals.

Publications: HC Dialogue, Humanitarian Reform, IDP Women/Chad, Iraqi Refugees, Mental Health/Switz.

2010 High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, Background Paper: Protection Gaps and Challenges (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Fit for the Future? Strengthening the Leadership Pillar of Humanitarian Reform (NGOs and Humanitarian Reform Project, Nov. 2010) [text]

"Iraq Refugees: Seeking Safety," World Today, vol. 66, no. 12 (Dec. 2010) [free access to current issue]

"Mental Health and Healthcare Utilisation in Adult Asylum Seekers," Swiss Medical Weekly 140:w13110 (19 Nov. 2010) [open access text]

National Outrage: Violence against Internally Displaced Women and Girls in Eastern Chad (IDMC, Nov. 2010) [text]

The UN-led Humanitarian Reform Process (VOICE, Oct. 2010) [text via ReliefWeb]

Tagged Publications.

New Issues of Fahamu Refugee News, HRQ, Intl. Mig., JHA

Fahamu Refugee Legal Aid Newsletter, no. 10 (Dec. 2010) [full-text]
- Includes articles on refugee protection in Israel, age determination of child asylum-seekers in the UK, Japanese judgment on the Rohingya, and human trafficking in Malaysia.

Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 32, no. 4 (Nov. 2010) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

International Migration, vol. 48, no. 6 (Dec. 2010) [contents]
- Special Issue on "Women and Migration in Globalizing Asia: Gendered Experiences, Agency, and Activism."

Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (Nov. 2010) [full-text]
- New article posted entitled "Shrinking Humanitarian Space? Trends and Prospects on Security and Access."

Tagged Periodicals.

Recent UNHCR Events

A joint meeting between UNHCR and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was held earlier in the year in Amman, Jordan.
- See the meeting report for the Regional Expert Meeting on the Human Rights of Stateless Persons in the Middle East and North Africa (Amman, 18-19 February 2010) (UNHCR, Nov. 2010)
- See also a report prepared by Laura van Waas for UNHCR entitled "The Situation of Stateless Persons in the Middle East and North Africa" (Oct. 2010).

Latin American nations gathered for a discussion co-organized by UNHCR and the Brazilian government on 11 November 2010 in Brasilia to mark the various upcoming anniversaries. Participants ended by adopting the Brasilia Declaration on the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Americas.
- See UNHCR's press release summarizing the event.
- See also introductory remarks by the Director of International Protection.

A "Round Table on Durable Solutions: Local Integration and Resettlement of Refugees" was co-hosted by UNHCR and the Council of Europe's Committee on Migration in Strasbourg on 15 November 2010.
- See press releases from UNHCR and the Council of Europe on the meeting.
- See also a Comment from the Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner on his blog.

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Health-related Events

Ensuring Access to Healthcare for the Community's Most Vulnerable Migrants in the Age of Austerity, Birmingham, 24 November 2010 & London, 27 November 2010 [info]
- Hosted by Doctors of the World UK in conjunction with the Health for Undocumented Migrants and Asylum Seekers (HUMA) network.

Health and Well-being of Displaced Women, Kuala Lumpur, 29-30 November 2010 [info]
- This conference "seeks to address the impact of conflict and displacement on the health and well-being of women. It also provides a platform to explore more effective measures and programmes to protect them as well as design more strategic programmes to enhance their health and well-being."

Disaster Relief: Could You Do It?, London, 4 December 2010 [info]
- "A day for nurses, physiotherapists, ODPs, anaesthetists and surgeons looking at the role of an emergency surgical team in a humanitarian disaster."

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Publications: Afghan Refugees/Iran, AIDS/Uganda, Asylum Seekers/UK, Climate Displ./Pakistan, Rejected Asylum Seekers

The coming of the stranger: asylum seekers, trust and hospitality in a British city, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 195 (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Confronting Climate Displacement: Learning from Pakistan's Floods (Refugees International, Nov. 2010) [text]

"Interface of culture, insecurity and HIV and AIDS: Lessons from displaced communities in Pader District, Northern Uganda," Conflict and Health 4:18 (22 Nov. 2010) [open access text]

Iranian Influence in Afghanistan: Refugees as Political Instruments (American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Nov. 2010) [text via Human Security Gateway]

The return of persons found not to be in need of international protection to their countries of origin: UNHCR's role (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

CFP/New Issues of Intervention, RSQ, Refugee Watch

CFP:

Forced Migration Review (FMR) is seeking article submissions for its feature section on "Technology and Communications." The deadline is 1 April 2011. The issue, no. 38, will be published in September 2011.

New Issues:

Intervention: International Journal of Mental Health, Psychosocial Work and Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict, vol. 8, no. 3 (Nov. 2010) [contents]
- Includes a focus on substance abuse in refugee settings, with the following articles: "Screening and brief intervention for high-risk alcohol use in Mae La refugee camp, Thailand: a pilot project on the feasibility of training and implementation," "Perspectives on alcohol and substance abuse in refugee settings: lessons from the field," and "The hunting of the snark: detecting and managing abusers of alcohol and other drugs in refugee camps – a commentary on Ezard et al. and Streel & Schilperoord." Also includes "Refugee women survivors of war related sexualised violence: a multicultural framework for service provision in resettlement countries."

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 3 (Sept. 2010) [contents]
- The theme is "New Challenges of Migration in Africa." Articles include "Forced Displacement in Africa: Dimensions, Difficulties, and Policy Directions," "The African Union Convention on Internally Displaced Persons: Its Codification Background, Scope, and Enforcement Challenges," "The Kampala Convention on Internally Displaced Persons: Some International Humanitarian Law Aspects," "Creating Humanitarian Space: A Case Study of Somalia," "Climate Change, Human Mobility, and Protection: Initial Evidence from Africa," and "Promoting Integration through Mobility: Free Movement under ECOWAS."

Refugee Watch Online (Nov. 2010) [full-text]
- Online companion to print version of Refugee Watch. Newly posted articles include "Brasilia Declaration on the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Americas," "Dilemma of Right to Property and IDPs in Nepal," "The IDPs of the 'Madhesh Aandolan'," and "Contesting Statelessness: Comparative Perspectives of Tibetans and Rohingiyas in India and Bangladesh."

Tagged Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Publications: Asylum Aid Lecture, Hot Systems & Climate Change, IDPs & Right to Education, PHR Advocate, Statistical Yrbk.

Doing What Comes Naturally? Asylum, Human Rights and Duties of Humanity (Asylum Aid, Nov. 2010) [text]
- Asylum Aid's 20th Anniversary lecture. See also director's response.

Giving Refuge: Reflections on Working with Asylum Seekers (Health Rights Advocate, Nov. 2010) [text]
- Provides access to text of article in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, vol. 40, no. 1 (July 2010).

Learning in Displacement: Briefing Paper on the Right to Education of Internally Displaced People (IDMC, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tipping Points in Humanitarian Crisis: From Hot Spots to Hot Systems (UNU-EHS & Munich Re, 2010) [text]
- Outcomes from the 4th UNU-EHS/MRF Summer Academy on Social Vulnerability, 26 July-1 August 2009.

UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2009 (UNHCR, Oct. 2010) [access]


Tagged Publications.

Publications: Aid & Security/Afgh., Climate Change/Kiribati & Tuvulu, Crowdsourcing, Disaster Prevention, Religious NGOs

"International Religious NGOs at the United Nations: A Study of a Group of Religious Organizations," Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (17 Nov. 2010) [text]

"Kiribati and Tuvalu Will Drown without Global Climate Action," Ecologist (11 Nov. 2010) [text]

Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters: The Economics of Effective Prevention (World Bank & UN, Nov. 2010) [text]

A Possible Role for Crowdsourcing at the United Nations? (Global Pulse, Nov. 2010) [text via ReliefWeb]

Winning Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan? Examining the Relationship between Aid and Security in Balkh Province (Feinstein International Center, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

African Refugees in Israel

The LGBT Asylum News blog recently circulated a news story published earlier in the year on a documentary film entitled Ha'plitim ("The Refugees") that "seeks to expose the moral and legal questions underlying refugee status in Israel." The article notes the following:

While Israel is party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the government has not yet adopted asylum legislation. An approximate 17,000 asylum-seekers have fled to Israel from Sudan, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Ivory Coast. Many have been detained in prison camps and over 270 have been returned to Egypt.

To learn more about the status and treatment of refugees in Israel, browse through these (fairly recent) resources:

• African Refugees' Influx in Israel from a Socio-Political Perspective, CARIM-RR 2009/04 (Euro-Mediterranean Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration, 2009) [text]
• Israel: Border Barrier to Keep Asylum-Seekers Out (IRIN News, Nov. 2010) [text]
  
• Israel: Refugees, Asylum-seekers and Protection - Analysis (IRIN News, July 2009) [text]
• Israel Fact Sheet (UNHCR, June 2010) [text]
• "Otherness" as the Underlying Principle in Israel’s Asylum Regime (ExpressO, 2009) [text]
• A Promised Land for Refugees? Asylum and Migration in Israel, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 183 (UNHCR, Dec. 2009) [text]
• "Responsibility Sharing and the Rights of Refugees: The Case of Israel," The George Washington International Law Review, vol. 41, no. 3 (2010) [text]
• "Solving Israel’s African Refugee Crisis," Virginia Journal of International Law, vol. 51, no. 1, Fall 2010 [text]
• Undocumented Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Israel (EuroMesco, Feb. 2009) [text]

Tagged Publications.

CFP/New Issues of APMJ, Disasters, EJML, J. Intl. Humanit. Legal Studies, Kanere, PAHO News, RSC News

CFP:

Refuge: Canada's Periodical on Refugees [info]
- Special issue on "Higher Education of Refugees." Deadline for submissions is 31 Dec. 2010.

New Issues:

Asian & Pacific Migration Journal, vol. 18, no. 4 (2009) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "Displacement and Economic Consequences of the Three Gorges Project: A Case Study of Resettlers in Sichuan Province" and "Co-location of Services for Refugees: An Evaluation of a Pilot Program in Western Australia."

Disasters: The Journal of Disaster Studies, Policy and Management, vol. 34, no. 4 (Oct. 2010) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "Doing good, but looking bad? Local perceptions of two humanitarian organisations in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo."

Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas, no. 114 (Oct. 2010) [full-text]
- Includes "Supporting Health Services for Displaced Populations in Colombia."

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 12, no. 4 (2010) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "A New Agency Is Born in the European Union: The European Asylum Support Office" and "An EU Right to Interim Protection during Appeal Proceedings in Asylum Cases?"

Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies, vol. 1, no. 1 (Oct. 2010) [contents]
- New journal title; mix of articles, including "Disasters and Displacement: Gaps in Protection" and "R2P and the Protection Obligations of Peacekeepers."

Kakuma News Reflector (July-Oct. 2010) [full-text]
- Mix of articles in this blog-format news service from Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya.

RSC Newsletter, no. 8 (Autumn 2010) [full-text]
- News from the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford.

Tagged Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Courses: Introductions to Refugee Law & Protection

The International Protection of Refugees, ELENA Course, Barcelona, 10-12 December 2010 [info]
- Registration deadline is 19 November 2010.

Introduction to Refugee Law, CMRS Winter Short Course, Cairo, 9-13 January 2011 [info]
- Sign up by 30 November 2010.

Course 4S11: International Refugee Law and Contemporary Challenges [info]
- A distance learning programme from the Human Rights Education Associates (HREA). Application deadline is 1 December 2010.

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Publications: Africans/Isr., Borders/Eur., Burundians/Tanz., Global Mig. Gov., Pacific Strat./Australia, Peacekeep./Chad, Risk & Humanit. Assist.

Australian High Court Decision Calls Into Question "Pacific Strategy" (Migrants at Sea, Nov. 2010) [text]

European Borders: Controls, Detention and Deportations (Migreurop, Nov. 2010) [text]

Joint Evaluation: Evaluation of the Protracted Refugee Situation (PRS) for Burundians in Tanzania (UNHCR & DANIDA, Oct. 2010) [text]

MINURCAT Withdrawal: The Risks to Civilian Protection and Humanitarian Assistance in Eastern Chad (USIP, Nov. 2010) [text]

Risk Thresholds in Humanitarian Assistance (European Interagency Security Forum, Oct. 2010) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Solving Israel’s African Refugee Crisis," Virginia Journal of International Law, vol. 51, no. 1, Fall 2010 [full-text]

Working in Concert: Building Common Ground for the Global Governance of Migration (ICMC, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

Looking Ahead to December...

Lots of 1 December deadlines looming... :

4th Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS), Montreal, 11-13 May 2011 [info]
- The theme is "Forced Migration: Human Rights Challenges." Abstracts are due by 1 December 2010.

World Conference on Humanitarian Studies, Medford, MA, 2-5 June 2011 [info]
- The theme is "Changing Realities of Conflict and Crisis." Panel proposals will be accepted until 1 December 2010.

Third Biennial Conference of the Asian Society of International Law, Beijing, 27-28 August 2011 [info]
- The theme is "Asia & International Law : A New Era." Papers welcome on "Migration and Dislocation: Refugees, Migrant Workers, Internally Displaced Persons." Submit abstracts by 1 December 2010.

Annual Winter Course on Forced Migration, Kolkata, 1-15 December 2010 [info]
- The course "discusses the root causes for migrations/displacements (both internal and cross-boundary), and issues such as racism, immigration and xenophobia in the context of displacements thus fall within its purview and are discussed in some details."

Environmental Change and Migration: From Vulnerabilities to Capabilities, Bad Salzuflen, Germany, 5-9 December 2010 [info]
- Aims to "shed light on the complex dynamics of environmentally induced migration and the associated societal processes."

A Decade On: A New "Good Practice Review" on Operational Security Management, London, 7 December 2010 [info]
- The "new edition both updates the original material and introduces new topics, such as the security dimensions of 'remote management' programming, good practice in interagency security coordination and how to track, share and analyse security information."

High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, Geneva, 8-9 December 2010 [info]
- The theme is "Protection Gaps and Responses."

Seminar Series on International Refugee Law, Institutes of Advanced Legal Studies and Commonwealth Studies & UNHCR, London, 25 October 2010-9 June 2011 [info]
- The next seminar will be held on 9 December 2010 and will focus on "A transnational legal order and European refugee law."

Palestinian Refugee Camps in Jordan: A Lasting Temporariness: Population, Space and Social Practices, 1990-2010, Amman, 7 March 2011 [info]
- Abstracts are due by 10 December 2010.

[Picture credit: Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group]

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Resources to Identify New States Parties

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reports that Chad has become the third African country after Uganda and Sierra Leone to ratify the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention). Normally, you can monitor signatures and ratifications for African treaties by visiting the relevant page on the AU web site; however, it has not yet been updated to reflect the current status of the Kampala Convention.

Elsewhere, UNHCR's Global Appeal for 2011 includes an updated states parties list (as of 1 Oct. 2010) for the refugee and statelessness conventions. However, the actual signature/ratification dates are not indicated. The best resource to consult for this information is the UN Treaty Office database, which is regularly updated. See Chapter V: Refugees and Stateless Persons.

Tagged Web Sites/Tools.

Commemorating Refugee Protection Milestones

UNHCR's just released Global Appeal for 2011 includes an indication of how the organization will be commemorating the upcoming anniversaries, of UNHCR's 60th on 14 December 2010, Fridtjof Nansen's 150th on 10 October 2011, and the refugee/statelessness conventions on 7-8 December 2011, respectively.

More recently, a meeting of Latin American nations in Brasilia just ended with the adoption of the Brasilia Declaration on the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Americas. Held to mark the various aforementioned anniversaries, the gathering agreed "to do more for the protection of forcibly displaced and stateless people in the region" (see photo). See also the introductory remarks made by UNHCR's Director of International Protection.

Related posts:
- Anniversary-related Events
- Recent Statelessness Resources


Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities for Students

"Refugees: The Global Issue in Your Backyard," National Student Conference, London, 20-21 November 2010 [info]
- Sponsored by Student Action for Refugees (STAR), "a national network of student groups working to improve the lives of refugees in the UK."

CFP: "Contemporary Challenges for the Displacement of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons," Twelfth Annual Student Human Rights Conference, Univ. of Nottingham, 26 Feb. 2011 [info]
- Submit abstract by 26 November 2010.

Essay Competition for Young Scholars [info]
- Hosted by the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University
in Cairo. The topic is "The politics of climate change and population movement/displacement in the Middle East and North Africa." Deadline for submission is 31 December 2010.

Graduate Student Essay Contest [info]
- Sponsored by Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS); submit paper by 15 March 2011.

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Human Trafficking: New Resources

Events:

Crossroads of Vulnerability: The Connection between Refugee Rights Violations and Human Trafficking, Washington, DC, 18 November 2010 [info]
- Sponsored by Asylum Access, Georgetown Law’s Human Rights Institute, and Georgetown Human Rights Action.

Human Trafficking: The Nexus Between Research and Operative Work, Uppsala, 25 November 2010 [info]
- Sponsored by the Council of the Baltic Sea States Task Force.

Tackling Child Trafficking in the UK: Working Towards a Joined-Up Strategy, London, 7 December 2010 [info]
- A Public Policy Exchange Symposium.

Successes and Failures in International Human Trafficking Law, Ann Arbor, MI, 4-5 February 2011 [info]
- Hosted by the Michigan Journal of International Law.

Publications:

Briefing on the Legal Consequences in EU Law of the United Kingdom’s Decision to Opt Out of the Draft Directive on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Protecting Victims (Anti-Trafficking Legal Project & The AIRE Centre, Oct. 2010) [text]

"Cross-Border Trafficking in Nepal and India: Violating Women's Rights," Human Rights Review, vol. 11, no. 4 (Dec. 2010) [abstract]

Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation and the Law (Rights of Women, Oct. 2010) [text]
- Supplements "Seeking Refuge: A Handbook for Asylum-seeking Women."

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Round-up of Resources: Language Analysis in the Asylum Process

The most recent issue of The Researcher, includes an interesting article entitled "Language Analysis for Determination of Origins, in light of the recent UK Upper Tribunal decision" (pp. 4-10). Here is the text of the case which the author analyzes. His intention is to examine the court's endorsement of the methods employed by the Swedish Language Analysis Company (Sprakab) and its "conclusion that language analysis reports and little else besides may be enough to establish nationality" (p. 4).

The article refers to (p. 5) the Guidelines for the Use of Language Analysis in relation to Questions of National Origin in Refugee Cases, which were published in June 2004 in response "to calls for qualified linguists to provide guidelines for use by governments and others in deciding whether and to what degree language analysis is reliable in particular cases." (See also this Many of the linguists who signed the document have continued to write further on this issue; a selection of their studies are referenced below:

• Blommaert, Jan. "Language, Asylum, and the National Order." Current Anthropology, vol. 50, no. 4, Aug. 2009 [full-text]
• Corcoran, Chris. "A critical examination of the use of language analysis interviews in asylum proceedings: a case study of a West African seeking asylum in The Netherlands." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 11, no. 2 (2004) [full-text]
• Eades, Diana. "Testing the Claims of Asylum Seekers: The Role of Language Analysis." Language Assessment Quarterly, vol. 6, no. 1, Jan. 2009 [abstract]
• Eades, Diana. "Applied Linguistics and Language Analysis in Asylum Seeker Cases." Applied Linguistics, vol. 26, no. 4, Dec. 2005 [abstract]
• Eades, Diana and Jacques Arends. "Using language in the determination of national origin of asylum seekers: an introduction." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 11, no. 2 (2004) [abstract]
• Jacquemet, Marco. "Transcribing refugees: the entextualization of asylum seekers' hearings in a transidiomatic environment." Text & Talk: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Language, Discourse & Communication Studies, vol. 29, no. 5, Sept. 2009 [abstract]
• Maryns, Katrijn. "Identifying the asylum speaker: reflection on the pitfalls of language analysis in the determination of national origin." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 11, no. 2 (2004) [abstract]
• McNamara, Tim and Elana Shohamy. "Language tests and human rights." International Journal of Applied Linguistics, vol. 18, no. 1, March 2008 [abstract]
• Patrick, Peter. Linguistic Human Rights: A Sociolinguistic Introduction. University of Essex, updated Nov. 2008 [web site]
• Singler, John Victor. "The 'linguistic' asylum interview and the linguist's evaluation of it, with special reference to applicants for Liberian political asylum in Switzerland." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 11, no. 2 (2004) [abstract]

The issue of language analysis in the asylum process has also been the subject of a number of workshops and symposia, including those described here and here.

More recently, debate has arisen over the use of native speakers to judge the origin of asylum seekers from recorded interviews. The following articles discuss the pros and cons:

• Cambier-Langeveld, Tina. "The Role of Linguists and Native Speakers in Language Analysis for the Determination of Speaker Origin." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 17, no. 1 (2010) [abstract]
• Fraser, Helen. "The Role of 'Educated Native Speakers' in Providing Language Analysis for the Determination of the Origin of Asylum Seekers." International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law, vol. 16, no. 1 (2009) [abstract] [preprint]
• Muni Toke, Valelia. "La linguistique légale à la recherche du locuteur natif : de la détermination de l’origine des demandeurs d’asile." Langage et société, no. 132 (2010) [abstract]

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Legal/Policy Items: Asylum/Eur. Comm., Children/EU, Environ. Refugees, Persons w/ HIV/AIDS, Prot. & UN Sec. Council, Ref./Guantánamo, Unacc. Minors/EU

Applying Torture and Asylum Protections to Prevent the Deportation of Persons with HIV/AIDS (ExpressO, 2010) [text]

"Challenging Concepts of the 'Child' in Asylum and Immigration Law: The Example of the EU," Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, vol. 32, no. 3 (September 2010) [free access full-text]

"Environment, Security and Environmental Refugees," Journal of Animal and Environmental Law, vol. 1, no. 2 (Summer 2010) [text]

The Development of International Refugee Protection through the Practice of the UN Security Council, eCahiers de l’Institut, no. 6 (Graduate Institute, 2010) [text]

"Forgotten at Guantánamo: The Boumediene Decision and its Implications for Refugees at the Base under the Obama Administration," California Law Review, vol. 98, no. 3 (June 2010) [text]

An Independent Norms Entrepreneur? The European Commission and Asylum Rights, Migration Studies Unit Working Paper no. 2010/3 (LSE, 2010) [text]

Unaccompanied Minors' Rights within the European Union (Migrants' Rights Network, Oct. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

Publications: Climate Change/Tuvalu, Disabled Asylum Seekers/EU, Educ./Uganda, Land & IDPs/Colombia, Palestinians/Lebanon, Transportation/US

Building Momentum for Land Restoration: Towards Property Restitution for IDPs in Colombia (IDMC, Nov. 2010) [text]

Exile without End: Palestinians in Lebanon (CBC, Nov. 2010) [access]
- See also links to blog posts from reporters on the ground.

Learning Outside the Classroom: Non-formal Refugee Education in Uganda, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 193 (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Réchauffement climatique et migrations forcées: le cas de Tuvalu, eCahiers de l’Institut, no. 5 (Graduate Institute, 2010) [text]

Transportation, Equity, and Communities at Risk: Refugee Populations and Transportation Accessibility in Vermont (Univ. of Vermont, Oct. 2010) [text]

Vulnerable or Invisible? Asylum Seekers with Disabilities in Europe, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 194 (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

November Events Continued...

(November is proving to be a busy month!)

Encuentro Internacional sobre Protección de Refugiados, Apátridas y Movimientos Migratorios Mixtos en las Américas, Brasilia, 11 noviembre 2010 [info]
- Held in commemoration of UNHCR's 60-year anniversary. See related Q&A.

Protecting Fundamental Rights: Clarifying the Principles of Refugee Protection in Light of EU Law, Dublin, 12 November 2010 [info]
- Sponsored by the Refugee and Immigration Practitioners' Network and The Irish Centre for European Law.

Events Sponsored by Researchers for Asylum-Seekers (RAS), Melbourne, 16-17 November 2010 [info]
- "The Ethics of Australia's Evolving Asylum Policies: Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference 2010" will be held on the 16th, while "Researching Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Ethical Considerations" will be held the 17th.

International Association of Refugee Law Judges (IARLJ), Africa Chapter Regional Conference, Abuja, 22-25 November 2010 [info]

3rd Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights, Bangkok, 25-27 November 2010 [info]
- Theme is "Strengthening Local Effectiveness Together."

Related posts:
- More November Happenings...
- More November Events & Opps.
- Looking ahead to November...

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Journal News/Issues: al Majdal, Global R2P, JEMS, Researcher

Issues:

al Majdal, no. 44 (Summer-Autumn 2010) [full-text]
- First of two issues to focus on "Forced Secondary Displacement: Palestinian Refugees in Arab Host Countries."

Global Responsibility to Protect, vol. 2, no. 4 (Oct. 2010) [contents]
- Theme is "Africa's Responsibility to Protect."

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 37, no. 1 (2011) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "The Cost of Being Palestinian in Lebanon."

The Researcher, vol. 5, no. 3 (Nov. 2010) [full-text]
- From the Refugee Documentation Centre, Ireland. Includes "Language Analysis for Determination of Origins, in light of the recent UK Upper Tribunal decision."

News:

Fall Issue of Human Rights and International Legal Discourse [info]
- Focus will be on the interaction between international human rights law and migration law. See call for abstracts for more details.

Free Access to Public Health & Social Care Journals [info]
- Available through 30 November 2010.

Special Issue of Local-Global to be Launched, Melbourne, 18 November 2010 [info]
- The theme is "Beyond Border Control: Rethinking asylum and refugee protection in Australia and the region."

Tagged Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Using EXCOM Conclusions on International Protection

Curious to learn more about recent debate concerning the perceived value of EXCOM Conclusions on International Protection and the process by which conclusions are drafted and negotiated? Then read through these resources:

Note on Review of the Process for Drafting Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection (Informal Consultative Meeting, 18 November 2005) [text]
- This note lays out the key problem areas that have been identified concerning the content of and process for producing conclusions. It begins with some background on EXCOM's role vis-a-vis international protection. Underlying these discussions is the question of the conclusions' utility, i.e., if they are not used/considered useful, why go through this process at all?

Second Note on Review of the Process for Drafting Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection (Informal Consultative Meeting, 10 February 2006) [text]
- This Note "supplements the earlier note...by presenting the outcome of a small survey on the value of the ExCom Conclusions and, based on the discussions in the ICM, puts forward some suggestions as possible ways forward to improve the ExCom Conclusions negotiations process."

Non-paper on Key ExCom Conclusions that have Contributed to the Evolution of International Refugee Law and Formed the Basis of UNHCR Guidance (Informal Consultative Meeting, 5 January 2006) [text]
- This paper identifies a "few key areas where gaps in legal interpretation and standards were addressed by provisions in ExCom Conclusions, on which UNHCR has since provided more detailed operational guidance."

Review of the use of UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection, PDES/2008/03 (UNHCR, April 2008) [text]
- This report sought to answer the following questions:

1. To what extent are Excom Conclusions known, understood and appreciated by states, UNHCR, NGOs and other stakeholders?
2. To what extent have the different types of Excom Conclusion been used by various stakeholders (a) in the formulation of policy, official positions and legal guidance (b) in the drafting of national, regional and international legislation (c) as a input to judicial and asylum proceedings, (d) as an advocacy tool, and (e) in any other ways?
3. What are the key variables (e.g. subject matter, timing, specificity, length, dissemination) that determine whether an Excom conclusion is actively used by states and other stakeholders?
4. Is there any evidence to suggest that recent Excom Conclusions have been used to a greater or to a lesser extent than in earlier periods, and if so, what accounts for the trend?
5. Can specific examples of effective and ineffective practice be identified in relation to the use of Excom Conclusions?

Review of the use of UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection: Report of the Evaluation Team (Informal Consultative Meeting, June 2008) [text]
- Essentially the same text as that above, but with an executive summary included.

Informal Discussion Paper on Possible Ways to Improve the Drafting Process for Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection (Informal Consultative Meeting, 9 June 2008) [text]
- This paper "contains ideas for the improvement of the Executive Committee (ExCom) Conclusions process, bearing in mind issues and concerns which have been the subject of previous Informal Consultative Meetings. The paper also addresses some suggestions raised in the 'Review of the Use of UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection'."

ExCom Conclusions and Process 2008-2012: Ways Forward on ExCom Conclusions (Informal Consultative Meeting, 9 June 2008) [text]
- Powerpoint presentation that accompanied the above paper.

Preliminary Planning Paper on Proposed Multi-Year Themes (2008-2012) and Workplan for Executive Committee Conclusions (Informal Consultative Meeting, 8 July 2008) [text]
- Provides UNHCR's thinking on possible themes for future Conclusions on International Protection and their importance. Interestingly, a proposal was made back in Jan. 2007 for a possible conclusion on the protection of trafficking victims that seek asylum, but this theme is not included in the workplan.

Proposed Themes for Executive Committee Conclusions in 2010 (Informal Consultative Meeting, 21 January 2010) [text]
- Focuses just on possible themes for the 2010 EXCOM session. (We know now that the outcome was the Conclusion on refugees with disabilities... .)

Related posts:
- 50 Years of EXCOM: 1959-2009

Tagged Publications.

New Books on Human Trafficking

Cambridge University Press has published The International Law of Human Trafficking, by Anne T. Gallagher (available Sept. 2010 in the U.S. and Nov. 2010 elsewhere). The book is described as the "first-ever comprehensive survey and analysis of the international law of human trafficking, incorporating transnational criminal law, human rights, refugee law and international criminal law." The author discusses her book and other publications in this guest post on the IntLawGrrls blog.

The specific legal issue of "Trafficking and Asylum" is addressed in chapter 3, pp. 197-208. Sub-sections include "Trafficking and the Right to Seek and Receive Asylum," "Trafficking as the Basis for a Refugee Status," "Conclusion on Trafficking as a Basis for Asylum," and "A Note on Trafficking and Internal Displacement." Non-refoulement is discussed in chapter 6, "Obligations related to Repatriation and Remedies."

Ms. Gallagher is also a co-author of the just released ASEAN Handbook on International Legal Cooperation in Trafficking in Persons Cases (Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project, 2010), a new resource developed "to help improve cooperation between criminal justice officials who are involved in cross-border trafficking investigations."

(As an aside, there is another expert on human trafficking with a similar name: Anna Marie Gallagher, who serves as a resource person on this issue for the Southern Refugee Legal Aid Network (SRLAN)!)

Another publication out this month focuses on both Asia and Europe. Called Trafficking And Human Rights: European and Asia-Pacific Perspectives, it's edited by Leslie Holmes and published by Edward Elgar (Nov. 2010). Here's a bit from the blurb:

This fascinating study by international experts provides original research findings on human trafficking, with particular reference to Europe, South-East Asia and Australia. A major focus is on why and how many states and organisations act in ways that undermine trafficked victims’ rights, as part of ‘quadruple victimisation’. It compares and contrasts policies and suggests which seem to work best and why. The contributors also advocate radical new approaches that most states and other formal organisations appear loath to introduce, for reasons that are explored in this unique book.

Tagged Publications.

Publications: Admin. of Justice/Zambia, Education Guidebook, Natural Disasters/Haiti & Pakistan, Protection & Humanit. Assistance, TB/Norway

Crimes, conflicts and courts: the administration of justice in a Zambian refugee settlement, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 192 (UNHCR, Nov. 2010) [text]

Guidebook for Planning Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction (UNESCO, Nov. 2010) [access]
- Available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

Incorporating Protection into Humanitarian Action: Approaches and Limits (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Nov. 2010) [text]
- Presentation at conference: "From Relief and Works to Human Development: UNRWA and Palestinian Refugees after 60 years," Beirut, Oct. 2010.

Natural Disasters and Human Rights: Comparing Responses to Haiti and Pakistan (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Nov. 2010) [text]

"The role of entry screening in case finding of tuberculosis among asylum seekers in Norway," BMC Public Health 10:670 (Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

IDP News: New Special Rapporteur, Kampala Convention Resource

Dr. Chaloka Beyani has been appointed as the new Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons. He takes over from Mr. Walter Kälin, whose term ended October 2010. One of Dr. Beyani's recent accomplishments is his participation in the drafting of and negotiations involving the African Union Convention on Internally Displaced Persons (Kampala Convention).

Following on from its commemoration of the first anniversary of the Kampala Convention, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) has launched a new feature which introduces the convention, provides information about displacement in Africa, and promotes greater ratification and implementation of the convention. Use the menu on the left to navigate through the different sections.

[Picture credit: Hélène Caux/UNHCR; Displaced Women in Eastern Chad, IDMC]

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Focus on Climate Change Displacement: New Books, Journal Articles, Past Events, Working Papers

Books/Chapters:

"Climate Change and Migration: Emerging Patterns in the Developing World," by Clionadh Raleigh and Lisa Jordan, chapter 4 in Social Dimensions of Climate Change: Equity and Vulnerability in a Warming World (World Bank, 2010) [full-text]
- Also available via Google Books.

"The Curious Phenomenon of 'Environmental Migration/Displacement' and the Role of International Law in Cross-Border Protection," by Michèle Morel and Frank Maes, chapter 14 in Global Justice and Sustainable Development (Martinus Nijhoff, Oct. 2010) [info]

Ecoprofughi: Migrazioni forzate di ieri, di oggi, di domani = Eco-refugees: Forced Migrations Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, by Valerio Calzolaio (NdA Press, Oct. 2010) [info]
- See also announcement via IPSNews.

Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability, ed. by Tamer Afifi and Jill Jäger (Springer, Aug. 2010) [info]
- Based on 2008 conference.

Environmental Justice and the Rights of Ecological Refugees, by Laura Westra (Earthscan, June 2009) [info]
- Part I looks at "Present Refugee Law: Political and Legal Issues and Problems"; Part II discusses the interface between "Ecological Refugees and Refugee Law"; and Part III considers "The Way Forward: Existing Legal Instruments and New Provisions."

Journal Articles:

"'Climate Refugees'? Addressing the International Legal Gaps," International Bar News (June & August 2009) [Part I] [Part II]

"Ecological Refugees, States Borders, and the Lockean Proviso," Journal of Applied Philosophy, vol. 27, no. 4, November 2010 [abstract]
- See also Towards Recognition blog post re. a preprint version of this article.

"'Environmental Refugees': Key Debates and the Contributions of Geographers," Geography Compass, vol. 4, no. 7, July 2010 [abstract]

Past Events:

8th IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Colloquium, Ghent University, 14-16 September, 2010 [info]
- Panel 34 focused on "Environmental Migrants" and included the following presentations: "Protecting Environmental Migrants: Recent Findings from the UN Institute for the Environment and Human Security" and "Climate Refugees, Challenges of a New Category of Displaced Persons." Full-text papers should eventually be posted.

"Protecting Environmental Migrants: Creating New Policy and Institutional Frameworks," Summer Academy on Social Vulnerability, Munich, 25 – 31 July 2010 [report]
- See also links in sidebar.

Working Papers:

Displacement with Dignity: International Law and Policy Responses to Climate Change Migration and Security in Bangladesh, Sydney Law School Research Paper, no. 10/113 (University of Sydney, Nov. 2010) [text via SSRN]

Migration and Climate Change: An Overview, Working Paper, no. 79 (Compas, 2010) [text]
- Note: A book on this topic by the same authors is forthcoming from UNESCO.

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Publications: Anti-Trafficking & Evaluation, Armed Conflicts Rpt., Detention/US, Humanitarian Financing & Older Persons, Reproductive Health

Armed Conflicts Report 2010 (Ploughshares, 2010) [access]
- Includes an overview, country conflict summaries, maps, and statistics.

Feeling Good about Feeling Bad…: A Global Review of Evaluation in Anti-Trafficking Initiatives (Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women, 2010) [text]

Immigration Detention in America: A History of its Expansion and a Study of its Significance, Working Paper, no. 80 (COMPAS, 2010) [text]

"Reproductive Health Care for Asylum-seeking Women: A Challenge for Health Professionals," BMC Public Health 10:659 (Nov. 2010) [open access text]

A Study of Humanitarian Financing for Older People (HelpAge International, Nov. 2010) [text]

Tagged Publications.

New Blogs and Web Sites

New(ish):

African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration [site]
- "Its goal is to establish a network of research institutions and governmental entities dealing with migration in the six regions of the ACP Group of States, namely West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific." Forced migration and migration and climate change are two of its proposed research themes.

Conflict and Development: Overcoming Conflict and Fragility [site]
- A blog "hosted by the team working on the World Bank’s upcoming World Development Report 2011 'Conflict, Security, and Development'."

Human Rights Brief [site]
- Online companion to the print version of the periodical. Search on "asylum" for relevant commentary.

Peace Starts Here [site]
- An UNRWA initiative to raise awareness about the lives of Palestinian refugees.

Refugee Education Initiative [site]
- A new "online forum linking like-minded people from around the world to discuss issues of forced migration, displacement, education and conflict." Includes a blog and links to resources.

Refugee Space Project [site]
- Serves as a place "to connect refugees among themselves first of all, and then with other non-refugee people (friends of refugees) so that they can reason about the life of these people of concern and share their stories, ideas and ideals to raise public awareness about the reality of life they are leading in the world."

Refugees into Teachers [site]
- Aim of the site is to "provide free information, advice and guidance to refugees in the UK who wish to become qualified teachers or work in other support staff roles in UK state primary or secondary schools."

Revamped:

Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) [site]
- New look and URL (http://crs.yorku.ca). Happily, it now offers an RSS feed.

Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) [site]
- Another site with a new look and better organization, but no RSS (although you can sign up for email updates).

[Picture credit: UNRWA]

Tagged Web Sites/Tools.