Regional Focus: Europe

Event & opportunity: 

The Human Rights of Migrants and Refugees: EU and ECHR Interactions Explored, Dublin, 1 April 2014 [info]

*Jean Monnet Summer School on the European Union's Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, Dundee, Scotland, 9-15 June 2014 [info]
- Submit application by 15 April 2014.

Publications:

Asylum and Irregular Immigration in the EU: State of Play (European Parliamentary Research Service, March 2014) [text]

Asylum in the EU28: Large Increase to Almost 435 000 Asylum Applicants Registered in the EU28 in 2013 (EUROSTAT, Marc h 2014) [access]
- See also related ECRE Weekly Bulletin article.

Common European Asylum System: Challenges and Perspectives, Sofia, 24 March 2014 [text]
- Follow link for speech by EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.

Criminalisation of Migrants in an Irregular Situation and of Persons Engaging with Them (EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, March 2014) [text]

From Lampedusa to the Post-Stockholm Programme: Difficult European Solidarity in the Field of Migrations, European Policy Brief, no. 24 (Egmont Institute, March 2014) [text]

Fundamental Rights Training for Border Guards: Trainers' Manual (Frontex, March 2014) [text]

How to Ensure Fair, Humane and Effective Return Procedures? (European Commission, March 2014) [access]
- Follow link for Communication and other related materials.  See also related ECRE Weekly Bulletin article.

"Rethinking Europe's Freedom, Security and Justice," Chapter 1 in EU Security and Justice Law: After Lisbon and Stockholm (Hart Publishing, Feb. 2014) [info]
- Follow link for free full-text of Chapter 1 and other information about the book.

Web site:

The Migrants' Files [access]
- "Little is known about how many men, women and children actually have lost their lives on their journey to Europe. Believing that policy unsupported by facts cannot be optimal, a consortium of European journalists committed themselves to systematically assembling and analyzing the data on the deaths of Europe’s would-be migrants. The Migrants' Files project is partially funded by the European non-profit organization Journalismfund.eu."

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (24 March 2014)

*updated

Tagged Events & Opportunities, Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Employment Opportunities: April 2014

The following organizations are currently advertising several interesting opportunities:

Amnesty International [access]
- Amnesty has openings for four management-level positions in their London office. Follow the link for job descriptions of Senior Directors of Fundraising & Growth; Law & Policy; Office of the Secretary-General; and Research.  Application deadlines are various dates in April.

Refugees International [info]
- RI is looking for someone to fill a Senior Advocate position, also in the organization's London office, "to contribute to RI's overall objective of strengthening the international humanitarian response to refugee and displacement crises." Apply by 15 April 2014.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [info]
- OCHA would like to fill two New York-based posts in the Policy Analysis and Innovation Section (PAIS) of its Policy Development and Studies Branch (PDSB).  Apply by 10 April 2014.

United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services [info]
- The OIOS Inspection and Evaluation Division is seeking a Consultant to undertake an evaluation of UNHCR to determine its "relevance, effectiveness (including impact) and efficiency." Apply by 11 April 2014.

Related post:
- Events & Opportunities: April 2014

Tagged Events & Opportunities.  

Regional Focus: Syria

"Cyprus: Detention of Syrian Asylum Seekers and Access to an Effective Remedy," Fahamu Refugee Legal Aid Newsletter, no. 46 (March 2014) [full-text]

[Dynamic Monitoring System: Syria] (Assistance Coordination Unit, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Exodus to Egypt (Refugees International Blog, March 2014) [text]

For Syrians, Aid Is No Substitute for Peace (Refugees International Blog, March 2014) [text]

Joint Assessment for Syrian Refugees in Egypt (UNHCR et al., Nov. 2013) [text via ReliefWeb]

Protecting Syrian Refugees: Laws, Policies and Global Responsibility-Sharing, Beirut, 18 March 2014 [info]
- Here is a summary of the event.

Reconfiguring Relief Mechanisms: The Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon (American University of Beirut, Feb. 2014) [text]

Resettlement of Refugees: Promoting Greater Solidarity (PACE, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Syrians in their Neighbourhood: A One-day Symposium on the Refugee Crisis in the Middle East, Beirut, 13 March 2014 [access]
- Follow link for audiovisual materials and an event summary.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Syria (21 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Asia

Burmese Refugees in Thailand — Should They Stay or Should They Go?, ISEAS Perspective, no. 18 (ISEAS, March 2014) [text via Academia.edu]

Introducing Myanmar in Transition? A Displacement Perspective (openDemocracy, March 2014) [text]
- Introduction to a special feature; scroll down to access five additional posts.

"Only Six Asylum Seekers Accepted by Japan in 2013," The Japan Times, 20 March 2014 [text]

The Search for Common Ground: Civil-military Relations in Pakistan, HPG Working Paper (ODI, March 2014) [text]

South-East Myanmar: A Report on Village Profiles 2008-2012 (UNHCR, Sept. 2013) [text via ReliefWeb]
"Sri Lanka: Unrestricted Warfare and Limited Protective Humanitarian Action," International Development Policy, vol. 6, no. 1 (2014) [full-text]

Typhoon Trauma Stalks Survivors in Philippines (Refugees International, March 2014) [text]

"Using Clinical Education to Address an Unmet Legal Need: A Hong Kong Perspective," Journal of Legal Education, vol. 63, no. 3 (Feb. 2014) [full-text]
- Uses a refugee law clinic as its case study.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Asia (23 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Africa

Opportunity:

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Malian Refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger and Nigerian Refugees in Niger [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 18 April 2014.

Publications:

The Coloured Ones: The Unheard Voices of Albino Refugees in Nyarugusu Camp, Tanzania (ICMC, March 2014) [text]

Ethiopia Struggling to Cope with South Sudanese Refugee Influx (IRIN, March 2014) [text]

Kenya: Plan to Force 50,000 Refugees into Camps (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

"Out of Africa: Toward Regional Solutions for Internal Displacement," Brooklyn Journal of International Law, vol. 39, no. 1 (2014) [text via SSRN]

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Northern Nigeria (Africa in Transition Blog, March 2014) [text]

Report from Mali: Humanitarian Situation Complicated, and Ripe for Innovative Solutions (Global Observatory, March 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Africa (19 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

New Issues of EJML, Intl. Migr., IMR, JIRS, J. Lang. Sexuality, Kanere, New World, Third World Q.

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 16, no. 1 (2014) [contents]
- Theme is "The Negotiation and Contestation of EU Migration Policy Instruments"; includes "Norms Matter! The Role of International Norms in EU Policies on Asylum and Immigration."

International Migration, vol. 52, no. 2 (April 2014) [free full-text]
- Special issue on "The Globally Mobile Skilled Labour Force: Policy Challenges and Economic Opportunities," with article on "The Economic Contribution of Humanitarian Settlers in Australia." Also includes feature on "Asian Migration."

International Migration Review, vol. 48, no. 1 (Spring 2014) [free full-text]
- Includes special collection of original articles on "International Migrations in the Global South."

Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 12, no. 1 (2014) [contents]
- Includes articles on cervical cancer screening of refugees, Africans in Malta, Somalis in Kenya, refugees in the Netherlands, and recent immigrants in the United States.

Journal of Language and Sexuality, vol. 3, no. 1 (2014) [contents]
- Theme is "Queering Borders: Language, Sexuality and Migration." Includes "To feel the truth: Discourse and emotion in Canadian sexual orientation refugee hearings" and "Testimonies of LGBTIQ refugees as cartographies of political, sexual and emotional borders."

Kanere: Kakuma News Reflector (March 2014) [full-text]
- News and views from Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya.

New World (Spring 2014) [full-text]
- Theme is "The Humanitarian Imperative." Also note the web exclusive content.

Third World Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 2 (0 [contents]
- Special issue on "Fragile States: A Political Concept." Two articles are freely available.

Tagged Periodicals.

Opportunities: CFPs for Journal Articles

Oxford Monitor of Forced Migration [info]
- Deadline for submissions for vol. 4, no. 1 *extended* to 28 March 2014.

Refugee Watch: A South Asian Journal on Forced Migration [info]
- Submissions accepted on an ongoing basis; final deadline for inclusion in vol. 42 (July 2014) is 31 March 2014.

International Social Work [info]
- Contributions sought for special issue on humanitarian interventions. Submit papers by 31 April 2014.

Journal of Internal Displacement [info]
- Articles solicited for special issue on "Understanding Israeli Practices of Forced Displacement and Settler Colonialism in the Occupied Palestinian Territories." Note: Deadline has been *extended* to 1 May 2014.

Migration Studies [info]
- Submit a proposal for a Special Issue by 1 May 2014.

Forced Migration Review
- Two CFPs currently available: 1) Faith-based organisations and responses to displacement (deadline is 9 May 2014); 2) The Syria crisis, displacement and protection (deadline is 19 May 2014).

Anti-Trafficking Review [info]
- Articles sought for special issue on "15 Years of the UN Trafficking Protocol." Deadline is 1 June 2014.

Tagged Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Children

"Commentary: Reducing Further Harm to Asylum-seeking Children. The Global Human Rights Context," International Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 43, no. 1 (Feb. 2014) [free full-text]
- Note: The two authors of this commentary were part of the inquiry team that recently returned from visiting children in immigration detention on Christmas Island.

"Locating Young Refugees Historically: Attending to Age Position in Humanitarianism," European Journal of Development Research, vol. 26, no. 2 (2014) [free full-text]

Nothing for Them: Understanding the Support Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Young People from Refugee and Newly Arrived Backgrounds (La Trobe University, Jan. 2014) [text]

"Perpetually Turning Our Backs to the Most Vulnerable: A Call for the Appointment of Counsel for Unaccompanied Minors in Deportation Proceedings," Connecticut Law Review, vol. 46, no. 2 (Dec. 2013) [full-text]

Resources Guide for Legal Practitioners Working with Refugee Children, 4th ed. (ILPA, March 2014) [text]

Unaccompanied and Separated Asylum-seeking and Refugee Children Turning Eighteen: What to Celebrate? (UNHCR & Council of Europe, March 2014) [text]
- See also related PACE report and ECRE Weekly Bulletin article; listen to related podcast.

A Vicious Cycle for Children: In the Central African Republic (War Child UK, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Children (13 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: MENA

Event & opportunity:

The Arab Spring and Forced Migration: A Winter That Waits for an End, Cairo, 28 April 2014 [info]
- CMRS lecture.

CFP: Journal of Internal Displacement [info]
- Articles solicited for special issue on "Understanding Israeli Practices of Forced Displacement and Settler Colonialism in the Occupied Palestinian Territories." Note: Deadline has been *extended* to 1 May 2014.

Publications:

Displacement in the Middle East and North Africa: Between an Arab Winter and the Arab Spring, Working Paper, no. 17 (American University of Beirut, Aug. 2013) [text]

[EU Mobility Partnerships with Morocco and Tunisia] (EMHRN, 2014)
- Here is an analysis of the partnership with Morocco, signed 3 June 2013, and a reaction to the more recently agreed to partnership with Tunisia (signed 3 March 2014).

(Mis)understanding the "Right of Return" (PRRN Blog, March 2014) [text]

Morocco: Setting the Stage for Becoming a Migration Transition Country? (Migration Information Source, March 2014) [text]

Natural Disasters in the Middle East and North Africa: A Regional Overview (World Bank, Jan. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Saudis' Mass Expulsions Putting Somalis in Danger (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

Spain/Morocco: Protect Migrants, Asylum Seekers (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

Blog:

Orient en Migration [access]
- Recent posts focus on the situation of African asylum-seekers in Israel.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: MENA (11 March 2014)

Tagged Events & Opportunities, Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Thematic Focus: Regional Approaches

A new book entitled Regional Approaches to the Protection of Asylum Seekers: An International Legal Perspective was published this month by Ashgate. Here's part of the description:

"This book presents a comprehensive assessment of regional responses to the crisis in the asylum/refugee system and critically examines how different regions tackle the problem. The chapters consider the fundamental challenges which undermine an effective asylum process as well as regional difficulties with the various circumstances surrounding asylum seekers. With contributions on Africa, Europe, Latin America, South Asia and the Middle East, and the Pacific, the collection strives to appreciate what informs each region’s approach to the asylum process and asks if there are issues common to every region and if regions can learn from one another."

Read the freely available introductory chapter for more information.

Other publications:

Cartagena +30 (Forced Migration Current Awareness, March 2014) [text]

"Out of Africa: Toward Regional Solutions for Internal Displacement," Brooklyn Journal of International Law, vol. 39, no. 1 (2014) [text via SSRN]

Refugee Protection and Regional Cooperation in Southeast Asia:  A Fieldwork Report (Australian National University, March 2014) [text via Kaldor Centre]

"Regionalism: A Strategy for Dealing with Crisis Migration," Forced Migration Review, no. 45 (Feb. 2014) [open access]

Roundtable on Refugee Protection and International Migration in the Western Balkans: Suggestions for a Comprehensive Regional Approach, Vienna, 10-11 Dec. 2013 [info]

Tagged Publications.

Tip of the Week! Promoting Discussion

Recently, I've come across several initiatives that aim to promote discussion of particular issues among academics, policymakers and practitioners by cross-linking different fora.  Here are a few examples:

Topic: The Globalization of High Seas Interdiction - Sale’s Legacy and Beyond (Opinio Juris) [access]
- "This past week, a group of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers gathered at Yale Law School to discuss the rise of maritime migrant interdiction as a border-policing paradigm of global significance. Thanks to the generosity of the editors at Opinio Juris, this online symposium will make those discussions available to a wider audience."

Topic: Humanitarian Action and Protection: Lessons from Sri Lanka (International Development Policy Journal) [access]
- "This policy debate section presents an initial discussion paper written either by a scholar or a policy-maker, followed by critical reactions from academics, reflective practitioners and other stakeholders in a constructive spirit. This debate can be pursued on the eJournal’s blog... ."

Topic: Introducing Myanmar in Transition? A Displacement Perspective (openDemocracy) [access]
- "Dr Kirsten McConnachie introduces a series of articles for openDemocracy which anticipate some of the key debates that will be under discussion at the Refugee Voices conference."

Resource: RRN Discussions (Refugee Research Network) [access]
- "Over the next few months, we will be holding a series of online discussions that address issues raised during various events (conferences, workshops, symposia) in a more in depth way than is traditionally available through the time constraints of a panel format and Q&A’s." Two currently planned discussions are: 1) Gender, Security and Access to Education in the Dadaab Refugee Camps, 26 March-9 April 2014; and 2) What Are the Implications of Human Rights for Our Understandings of Refugee Law?, 23 April-7 May 2014.

Resource: Urban Refugees Debate Forum (Urban-Refugees.org) [access]
- This Forum "offers an online space for discussion and interaction between practitioners, researchers, urban refugees and IDPs themselves, as well as the public at large. Our intention is to bring together diverse contributors and commentators to ensure a rich and forward looking debate." Contributors write articles and solicit feedback from users of the Forum. The most current contribution focuses on urban displacement in Libya.

Tagged Tips.

Assessing UNHCR Policy and Guidance

UNHCR's recently launched Protection Manual makes it much easier to access - and assess - a wide variety of the organization's policy documents.  Two of these documents have been the subject of recent critiques:

UNHCR Issues New Guidelines on Temporary Protection. They Need a Rewrite (RSDWatch.org, March 2014) [text]
- In this blog post, Michael Kagan takes a close look at the "Guidelines on Temporary Protection or Stay Arrangements."  He concludes with "So, let’s please agree to call these Guidelines a rough draft. I’m sure the intentions were good. But please revise."

"The Dynamic of International Refugee Law," International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 25, no. 4 (Dec. 2013) [extract]
- On pp. 658-61, Guy Goodwin-Gill provides an analysis of "Claims to Refugee Status related to Military Service within the Context of Article 1A (2) of the 1951 Convention and/or the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees," similarly determining that "it is perhaps best to see these December 2013 Guidelines more as a work in progress... ."

Note: IJRL has published other articles that analyze UNHCR guidance; recent examples have focused on sexual orientation (see preprint on SSRN; also note that this guidance has since been superseded) and human trafficking (the full-text of this article can be accessed via FMO; scroll to vol. 19).

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: General

"Colonialism, Decolonisation, and the Right to be Human: Britain and the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees," Journal of Historical Sociology, Early View, 12 March 2014 [open access]

"Displacement and Gratitude: Accounting for the Political Obligation of Refugees," Ethics and Global Politics, vol. 7, no. 1 (2014) [open access]

Human Security Report 2013: The Decline in Global Violence - Evidence, Explanation and Contestation (Simon Fraser University, March 2014) [access]

The Rise and Decline of a Global Security Actor: UNHCR, Refugee Protection and Security, Oxford, 12 March 2014 [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

Taking a Stand for Human Dignity (Institute of Race Relations, March 2014) [access]
- Series of articles that examine the mistreatment of asylum-seekers and refugees in Europe and Australia.

"What’s in a Name?," Forced Migration Review 25th Anniversary Collection (Feb. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (10 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Thematic Focus: Health

"An Exploratory Trial Implementing a Community-based Child Oral Health Promotion Intervention for Australian Families from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds: A Protocol Paper for Teeth Tales," BMJ Open, vol. 4, no. 3 (March 2014) [open access]

"High-risk Sex and Displacement among Refugees and Surrounding Populations in 10 Countries: The Need for Integrating Interventions," AIDS, vol. 28, no. 5 (March 2014) [eprint via UNHCR]

"Implementation of New TB Screening Requirements for U.S.-bound Immigrants and Refugees – 2007-2014," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 63, no. 11 (21 March 2014) [full-text]

"Irish Midwives’ Experiences of Providing Maternity Care to Non-Irish Women Seeking Asylum," International Journal of Women's Health, vol. 6 (Jan. 2014) [open access]

Revisiting Therapeutic Governance: The Politics of Mental Health and Psychosocial Programmes in Humanitarian Settings, Working Paper, no. 98 (RSC, March 2014) [text]

"Spinal Cord Injury in the Emergency Context: Review of Program Outcomes of a Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program in Sri Lanka," Conflict and Health, 8:4 (March 2014) [open access]

"Suicide and Self-harm Prevention for People in Immigration Detention," Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 199, no. 11 (Dec. 2013) [full-text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Health (3 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

29th ALNAP Annual Meeting: Engagement of Crisis-affected People in Humanitarian Action, Addis Ababa, 11-13 March 2014 [access]
- A number of presentations have been posted, with more coming; meeting documents (background paper, concept paper, etc.) are also available.

Aid Workers, More on the Front Lines, Suffer Increased Attacks: Interview with Abby Stoddard (Global Observatory, March 2014) [text]

Cluster Coordination Guidelines (Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, Feb. 2014) [access]
- Follow link for "collection of tools, templates and reference documents specifically selected for use by CCCM Cluster Coordinators."

Helpdesk Research Report: Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid to Refugees (GSDRC, Feb. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Humanitarian Feedback Mechanisms: Research, Evidence and Guidance (ALNAP & CDA, March 2014) [access]
- Launched at a/m ALNAP meeting; note the other related documents available via the link, including two case studies, a summary of the methodology employed, and practitioner guidance.

Humanitarian Negotiations with Armed Non-state Actors: Key Lessons from Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia, HPG Policy Brief, no. 55 (ODI, March 2014) [text]

Integrating Science into Humanitarian and Development Planning and Practice to Enhance Community Resilience (University College London et al., Jan. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Search for Common Ground: Civil-military Relations in Pakistan, HPG Working Paper (ODI, March 2014) [text]

Security of Tenure in Humanitarian Shelter Operations (IFRC & NRC, March 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (5 March 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items

Events & opportunities:

Who is a Refugee?, Kuala Lumpur, 29 April 2014 [info]
- While the deadline for registration is 15 April 2014, only a limited number of places are available, so interested participants should sign up ASAP!

Second Postgraduate Workshop on Refugee Law, London, 25 April 2014 [info]
- Registration deadline is 16 April 2014.

What Are the Implications of Human Rights for our Understandings of Refugee Law?, Online Discussion Forum, 23 April–7 May 2014 [info]
- Registration required to participate.

ELENA Course: Credibility Assessment in Asylum Claims, Madrid, 5-7 May 2014 [info]
- Registration is now open. Interested participants are advised to register ASAP!

Publications:

Legal Support, not Legal Advice (NCADC, March 2014) [text]

Providing for Protection: Assisting States with the Assumption of Responsibility for Refugee Status Determination - A Preliminary Review,  PDES/2014/01 (UNHCR, March 2014) [text]

Online Symposium: The Globalization of High Seas Interdiction - Sale’s Legacy and Beyond (Opinio Juris, March 2014) [access]
- Discussions from recent symposium have been made available; scroll down to see related posts.

Resources Guide for Legal Practitioners Working with Refugee Children, 4th ed. (ILPA, March 2014) [text]

Testifying Behind Bars: Detained ICC Witnesses and Human Rights Protection (SSRN, Jan. 2014) [text]

Related posts:
- News: Online Protection Manual Launched
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items (13 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Events & Opportunities: April 2014

CFP: Refugee Protection Outside of the International Legal Framework: Expanding Cross-national and Cross-disciplinary Collaborations, Evanston, IL, 27-28 May 2014 [info]
- Deadline for abstracts is 1 April 2014.

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees in South Sudan [info]
 - Proposal submission deadline is 3 April 2014.

5th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights, Bangkok, 2-4 September 2014 [info]
 - This year's theme is "Building a Framework for Regional Protection"; the registration deadline is 14 April 2014.

CFP: Refugees and Migrants: Unaccompanied Children in Britain 1914-2014, Southampton, UK, 17-18 July 2014 [info]
 - Submit abstracts by 15 April 2014.

Migrating in, Migrating out: How to (Re)think "Migrants'" Struggles, Sofia, 8-9 May 2014 [info]
 - Abstract deadline is 15 April 2014.

Crisis of Humanitarianism / Humanitarianism in Crisis Conference, Chicago, 25-26 April 2014 [info]
- Register by 16 April 2014.

Second Postgraduate Workshop on Refugee Law, London, 25 April 2014 [info]
 - Registration deadline is 16 April 2014.

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Malian Refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger and Nigerian Refugees in Niger [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 18 April 2014.

Refugee Rights Leadership Training, Geneva, 13-14 June 2014 [info]
 - Submit application by 21 April 2014.

Affect, Borders and Bordering, London, 28 April 2014 [info]
- CMRB seminar.

Related posts:
- News: Funding for Research Projects
- Regional Focus: Americas

Tagged Events & Opportunities.  

Thematic Focus: Detention

"Australia Will Keep Detaining Refugees Indefinitely, Whatever the World Thinks," Time, 6 March 2014 [text]

Cyprus: Abusive Detention of Migrants and Asylum Seekers Flouts EU Law (Amnesty International, March 2014) [text]

Immigration Detention and the Rule of Law: Safeguarding Principles (British Institute of International and Comparative Law, 2013) [access]
- Follow link for final report and national reports.

Immigration Detention in Tanzania: A Prison Survey Report (Asylum Access, Dec. 2013) [text]

"LGBTI Migrants in Immigration Detention: A Global Perspective," Harvard Journal of Law & Gender, vol. 37, no. 1 (2014) [full-text]

"People Detained for Prolonged Periods in Immigration Detention Experienced Significant Psychological and Interpersonal Difficulties that Make it Difficult to Rebuild their Lives Following Release from Detention," Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, vol. 61, no. 1 (Feb. 2014)  [free full-text]

Private Security Firms Prosper as More Migrants Detained (IRIN, March 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Detention (28 Feb. 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Europe

Event:

ELENA Course: Credibility Assessment in Asylum Claims, Madrid, 5-7 May 2014 [info]
- Registration is now open.  Interested participants are advised to register ASAP!

Publications:

©UNHCR/A. D'Amato

Intégrer le "Paquet Asile" Européen dans le Droit National (Association Européenne pour la défense des Droits de l’Homme, Feb. 2014) [text]

Mediterranean Flows into Europe: Migration and the EU's Foreign Policy (European Parliament, March 2014) [text]

On a High Seas Rescue Mission with the Italian Navy (UNHCR, March 2014) [text]

Recommendations to the European Union to Urgently Address Criminalisation and Violence Against Migrants in Greece (PICUM, March 2014) [text]

"Russia Criticised Again for Failing to Protect Asylum Seekers from Abduction & Irregular Transfer to Countries Where They Face a Real Risk of Ill-treatment," ECRE Weekly Bulletin (14 March 2014) [text]

"Social Welfare Law and Asylum Seekers in Ireland: An Anatomy of Exclusion," Journal of Social Security Law, vol. 20, no. 2 (2013) [preprint via Academia.edu]
- Note: Published version will be accessible as of 31 July 2014.

[Image credit: "Rescue at Sea on the Mediterranean," Flickr, ©UNHCR/A. D'Amato]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (18 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Regional Focus: Asia

Opportunity: 

Who is a Refugee?, Kuala Lumpur, 29 April 2014 [info]
 - While the deadline for registration is 15 April 2014, only a limited number of places are available, so interested participants should sign up ASAP!

Publications:

Connecting the Last Mile: The Role of Communications in the Great East Japan Earthquake (Internews, 2013/2014) [access]
- Follow the link for both English and Japanese versions.

Myanmar: Act Immediately to Protect Displaced People's Rights (Refugees International, March 2014) [text]

Philippines: New Approach to Emergency Response Fails Women and Girls (Refugees International, March 2014) [text]

Thailand: Don’t Forcibly Return Uighurs to China (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

"Uyghurs Test ASEAN's Refugee Credentials," The Diplomat, 19 March 2014 [text]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Asia (14 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.   

Regional Focus: Syria

Multi-sector Child-focused Assessment: Al Za’atari, Jordan - Camp Census Report (UNICEF, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Oral Update of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (UN Human Rights Council, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Palestinians from Syria (Syria Needs Analysis Project, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Syrian Displacement Crisis and a Regional Development and Protection Programme: Mapping and Meta-analysis of Existing Studies of Costs, Impacts and Protection (Govt. of Denmark, Feb. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Syrian Refugees Living Outside Camps in Jordan: Home Visit Data Findings, 2013 (UNHCR, March 2014) [access]
- Follow the link for the report, data tables, executive summaries in English and Arabic, and audiovisual media.

Unpacking Gender: The Humanitarian Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan (Women's Refugee Commission, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Za’atari Refugee Camp: 2013 Safety and Security Report (UNHCR, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Syria (15 March 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Americas

Events & opportunities:

6th National Conference of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers/6e Conférence Nationale de L'ACAADR, Various Locations, 11 April 2014 [info]

2014 AILA Annual Conference on Immigration Law, Boston, 18-21 June 2014 [info]
- Register by 23 April 2014 for reduced rates.

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Colombian Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) [info]
- The proposal submission deadline is 25 April 2014.

CCR Spring Consultation, Halifax, Canada, 29-31 May 2014 [info]
- Theme is "Gateways to Hope, Pathways to Belonging"; registration now open; early bird deadline is 9 May 2014.

Publications:

Children on the Run: Unaccompanied Children Leaving Central America and Mexico and the Need for International Protection (UNHCR, March 2014) [text]
- See also related news story; audio of the High Commissioner at the launch of the report and his remarks are also available.

The Crisis in Buenaventura: Disappearances, Dismemberment, and Displacement in Colombia’s Main Pacific Port (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

Memorias - Conferencia de Soluciones Sostenibles para la Población Desplazada: Experiencias Internacionales y Nacionales, Bogotá, 28-29 Mayo 2013 (ACNUR, Dec. 2013) [text]

Rural Refugee Resettlement: Secondary Migration and Community Integration in Fort Morgan, Colorado, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 269 (UNHCR, March 2014) [text]

Supporting Durable Solutions to Urban, Post-Disaster Displacement: Challenges and Opportunities in Haiti (Brookings Institution & IOM, March 2014) [text]
- See also related UpFront blog post, event materials, and remarks from IOM Director-General.

Tijuana’s "New" Migrants: The Deported and Interior Refugees (Border Crossing Observatory, Jan. 2014) [text]

Related posts:
- Cartagena +30 (19 March 2014)
- Regional Focus: Americas (3 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Events & Opportunities: Last Minute March 2014

Human Rights Watch Film Festival, London, 18-28 March 2014 [info]
- Two films focus on refugees, in Cyprus and Switzerland respectively; more info. in this FM List post.

Access to Asylum: Current Challenges and Future Directions, Prato, Italy, 29-30 May 2014 [info]
- Early bird registration has been *extended* and now runs through 23 March 2014.

Jobs: Various positions, African Refugee Development Center [info]
- Five positions with an application deadline of 23 March 2014 are currently being advertised.

Job: Information Officer/Specialist, Macfadden [info]
- "[P]rovide information support to USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA)."  Apply by 24 March 2014.

Job: Senior Protection Officer, Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Emergencies [info]
- Application deadline is 26 March 2014.

The ‘War Refugee’ and International War: New Global Approaches, London, 27 March 2014 [info]

Europe's Securitized Border Controls: A Parallel World, London, 31 March 2014 [info]
- CMRB seminar.

Refugee Law Initiative Short Courses, London, June-July 2014 [info]
- Registration continues for these two courses: 1) The International Protection of Refugees and Other Displaced Persons, 24-27 June 2014; 2) European Law and Asylum Policy, 30 June-4 July 2014. Note the upcoming deadline for those applying for one partially subsidized and one fully subsidized place for each of these courses, which is 31 March 2014.  The final application deadline is 2 May 2014, although the number of places available are limited.

"Towards a Common European Asylum System: The Legislative Package of Second Generation," 7th European Congress for Jurists Specialised in Immigration and Asylum in Europe, Brussels, 8-9 April 2014 [info]
- Register by 31 March 2014.

Related post:
- Events & Opportunities: Even More March 2014

Tagged Events & Opportunities.  

News: Asylum Trends in 2013

UNHCR's newest statistical report, Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries, looks at asylum claims lodged in 38 European and six non-European countries.  A total of 612,700 people applied for asylum, with Syrians making up the bulk.  The other top countries of origin for applicants were Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Serbia/Kosovo.  The top five countries of asylum were Germany, the United States, France, Sweden, and Turkey.

This press release summarizes the main trends.  Reports from previous years are available here.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Counting Displaced Populations (21 March 2013)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Africa

Opportunity:

Gender, Security and Access to Education in the Dadaab Refugee Camps, Online Discussion, 26 March-9 April 2014 [info]
- To participate, you must first register as a user; see instructions.

Publications:

Gender Assessment and Needs Analysis in the Context of the South Sudan Humanitarian Crisis (Inter-Agency Standing Committee, posted March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Inter-Agency Appeal for the South Sudanese Refugee Emergency (January-December 2014) (UNHCR et al., March 2014) [text]

New Rwanda Site a Pilot for Refugee Camp Planning and Design (UNHCR, March 2014) [text]

Nigeria: Boko Haram Attacks Cause Humanitarian Crisis (Human Rights Watch, March 2014) [text]

Sudan: "We can't endure any more" - The Impact of Inter-communal Violence on Civilians in Central Darfur (Amnesty International, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Urban Refugees and the Challenge of the Slums (IHURER Research & Policy Blog, March 2014) [text]

Why We Need an Urban Refugee Policy in Tanzania (Asylum Access, March 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Africa (12 March 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Cartagena +30

The thirtieth anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees takes place this year.  The commemoration of this anniversary is being referred to as the Cartagena +30 process, the ultimate objective of which is to draft a new declaration and plan of action at a ministerial meeting to be held in Brasilia on 1-2 December 2014.

More information about the process can be found on the companion web site, specifically in this concept paper which was prepared for the first of several sub-regional meetings, and the campaign's first newsletter. See also the web pages on the ACNUR site devoted to Cartagena +30, which highlight the achievements of the original declaration and the legal developments that have been accomplished in the interim.  Finally, brief overviews can be found in the statement by the Director of the Bureau for the Americas and the update on UNHCR's operations in the Americas prepared for the recent Standing Committee meeting.

Related post:
- 30th Anniversary of the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees (21 Nov. 2013)

Tagged Events & Opportunities, Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

News: Online Protection Manual Launched

UNHCR has published a digital repository of its protection policy documents.  As this Protection Manual is immediately updated when new guidance is issued, it can "be relied upon to represent the current state of UNHCR protection policy/guidance."

Here is part of the announcement that describes its content and organization:

UNHCR guidance and policy documents are organized by theme/subject, as reflected in the Protection Manual's Table of Contents. Subjects include legal topics (reflecting, for example, UNHCR guidance on the different elements of the refugee definition) and operational protection guidance (for example, on 'asylum-seekers at sea', or 'age, gender and diversity').
   Under each heading, documents are arranged in reverse chronological order; with each document individually accessible through a hyperlink. Documents from non-UNHCR sources are generally not included, unless they provide guidance on protection-related topics that also applies to or has specifically been endorsed by UNHCR (such as interagency guidance). At the bottom of several of the subject headings, relevant related sources are listed, containing older guidance and documents which serve as background reading.

The Manual provides access to over 1000 documents.

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.