Thematic Focus: Statelessness

New campaign:

International Campaign to End Gender Discrimination in Nationality Laws [access]
- For more information, read this UNHCR press release and ENS blog post.

Publications:

The Dream of a Common Identity: Statelessness and Nationality in Africa (Statelessness Programme Blog, June 2014) [text]

"Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Race-based Statelessness in the Americas," Georgetown Journal of Law and Modern Critical Race Perspectives (Forthcoming, 2014?) [eprint via SSRN]

International Conference on Migration and Statelessness: Identifying Challenges and the Way Forward, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 23-24 June 2014 [info]
- See also introductory remarks.

The Story Behind Finding Some of Europe’s Invisible People (ENS Blog, June 2014) [text]

Who are You? Fraud, Impersonation and Loss of Nationality without Procedural Protection (ENS Blog, June 2014) [text]

Web resource:

Statelessness (UNHCR) [access]
- "An e-Learning course from UNHCR containing six modules on key Statelessness issues. The purpose of the interactive, practical online course is to raise awareness of Statelessness, its causes and consequences and to explain the relevant legal framework and UNHCR's Statelessness mandate. The programme uses practical examples and scenarios to guide the learner through the typical activities of the work of UNHCR on Statelessness."  See also related ENS blog post.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Statelessness (10 June 2014)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

"Challenging Operations: An Ethical Framework to Assist Humanitarian Aid Workers in Their Decision-making Processes," PLoS Currents: Disasters, 23 June 2013 [open access]

Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (Sphere Project, People In Aid & Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]
- Note: "Draft 2 for consultation & testing."

"The Hard Challenge of Aid Coordination," World Development, In Press, 7 March 2014 [open access]

"International Coordination and the Effectiveness of Aid," World Development, In Press, 27 Jan. 2014 [open access]

"Military Humanitarianism: Syria Hasn’t Killed It," The Washington Quarterly, 1 March 2014 [full-text]

MSF and the Aid System: Choosing not to Choose (MSF CRASH, May 2014) [text]
 
NGOs and the Shock of the New (IRIN, June 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (3 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Gender Issues

Publications:

"The Battle for Gay Asylum: Why Sexual Minorities Have an Inside Track to a U.S. Green Card," Wall Street Journal, 13 June 2014 [info]
- Note: The full-text is no longer freely available. However, you can still search on the title and then view Google's cache of the article.  See also related blog post on The Asylumist.

From 1975 to 2013: UNHCR's Gender Equality Chronology (UNHCR, July 2013) [text]

An Open Letter to UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie (Huffington Post, June 2014) [text]

Refugee Claims Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: An Annotated Bibliography (SSRN, June 2014) [text]

"Refugee Roulette: Wagering on Morality, Sexuality, and Normalcy in U.S. Asylum Law," Nebraska Law Review, vol. 92, no. 3 (2014) [full-text]

UNHCR Chief Calls for Empowerment of Women in a World in Crisis (UNHCR, June 2014) [text]

Web resources:

LGBTI Refugee Project Portal (ORAM) [access]
- This new site provides access to "projects and approaches that enhance the protection of LGBTI forced migrants in the areas of refugee status determination, policy development and research, practical protection measures, durable solutions, and staff sensitization and development."

Right to Asylum Guide - Gender-based Persecution: Information on Countries of Origin within the Framework of the Right to Asylum (CEAR-Euskadi) [access]
- "[A] practical reference tool that systematises the sources of information on the country of origin, laying special emphasis on the situation of women and the LGTTBI population."


Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Sexual and Gender-based Violence (16 June 2014)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Thematic Focus: Health

"Antiretroviral Therapy for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons: A Call for Equity," PLoS Medicine 11(6): e1001643 (June 2014) [open access]

Assessment and Management of Conditions Specifically Related to Stress: mhGAP Intervention Guide Module (WHO & UNHCR, 2013) [text]

"Cancer in Refugees in Jordan and Syria between 2009 and 2012: Challenges and the Way Forward in Humanitarian Emergencies," The Lancet Oncology, vol. 15, no. 7 (June 2014) [free full-text]
- Note: Free registration required to access the full-text.  See also related UNHCR news story.

"Conflict and Health: Seven Years of Advancing Science in Humanitarian Crises," Conflict and Health 8:7 (May 2014) [open access]

"A Focus Group Study of Healthy Eating Knowledge, Practices, and Barriers among Adult and Adolescent Immigrants and Refugees in the United States," International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 11:63 (May 2014) [open access]

"Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Prevalence in Maela Refugee Camp on the Thai-Myanmar Border: A Clinical Report," Global Health Action, vol. 7 (May 2014) [open access]

"Health Care Utilization for Acute Illnesses in an Urban Setting with a Refugee Population in Nairobi, Kenya: A Cross-sectional Survey," BMC Health Services Research 14:200 (May 2014) [open access]

Neurofeedback Treatment for Traumatized Refugees: A Pilot Study (Lund University, 2014) [text]

Policy Statement on HIV Testing and Counselling for Refugees and Other Persons of Concern to UNHCR (UNHCR, 2014) [text]
- Updated version.

"A Three Year Descriptive Study of Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis in a Refugee Population on the Thailand Myanmar Border," BMC Infectious Diseases 13:601 (Dec. 2013) [open access]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Canada, incl. Health (13 May 2014)
- Thematic Focus: Health (5 May 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Climate Change

Climate Displacement and Resilient Communities: Lessons from the Case of Manatí, Colombia (Climate and Development Knowledge Network, April 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The "Climate Refugee" Court Case Shows that the Asylum System will be Fruitless for People Moving Due to Climate Impacts (UKCCMC, June 2014) [text]

Disasters and Displacement: What We Know, What We Don’t Know (PlanetPolicy Blog, June 2014) [text]

Discussion Forum on Climate Change, Berlin, 17 June 2014 [text]
- Remarks by Volker Türk.

"Drifting Along: The Rise of the Environmental Refugee," Section 5 in U.S. National Debate Topic, 2014-2015: The Ocean, The Reference Shelf, vol. 86, no. 3 (H. W. Wilson, 2014) [text]
- This year's policy debate topic selected by the National Federation of State High School Associations is "The Ocean."  This volume includes "reprints of articles, excerpts from books, addresses on current issues, and studies of social trends in the United States and other countries." Scroll to p. 138.

A Fresh Start for Climate Change Refugees (IRIN, June 2014) [text]

Planned Relocations in the Context of Climate Change: The Time to Get Ready is Now (PlanetPolicy Blog, June 2014) [text]

Time to Act: How the EU Can Lead on Climate Change and Migration (Heinrich Böll Foundation, June 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Climate Change (21 May 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Thematic Focus: General

Children's Books on the Refugee Experience are Crucial Reading (The Conversation, June 2014) [text]

Global Peace Index 2014 (Institute for Economics and Peace, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Guidance for Profiling Urban Displacement Situations: Challenges and Solutions (Joint IDP Profiling Service, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Guidelines for Describing Migrants (Human Rights Watch, June 2014) [text]

Millions Displaced by Conflict Test Human Resilience and Aid Response: Interview with Volker Türk (Global Observatory, May 2014) [text]

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/26/33 (UN Human Rights Council, April 2014) [text via Refworld]

Refugee Studies: No Atonement for the Failure of Politics (openDemocracy, June 2014) [text]
 
Refugees: Figuring Out the Figures (RI Blog, June 2014) [text]

UNHCR Global Report (UNHCR, June 2014) [access]

Urban Refugees (urb.im & UrbanRefugees.org) [access]
- Online discussion with expert panelists on "possible solutions to the challenges faced by urban refugees and IDPs and the key role of community-based organizations."

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (6 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: MENA, esp. Iraq

Map credit: OCHA

Publications:

2014 Strategic Response Plan Revision: Iraq (OCHA, June 2014) [text]

ACAPS Briefing Note: Humanitarian Implications of Violence in Northern and Central Iraq (ACAPS, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Arab Uprisings: Displacement and Migration, Oxford, 16 May 2014 [access]
- Follow link for podcasts of this workshop.

"Disengagement from Politics: Nationalism, Political Identity, and the Everyday in a Palestinian Refugee Camp in Jordan," Critique of Anthropology, vol. 34 no. 2 (June 2014) [full-text via Academia.edu]

The Global Displacement Crisis: Trying to Avoid a Lost Generation in the Middle East (Debating Development Blog, June 2014) [text]

Iraq: Once Again People are Fleeing for their Lives (UpFront Blog, June 2014) [text]

Libya: Whipped, Beaten, and Hung from Trees (Human Rights Watch, June 2014) [text]

The Massive Refugee Emergency that Iraq’s Crisis has Made Even Worse, in Three Maps (Think Progress, June 2014) [text]

Web site:

Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM Iraq) [access]
- "The Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is an information management tool developed by the International Organization for Migration to gather baseline information on displaced populations and their conditions in the location in which they have temporarily settled."

Related post:
- Regional Focus: MENA (4 June 2014)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Regional Focus: Europe

Asylum in Switzerland: Out of Sight, Out of Mind (Institute of Race Relations, June 2014) [text via Oppenheimer Chair]

An Exploration and Critique of the Use of Mental Health Information within Refugee Status Determination Proceedings in the United Kingdom, Working Paper, no. 100 (Refugee Studies Centre, June 2014) [text]

Poverty among Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK: An Evidence and Policy Review, IRiS Working Paper, no. 1 (Univ. of Birmingham, May 2014) [text]

Strengthening Refugee Protection and Meeting Challenges: The European Union’s Next Steps on Asylum, Policy Brief, no. 5 (Migration Policy Institute, June 2014) [text]
- Listen also to audio of  related webinar.

Ukraine: Profiling and Needs Assessment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) (UNHCR, May 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

[Updated Reports] (AIDA, June 2014)
- The Asylum Information Database project has updated country reports on Belgium, Ireland and Malta.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (11 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Americas, esp. Unaccompanied Minors

5 Things You Need to Know about Unaccompanied Children (Center for American Progress, June 2014) [text]

"Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come for You: An Examination of the United States’ Denial of Asylum to Young Central American Males Who Refuse Membership in Transnational Criminal Gangs," Duquesne Law Review, vol. 52, no. 1 (Winter 2014) [full-text]

The Central American Child and Family Migrant Crisis (Vox.com, June 2014) [access]
- Special feature with eight articles.

Crime and Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean: Regional Country Profiles - English Summary (Action on Armed Violence, 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Dramatic Surge in the Arrival of Unaccompanied Children Has Deep Roots and No Simple Solutions," Migration Information Source, 13 June 2014 [text]

Facilitating Asylum for Displaced Civilians during Military Operations in SOUTHCOM Area of Operations (Birdsong's Law Blog, June 2014) [text]

The Migration of Unaccompanied Children to the United States: Stumbling towards a Humanitarian Solution (Huffington Post, June 2014) [text]
- See also related news summary.

Refugee Newcomers in Metro Vancouver: Changing Faces and Neighbourhoods 2010–2013 (ISS of BC, May 2014) [text via RRN]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Americas (11 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Oceania

"Australia’s Boatpeople Policy: Regional Cooperation or Passing the Buck?," Cultural Encounters, Conflicts, and Resolutions, vol. 11, no. 1 (June 2014) [full-text]

"From 'Boat People' to Refugees: Analyzing the Plight of Asylum Seekers in Australia and the Country’s Violations of International Law," Engaged Learning Collection Paper, no. 46 (SMU, April 2014) [text]

High Court Gets Another Chance to Have the Final Word on Regional Processing (FlagPost, June 2014) [text]
- A summary of the High Court judgment is available here.

*High Court Strikes Down Minister's Decision to Cap Permanent Visas for Refugees (FlagPost, June 2014) [text]

New Community: A Quarterly Journal, vol. 12, no. 1, issue 45 (2014) [contents via BroCAP]
- Focuses in part on refugees in Australia.

Pontius Pilate: Washing One's Hands of Refugees, Canberra, 19 May 2014 [info] [access]
- Follow access link for audio.

The Refugee Health and Wellbeing Project: Changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Participants in the Health and Wellbeing Programme (New Zealand Red Cross, Nov. 2013) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Then came reality": Lived Experiences of Refugee Youth in Their First 12 Months in New Zealand (New Zealand Red Cross, May 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

UN High Commissioner Criticises Australia’s 'Strange' Obsession with Boats (Refugee Council of Australia, June 2014) [text]

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Oceania (29 May 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Events & Opportunities: Last Minute June 2014/More July 2014

June:

Unaccompanied Minors: A Crisis with Deep Roots and No Simple Solutions, Webinar, 25 June 2014 [info]
- Organized by the Migration Policy Institute.

Using Evaluation for a Change: Insights from Humanitarian Practitioners, Webinar, 26 June 2014 [info]
- Organized by ALNAP.

A Decade of Collaborative Capacity Building in Emergencies: What Have We Learnt?, London, 27 June 2014 [info]
- Organized by the Overseas Development Institute; will also be livestreamed.

Survey on Trafficked Minors Who Go Missing with Outstanding International Protection Claims [info]
- Survey deadline is now 29 June 2014.

July:

Job: Campaign Manager, International Campaign to Eliminate Gender Discrimination in Nationality Laws, Women's Refugee Commission [info]
- Closing date for applications is 1 July 2014.

Access to Justice in the Asylum Process, Luton, UK, 3 July 2014 [info]
- Organized by the Centre for Research in Law.

Using Human Security as a Legal Framework to Analyse the Common European Asylum System, The Hague, 4 July 2014 [info]
- Organized by the Centre for the Law of EU External Relations.

*Right to Justice: Quality Legal Assistance for Unaccompanied Children, Brussels, 7 July 2014 [info]
- Organized by ECRE.

Westminster Law School PhD Fee Waivers [info]
- For new PhD students; application deadline is 14 July 2014.

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Proposals for the Safe from the Start Initiative to Strengthen Global Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence in Acute Refugee Emergencies [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 15 July 2014.

See also opportunities listed in this earlier post.

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Events & Opportunities: July 2014

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

New Issue of IJRL

The latest issue of the International Journal of Refugee Law (IJRL) is now available. Contents for vol. 26, no. 2, June 2014 include:

• Filling the Gaps? Subsidiary Protection and Non-EU Harmonized Protection Status(es) in the Nordic Countries [abstract]
• Testing Repatriation Contracts for Unconscionability: The Case of Refugees in Israel [abstract]
• Another Brick in the Wall: Carrier Sanctions and the Privatization of Immigration Control [abstract]
• Caught in Limbo: How Alleged Perpetrators of International Crimes who Applied for Asylum in the Netherlands are Affected by a Fundamental System Error in International Law [abstract]
• What Constitutes Persecution? Towards a Working Definition [extract]

Also included are two legal decisions and three book reviews.

Tagged Periodicals.

Regional Focus: Syria

A Multi-sector Assessment of Informal Tented Settlements in Jordan (Unicef & REACH, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

One Million Syrians in Lebanon: A Milestone Quickly Passed, Policy Brief, no. 2014/03 (Migration Policy Centre, June 2014) [text]

"Refugee Crisis Next Door: Turkey and the Syrian Refugees," Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Journal of Social Sciences, no. 3 (2014) [full-text]
- Scroll to p. 1.

Starvation in Syria: Is It Time to Reconsider Humanitarian Corridors? (IntLawGrrls, June 2014) [text]

Syria: Humanitarian Disaster and Security Threat (Council on Foreign Relations, June 2014) [text]

Towards a Resilience-based Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis (ODI, June 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Syria (3 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Africa

Blinded by Hope: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Ethiopian Migrants (RMMS, June 2014) [text]  

Central African Republic Crisis and its Regional Humanitarian Impact: An Overview of Needs and Requirements (OCHA, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"A Critical Investigation of the Relevance and Potential of IDPs as a Local Governance Instrument for Pursuing Social Justice in South Africa," Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, vol. 16, no. 5 (2013) [full-text via SSRN]

"A Forgotten Crisis: Displacement in the Central African Republic," Migration Information Source, 19 June 2014 [text]

Kenya Comprehensive Refugee Programme (UNHCR, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Role of Citizenship in Addressing Refugee Crises in Africa’s Great Lakes Region (International Refugee Rights Initiative, June 2014) [access]

UNHCR Position on Returns to Southern and Central Somalia (UNHCR, June 2014) [text]

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

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Afghans

Afghanistan: As Humanitarian Space Shrinks, IDP Policy Must Be Implemented (IDMC, June 2014) [text]

Cash-based Assistance Programmes for Internally Displaced Persons in the Kabul Informal Settlements: An Evaluation for WHH and DRC (Samuel Hall, May 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries - Portfolio of Projects: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (UNHCR, 2014) [text]

Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries - Portfolio of Projects: Islamic Republic of Iran (UNHCR, 2014) [text]

Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries - Portfolio of Projects: Islamic Republic of Pakistan (UNHCR, 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Asia (3 June 2014)

Tagged Publications.

News: 2014 Edition of Trafficking in Persons Report

The 2014 edition of the U.S. Department of State's annual Trafficking in Persons Report was released today. The "TIP Report assesses government efforts around the world to combat modern slavery. This year's Report, the 14th installment, includes narratives for 188 countries and territories, including the United States."  Follow the link for the text of the report by country section, background information, fact sheets, and remarks made during the briefing to launch the report.

Previous editions are available via my forced migration research guide.


Tagged Publications.  

World Refugee Day 2014

Today, 20 June 2014, is World Refugee Day. UNHCR is continuing its theme from last year's campaign that "1 family torn apart by war is too many." Visit the agency's Stories site to learn more about the experiences of forcibly displaced persons. Check out the web sites and Facebook pages of individual UNHCR offices for more info on country-specific events.

This date also marks the 40th anniversary of the OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa.

Numerous information resources are being launched today. Among them are:

*Innovate Data: How UNHCR Terminology and Language Have Changed Over the Years (UNHCR Innovation) [access]
- Take a "look back at the 1,774,931 words made in 703 speeches by the 10 High Commissioners for Refugees since UNHCR's inception in 1950" and see how tone and word choice have changed.

*LGBTI Refugee Project Portal (ORAM) [access]
- This new site provides access to "projects and approaches that enhance the protection of LGBTI forced migrants in the areas of refugee status determination, policy development and research, practical protection measures, durable solutions, and staff sensitization and development."

Refugee Economies: Rethinking Popular Assumptions (Humanitarian Innovation Project, June 2014) [text]
- Note: This report will be officially launched at an event today in Oxford.  Follow the link for more information.

The Role of Citizenship in Addressing Refugee Crises in Africa’s Great Lakes Region (International Refugee Rights Initiative, June 2014) [access]

UNHCR Global Trends 2013: War's Human Cost (UNHCR, June 2014) [text]
- This related news story reports that "the number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people worldwide has, for the first time in the post-World War II era, exceeded 50 million people...": specifically, "51.2 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2013, fully 6 million more than the 45.2 million reported in 2012."

*In addition, examples of some WRD-related commentary include:
- For World Refugee Day, 5 Long-term Refugee Trends (Pew Research Center, June 2014) [text]
- Making World Refugee Day Count (OUPblog, June 2014) [text]
- An Unsustainable Refugee Crisis (UNRWA, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day: IACHR Emphasizes the Importance of the Right to Seek and Receive Asylum (IACHR, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day: It is Vital to Create Safe Legal Channels to Europe, says PACE President (PACE, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day: UN Security Council’s "Spectacular Failures" Cause Millions to Flee (Amnesty International, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day 2014: Highest Levels of Displacement since World War II (FlagPost, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day a Reminder of Resilience, and a Call to a Solution (Center for Disaster Philanthropy, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day Draws Attention to Shortcomings of International Law (IntLawGrrls, June 2014) [text]
- World Refugee Day Remarks (Global Views Blog, June 2014) [text]

I will add more as the day unfolds.

*UPDATED

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

News: UNHCR/NGO Consultations End Today

UNHCR's Annual Consultations with NGOs will finish today, 19 June 2014.  You can watch the livestream of the closing plenary session from 14:30 to 17:00 CET (8:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST).

Read this news story and check the agenda for more information.

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Country of Origin Information Resources

COI Forum (ecoi.net, Asylum Research Consultancy & Dutch Council for Refugees) [access]
- "The COI Forum is a free online tool for all COI researchers and users of COI working in refugee status determination to share publications and ideas on COI research and sources, as well as to develop shared resources." Follow the link for more information on how to join this forum.  Other COI-related discussion groups are invited to make use of the ecoi.net platform.

Country Information and Guidance (UK Home Office) [access]
- The Home Office has been producing Operational Guidance Notes (OGN) for some time now, but has recently changed the format of the reports.  So far, four reports based on the new format have been made available: Kuwaiti Bidoon (Feb. 2014), Somalia (April 2014), Uganda: Claims Based on Sexual Orientation (April 2014?) and China: Christians (June 2014).  In April, the Independent Advisory Group on Country Information issued a tender for evaluations of the Kuwait and Somalia reports; these should be completed in mid-June 2014.

Right to Asylum Guide - Gender-based Persecution: Information on Countries of Origin within the Framework of the Right to Asylum (CEAR-Euskadi) [access]
- "[A] practical reference tool that systematises the sources of information on the country of origin, laying special emphasis on the situation of women and the LGTTBI population."

Watch for:

Adjudicating Refugee and Asylum Status: The Role of Witness, Expertise, and Testimony (Cambridge University Press, Nov. 2014) [info]
- "In this book, an array of legal, biomedical, psychosocial, and social science scholars and practitioners offer the first comparative account of the increasing dependence on expertise in the asylum and refugee status determination process. ...The authors draw upon their interactions with expertise and the immigration process to provide insights into the evidentiary burdens on asylum seekers and the expanding role of expertise in the forms of country-conditions reports, biomedical and psychiatric evaluations, and the emerging field of forensic linguistic analysis in response to emerging forms of persecution, such as gender-based or sexuality-based persecution."

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Country of Origin Information/Evidence (2 Dec. 2013)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Opportunities/New Issues of Disasters, EMN Bull., EJML, Humanit. Exch., IJMHSC, IMR, J. Hum. Rts.

Opportunities:

CFP: MELUS: Multi-ethnic Literature of the United States [info]
- Articles sought for special issue on "Refugee Literature: Forty Years after the Vietnam War." Submission deadline is 30 June 2014.

Job: Book Review Editor, Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees [info]
- Apply by 1 July 2014.

New issues:

Disasters, vol. 38, no. 3 (July 2014) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

EMN Bulletin, no. 7 (June 2014) [full-text]
- From the European Migration Network; covers Feb.-May 2014.

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 16, no. 2 (2014) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "Convergence against the Odds: The Development of Safe Country of Origin Policies in EU Member States (1990–2013)."

Humanitarian Exchange, no. 61 (May 2014) [full-text]
- Features eight articles that discuss "The Humanitarian Situation in Yemen."

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 10, no. 2 (2014) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including "Beyond Social Capital: A Capability Approach to Understanding Refugee Community Organisations and Other Providers for 'Hard to Reach' Groups."

International Migration Review, vol. 48, no. 2 (Summer 2014) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Human Rights, vol. 12, no. 1 (2013) [contents]
- Special issue on "Humanitarianism and Responsibility."  Two articles are open access.

Tagged Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Opportunity:

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Proposals for the Safe from the Start Initiative to Strengthen Global Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence in Acute Refugee Emergencies [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 15 July 2014.

Publications:

Challenging Gender-based Violence Worldwide: CARE's Program Evidence - Strategies, Results, and Impacts of Evaluations 2011-2013 (CARE, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, London, 10-13 June 2014 [info]
- Follow the link above for an overview of what took place during this event as well as access to social media and audiovisual resources. See also the Chair's Summary, the Statement of Action, and a comment on the RI Blog.

International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Basic Standards of Best Practice on the Documentation of Sexual Violence as a Crime under International Law (The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]
- This was officially launched during the a/m Global Summit.

Into the Mainstream: Addressing Sexual Violence against Men & Boys in Conflict (Refugee Law Project, May 2014) [text]

Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/26/38 (UN Human Rights Council, May 2014) [text via Refworld]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Gender Issues (5 June 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Detention

Event:

*Detention Policies as Tools of Immigration Control, New York, 21 July 2014 [info]
- A dialogue hosted by the Center for Migration Studies.

Publications:

Arbitrary Detention of Asylum Seekers: A Comparison of Some Recent Practice from Italy and the UK, Oxford, 30 May 2014 [info]
- Follow link for podcast.

Behind Bars: Is Encampment of Refugees in Kenya a New Form of Migrant Detention? (RMMS, June 2014) [text]

Beyond Detention: A Global Strategy to Support Governments to End the Detention of Asylum-seekers and Refugees, 2014-2019 (UNHCR, 2014) [text]
- See also related press release.

*Does Detention Increase Removals and Decrease Asylum Claims? (Free Movement, June 2014) [text]

Information Note on Asylum-seekers in Detention and in Dublin Procedures in Hungary (Hungarian Helsinki Committee, May 2014) [text]

Is the Indiscriminate Detention of Irregular Migrants a Cost-effective Policy Tool? A Case-study of the Amygdaleza Pre-Removal Center (ELIAMEP, May 2014) [text]

*Migrants in Detention (European Court of Human Rights, June 2014) [text]

Monitoring Immigration Detention: Practical Manual (APT, IDC & UNHCR, June 2014) [text]

Web site:

CloseTheCamps.org: Mapping of Migrant Camps (Migreurop) [access]
- This site "aims, on the basis of an interactive mapping tool, to identify, describe and locate detention sites and to make practical information available to detainees and those who want to contact and/or support them."

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Detention (20 May 2014)

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

Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Forced Labour

Global Treaty to Protect Forced Labor Victims Adopted (Human Rights Watch, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Human Trafficking Law and Resources," Michigan Bar Journal, vol. 92, no. 11 (Nov. 2013) [full-text]

Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour (ILO, 2014) [text via Refworld]

Report of the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/26/37 (UN Human Rights Council, April 2014) [text via Refworld]

Special Report: Despite Deaths, Crackdown, Sahara Migrant Trail Thrives (Thomson Reuters Foundation, May 2014) [text]

Tackling Labour Exploitation among Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Guide (Platform on Forced Labour and Asylum, May 2014) [text]

Torture Camps in Yemen: Abuse of Migrants by Human Traffickers in a Climate of Impunity (Human Rights Watch, May 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking/Smuggling (8 May 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Africa

The Application of Sphere Standards by the UNHCR to Nomadic Lifestyle in the Refugee Hosting area of Intikane, Niger (UNHCR, Dec. 2013) [text via ReliefWeb]

Central African Republic: Let Muslims Seek Safety (Human Rights Watch, June 2014) [text]

Community Based Child Protection Mechanisms amongst Urban Refugees in Kampala, Uganda: An Ethnographic Study (Child Protection in Crisis, Dec. 2013) [text]

Going West: Contemporary Mixed Migration Trends from the Horn of Africa to Libya & Europe (RMMS, June 2014) [text]

Kenya Turns up the Heat on Somali Refugees (IRIN, June 2014) [text]

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/26/33 (UN Human Rights Council, April 2014) [text via Refworld]
- Section III focuses on the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention).

Unconditional Cash Transfers to Reduce Food Insecurity for Displaced Households and Assist in the Repatriation of People to Their Villages of Origin - Regions of Zinder, Agadez and Maradi in Niger (Cash Learning Partnership, May 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Africa, esp. Somalis (29 May 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Americas

Finding a New Home in the U.S. (Birdsong's Law Blog, June 2014) [text]

Fleeing Mexico's Gangs (RI Blog, June 2014) [text]

How to Protect Refugees and Prevent Abuse at the Border (Human Rights First, June 2014) [text]
- See also related factsheet, infographic and press release.

Mexico's Displaced: Caught in the Crossfire (RI Blog, June 2014) [text]

"The New Wave: Forced Displacement Caused by Organized Crime in Central America and Mexico," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Access, 10 June 2014 [open access]

"An Overview of Pending Asylum and Refugee Legislation in the US Congress," Journal on Migration and Human Security, vol. 2, no. 2 (2014) [open access]

What Is the Right Policy toward Unaccompanied Children at U.S. Borders? (Migration Policy Institute, June 2014) [text]

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Children (4 June 2014)
- Regional Focus: Americas (28 May 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Disability

Event:

Hearing and Responding to the Voices of Deaf and Disabled Refugees and Asylum Seekers, London, 13 June 2014 [info]

Publications:

Crises, Conflict and Disability: Ensuring Equality (Routledge, April 2014) [info]
- "Countries party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities must take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of people with disabilities during situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and natural disasters. Such aid should be designed to support preparedness, response, recovery and rebuilding. This book includes perspectives from around the globe and explores the implications at the policy, programme, and personal level... ."

Disability Inclusion: Translating Policy into Practice in Humanitarian Action (Women's Refugee Commission, March 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]
- See also related FMR article.

Hidden Victims of the Syrian Crisis: Disabled, Injured and Older Refugees (Handicap International & HelpAge International, April 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Protecting Refugees with Disabilities (University of Sydney Law School, May 2014) [text]
- See funding proposal for more information.

"Protection for Disabled Persons in Afghanistan," Forced Migration Review, no. 46 (May 2014) [open access]


Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Disabled Persons (31 Jan. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Regional Focus: Europe

Events:

Has EU Immigration and Asylum Policy Failed? Can It Ever Succeed?, Webinar, 17 June 2014 [info]

Job: Research Associate, Manchester University, UK [info]
- Candidate sought to work on project entitled "Children of Refugees in Europe: Aspirations, Social and Economic Lives, Identity and Transnational Linkages."  Apply by 24 June 2014.

Publications:

EU: Make Saving Lives at Sea Top Priority (Human Rights Watch, June 2014) [text]

Going West: Contemporary Mixed Migration Trends from the Horn of Africa to Libya & Europe (RMMS, June 2014) [text]

The Humanitarian Implications of the Crisis in Ukraine, HPG Briefing Note (ODI, May 2014) [text]

The Large-scale Arrival of Mixed Migratory Flows on Italian Shores (PACE, June 2014) [text]

A Place to Live, a Place to Stay: A Good Practice Guide for Housing in Refugee Resettlement (ICMC Europe et al., June 2014) [text]

Why Figures Matter (Protection Gateway, June 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (3 June 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Statelessness

Birth Registration and Children's Rights: A Complex Story (Plan International et al., 2014) [access]

Dominican Republic's New Citizenship Law Falls Short (Open Society Foundation, June 2014) [text]

Double Jeopardy: Syria’s Stateless Palestinians (ENS Blog, June 2014) [text]

Exploring Statelessness and Nationality in Iran (SSRN, May 2014) [text]

Stateless in Britain, 'like being an alien': Steven’s Story (Thomson Reuters Foundation, June 2014) [text]

Statelessness Update: The UK Government Makes concession to Citizenship-stripping Proposals (Just Security, June 2014) [text]

UK Measures Rendering Terror Suspects Stateless: A Punishment More Primitive than Torture (International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, June 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Statelessness, pt. 2 - Withdrawal of Nationality (28 May 2014)

Tagged Publications.