Admin: Holiday Break

This blog will be quiet for a while.  Please check in again just after the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

Events & Opportunities: A Few More January 2015

Call for applications: CMRS Winter Short Courses, Cairo, 1-19 February 2015 [info]
1. Refugees Hosted During Political Transitions: Understanding the Protection Needs of Vulnerable Migrants and Refugees, 1-5 February 2015
2. Training Skills for Trainers of Psychosocial and Mental Health Workers in Countries Affected by Emergencies, 8-12 February 2015
3. International Refugee Law, 15-19 February 2015
- The deadline for applications is 1, 4, 8 January 2015, respectively.

Humanitarian Exchange Launch: Putting People First: Lessons on Accountability to Affected Populations from Typhoon Haiyan, London, 20 January 2015 [info]
- Will also be livestreamed.

Seminar: Uprooted, Unprotected: Libya’s Post-Gaddafi Displacement Crisis, Montreal, 27 January 2015 [info]

Related post:
- Legal Events & Opportunities: January 2015

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Statelessness & Nationality

Publications:

Asia-Pacific Ministers Agree on Civil Registration for all by 2024 (UNHCR, Nov. 2014) [text]

Citizenship Revocation and the Privilege to Have Rights, Oxford, 3 Dec. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

Concluding Statement of the Fifth High-Level Steering Meeting on the Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness in the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek City, 27 Nov. 2014 [text]

Get Up, Stand Up: How Serious is the UN’s New Human Rights Initiative? (RI Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Involuntary Loss of European Citizenship (ILEC) Project (EUDO Observatory on Citizenship) [access]
- See also related database indicated below.

Is Citizenship a Solution to the Palestinian Refugee Problem? (PRRN Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

A Welcome First Step towards Tackling Statelessness in Poland (ENS Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Web resource:

Statistics on Loss of Citizenship [access]
- "The database offers aggregate data from 1985 onwards on the total numbers of loss of citizenship in a country, as well as on modes of loss of citizenship, in the 28 Member States of the European Union. These data are summarised in charts on each country statistics page and can be downloaded in spreadsheet format for further analysis."  For more information, read this related CEPS working paper.

Related posts:
- News: Inaugural World's Stateless Report (15 Dec. 2014)
- Thematic Focus: Statelessness (4 Dec. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Regional Focus: Oceania

Australia: Stop Forced Returns without Proper Screening (HRW, Dec. 2014) [text]

Australia's Refugee Population: A Statistical Snapshot of 2013-14 (FlagPost Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

Comment on Australia: Protection of Refugees who do not "Live Discreetly" (UK Constitutional Law Assoc. Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Incident at the Manus Island Detention Centre from 16 February to 18 February 2014 (Australian Senate, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Dec. 2014) [text via Kaldor Centre]
- See also related Thomson Reuters news story.

Minister Reports to Parliament on Processing Arrangements in Nauru and PNG for 2013-14 (FlagPost Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

A Nation all at Sea: Seeking Leadership on Asylum Seekers (Per Capita, Dec. 2014) [text via APO]

Papua New Guinea: Invisible and Neglected Protracted Displacement (IDMC, Dec. 2014) [text]
- See also related IDMC blog post.

The Refugee Debate in Australia: Alternative Perspectives, Sydney, 19 Aug. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for video.

Why is the Australian Government Sending Refugees to Cambodia? (East Asia Forum, Nov. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Australia (21 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items

Opportunity:

Diploma in Human Rights and Forced Displacement, University for Peace, March-December 2015 [info]
- Diploma is awarded when five online classes are completed; each course is also available on a stand-alone basis. The diploma is limited to 25 participants.

Publications:

"Gimme Shelter: International Political Asylum in the Information Age," Vanderbilit Journal of Transnational Law, vol. 47, no. 4 (2014) [full-text]

The Obligations of the State of Origin of Refugees: An Appraisal of a Traditionally Neglected Issue (ExpressO, 2014) [eprint]

Prosecuting a Refugee for 'Smuggling' Himself, University of Michigan Public Law Research Paper, no. 429 (SSRN, Dec. 2014) [text]

"Unlocking Protracted Refugee Situations: Lessons from Four Asian Case Studies," Chapter 6 in Still Waiting for Tomorrow: The Law and Politics of Unresolved Refugee Crisis (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014) [text]

Why is UNHCR Doing RSD Anyway? A UNHCR Report Identifies the Hard Questions (RSDWatch, Dec. 2014) [text]

When UNHCR Does the State’s Job: Coping with the Reality of Mandate Status Determination (Global Views Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items, incl. Expert Testimony (11 Dec. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Health

*Care in Captivity? An Analysis of the Provision of Care for Detained Asylum Seekers Experiencing Mental Health Problems (JRS Malta, Dec. 2014) [text]

Displaced by Disease: 5 Displacement Patterns Emerging from the Ebola Epidemic (IDMC Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

"Health Status of and Health-care Provision to Asylum Seekers in Germany: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Evidence Mapping of Empirical Studies," Systematic Reviews, 3:139 (Nov. 2014) [open access]

Identifying Barriers: Interpreting the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale for Refugees (National Medical Fellowships, 2014) [text]

"Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Problems among Refugees in Primary Health Care: Analysis of the Health Information System in 90 Refugee Camps," BMC Medicine, 12:228 (Nov. 2014) [open access]

Mental Health Trauma among Cambodians and Cambodian Refugees after the Pol Pot Regime Conflict: A Literature Review (George Washington University, Oct. 2014) [text]

"Psycho-trauma, Psychosocial Adjustment and Symptomatic Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among Internally Displaced Persons in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria," Frontiers in Psychiatry, 5:127 (Sept. 2014) [open access]

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Health (19 Nov. 2014)
- Thematic Focus: Health, pt. 2 - Ebola (7 Nov. 2014)

*updated

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Publications:

Asylum Manual (Immigration Equality, updated Oct. 2014) [text]

"El Derecho de Asilo por Motivos de Orientación Sexual e Identidad de Género = The Right to Asylum on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity," Revista de Derecho Político, no. 89 (2014) [open access]

The Nebulous Nexus between Sexual Orientation and Membership in a Particular Social Group, Human Rights Nexus Working Group, 10th World IARLJ Conference, Tunis, 22-24 Oct. 2014 [text]

Queer, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Refugee Experiences of 'Passing' into 'Membership of a Particular Social Group', Working Paper, no. 2014/3 (UCL Migration Research Unit, 2014) [text]

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Administration of Refugee Protection, Vulnerable Persons Working Party, 10th World IARLJ Conference, Tunis, 22-24 Oct. 2014 [text]

*"Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the Refugee Determination Process in Canada," Journal of Research in Gender Studies, vol. 4, no. 2 (2014) [full-text via SSRN]

Very Private Lives: "Acceptable Questioning" in Sexual Orientation Asylum Cases (Eutopia Law Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

Commentary re. EU Court of Justice case, A, B and C v Staatssecretaris van Veiligheid en Justitie (Cases C‑148/13 to C‑150/13):
- Case Watch: EU Court Ruling Backs Refugees from Anti-Gay Persecution (Open Society Foundations, Dec. 2014) [text]
- EU Court Bans Credibility 'Tests' for Gay Refugees (Free Movement Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]
- LGBTI Asylum-seekers: The CJEU Sends Mixed Messages (EU Law Analysis Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Gender Issues (8 Oct. 2014)

*UPDATED

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: General

Event:

International Migrants' Day, 18 December 2014 [info]
- See also updated data for IOM's Missing Migrants Project and related Amnesty International statement.

Publications:

International Migrant Population by Country of Origin and Destination (MPI, Dec. 2014) [access]
- Follow link for map.

Love of Women and a Place in the World: Romantic Love and Political Commitment in the Life of a Forced Migrant, Oxford, 12 Nov. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

Managing Disasters and Conflicts in OIC Countries (Islamic Development Bank, 2014) [text via PreventionWeb]

Persecuted by Structural Violence: Problematizing the Field of Forced Migration, Bachelor Thesis (Malmö University, Nov. 2014) [text]

Population Displacement: Displacement in the Aftermath of Nuclear Weapon Detonation Events, ILPI-UNIDIR Vienna Conference Series, Paper no. 4 (ILPI-UNIDIR, 2014) [text]

Sans Papiers: The Social and Economic Lives of Young Undocumented Migrants, Oxford, 21 Nov. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

Top 10 Migration Issues of the Year (Migration Information Source, Dec. 2014) [access]
- As of this writing, issues 4-10 have been posted; view the rest tomorrow.

Web site:

Asylum Network Research Matchmaker [access]
- "[A]llows organisations that work with migrants and researchers (that is students and academics) to connect with each other to ensure that the research that students and academics carry out about migration is useful and interesting to both these organisations and to migrants themselves." For more info., read this blog post.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (2 Dec. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Regional Focus: Asia

Opportunity:

CFP: Workshop on Forced Migration Studies, Kolkata, 16-21 March 2015 [info]
- Submit abstracts by 26 December 2014.

*Putting People First: Lessons on Accountability to Affected Populations from Typhoon Haiyan, London, 20 January 2015 [info]
- Will also be livestreamed.

Publications:

"Fragmentation of the International Humanitarian Order? Understanding 'Cultures of Humanitarianism' in East Asia," Ethics & International Affairs, vol. 28, no. 4 (Winter 2014) [free full-text]

Learning from Crisis: Strengthening Humanitarian Response since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (CARE, Dec. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

MSF and North Korea 1995-1998 (MSF, Nov. 2014) [text]
- Part of the "Speaking Out" series.

Not Taking Chances: The Philippines Weathers Typhoon Hagupit (UpFront Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Philippines: Displaced and Forgotten in Zamboanga (Refugees International, Dec. 2014) [text]

Protecting the Most Vulnerable: Humanitarian Needs in Afghanistan, Paper prepared for the London Conference on Afghanistan, 4 Dec. 2014 [text]

A Report on the Local Integration of Indo-Chinese Refugees and Displaced Persons in Japan (UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Strengthening Displaced Women's Housing, Land and Property Rights in Afghanistan (NRC, Nov. 2014) [text via Refworld]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Asia (5 Dec. 2014)

*updated

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Update on Eritrea COI Report Controversy

(Please note that I don't speak Danish and Google Translate is a bit cumbersome to use, so this is just a brief update with links to items that appear to be relevant - but I may have overlooked some!)

The Danish Parliament's Committee on Immigration and Integration Affairs will hold a public consultation on 18 December 2014 to discuss the Danish Immigration Service's fact-finding mission report on Eritrea (see this earlier post for background). Here is the agenda and the appendices.

Among the appendices are various documents submitted by the Immigration Service to the committee (including a letter from UNHCR giving its perspective on the report).

The DIS has also produced a revised version of the report to accommodate Prof. Kibreab's request to be dissociated from it.

*See also the views of Human Rights Watch in advance of the inquiry.


*updated

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: ICTs, Information & Innovation

Publications:

Due Process Standards for the Use of Country of Origin Information (COI) in Administrative and Judicial Procedures, Country of Origin Information and Country Guidance Working Party, 10th World IARLJ Conference, Tunis, 22-24 Oct. 2014 [text]

Facebook and 'Selfie' Identities for Bhutan Refugees (Massey University, Dec. 2014) [text]

Humanitarian Innovation: The State of the Art (OCHA, Nov. 2014) [text via RSC]

New Research to Assess How Tech May Aid Refugees, Veterans in Transitions (Syracuse University, Nov. 2014) [text]

Promoting Innovation and Evidence-based Approaches to Building Resilience and Responding to Humanitarian Crises: An Overview of DFID's Approach (DFID, 2014) [text via PreventionWeb]

"Social Media and Disasters: A Functional Framework for Social Media Use in Disaster Planning, Response, and Research," Disasters, vol. 39, no. 1 (Jan. 2015) [free full-text]

Syrian Refugees, Personal Media Usage and Community Cohesion: New Research Directions, Paper presented at Urban Communities’ Presents, Pasts, & Futures in Conflict and in Dialogue, Chicago, 19 Nov. 2014 [access]
- Scroll down to locate paper in list.

Archive collections:

The Refugee Archive at Kasperson Library (Clark University, Oct. 2014) [info]

World’s Largest Collection of Documents on Torture Still a Well-kept Secret (World without Torture Blog, Nov. 2014) [info]

Web site:

Social Media for Good [access]
- "Exploring the use of digital communications tools for NGOs, non-profit organizations and to support humanitarian relief."

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: ICTs (12 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

New Issues of Disasters, JEMS, JIRS, Migr. Pol. Pract., Parity, Peace Rev., Rec. des Cours

Disasters, vol. 39, no. 1 (Jan. 2015) [free full-text]
- Mix of articles including "Displacement as a predictor of functional impairment in tsunami-exposed children."

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 41, no. 1 (2015) [free full-text]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 41, no. 2 (2015) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 12, no. 4 (2014) [contents]
- Special issue on "New Forms of Intolerance in European Political Life."

Migration Policy Practice, vol. IV, no. 4 (Oct.–Nov. 2014) [full-text via ReliefWeb]
- Mix of articles, including one on Ireland's Direct Provision accommodation system and one on migrant deaths in the Mediterranean.

Parity, vol. 27, no. 10 (Nov. 2014) [contents]
 - Focus is on homelessness and asylum in Australia.

Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice, vol. 26, no. 4 (2014) [free full-text]
- Celebrates 25th anniversary of Peace Review with essays on different peace & conflict-related journals.

Recueil des cours = Collected Courses, vol. 368 (Oct. 2014) [contents]
- Includes sub-section on "La protection des personnes en cas de catastrophe."

Tagged Periodicals.

New Issue of JRS & Web Site on Global Refugee Policy

The latest issue of the Journal of Refugee Studies (JRS) has been published.  It features a selection of papers initially presented at a day-long workshop entitled "The Making, Methods and Movement of Global Refugee Policy," which preceded the Refugee Studies Centre's 30th anniversary conference on the theme of "Understanding Global Refugee Policy."  [Note: This issue of RSQ drew from papers presented at the latter meeting.]

Contents of vol. 27, no. 4, Dec. 2014 include:

• Introduction: Understanding Global Refugee Policy [free full-text]
• Lessons from the Global Public Policy Literature for the Study of Global Refugee Policy [extract] [ResearchGate] [related working paper]
• Building Consensus within UNHCR’s Executive Committee: Global Refugee Norms in the Making [abstract]
• Whither Policy? Southern African Perspectives on Understanding Law, ‘Refugee’ Policy and Protection [abstract] [full-text via Academia.edu]
• Can Global Refugee Policy Leverage Durable Solutions? Lessons from Tanzania’s Naturalization of Burundian Refugees [abstract]
• International Refugee Law and Refugee Policy: The Case of Deterrence Policies [abstract] [preprint]
• The Bali Process and Global Refugee Policy in the Asia–Pacific Region [abstract] [full-text via Oppenheimer Chair]

As the introduction notes, the pre-conference workshop also "called for the establishment of a network of researchers working on various aspects of global refugee policy." The Global Refugee Policy Network was launched in Dec. 2012 and is hosted by the Refugee Research Network (RRN).  Its aim is to stimulate more dialogue and collaboration on research relating to global refugee policy.  The network's web site provides concrete examples of 1) global refugee policy, 2) some of the research that is being undertaken in this area, and 3) the methodological approaches used for this type of research.  It also features a Collaboration Forum to connect people who are working on similar issues.

Tagged Periodicals and Web Sites/Tools.

Thematic Focus: Development-induced Displacement

"Development-Induced Displacement and Sustainable Development: The Case Study of Slezská Harta Dam in the Czech Republic," Problemy ekorozwoju - Problems of Sustainable Development, vol. 8, no. 2 (2013) [text via SSRN]

A Foreseeable Disaster in Burma: Forced Displacement in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (Physicians for Human Rights, Nov. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Geography of Post-Eviction Resettlement in Delhi, India (DRAN Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Mapping the Crisis of Displaced Peoples (Phys.org, Nov. 2014) [text]

Parks Need Peoples (Survival International, Nov. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"We are not afraid" - Land Rights Defenders: Attacked for Confronting Unbridled Development (FIDH & OMCT, Dec. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Why is the World Bank Financing Forced Evictions?," Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice, vol. 26, no. 2 (2014) [abstract]

Update on World Bank's revision of safeguard policies:

For background, see this earlier post. The consultation period has been extended to 1 March 2015.

• Will the World Bank Cut Back on Social, Environmental and Human Rights Protections? (IntLawGrrls, Oct. 2014) [text]
• Is the World Bank Retreating from Protecting People Displaced by its Policies? (UpFront Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]
• No Easy Path for the World Bank's Safeguards (Devex, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Development-induced Displacement (16 July 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

News: Inaugural World's Stateless Report

The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) has published the first edition of The World's Stateless report.  Here is part of the description:

Statelessness has been a cause of human suffering for too long, and unnecessarily so: it is a man-made phenomenon and bringing it to an end is – at least in theory – entirely feasible. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion is committed to helping to inform and catalyse solutions for statelessness. In the hope of contributing to a better sense of the task ahead, this inaugural World’s Stateless report explores currently available statistical data and discusses the challenges involved in accurately mapping or quantifying statelessness. From this analysis, the report distils recommendations to states, UNHCR and civil society on how to improve data collection and reporting on statelessness.

ISI's aim is to issue this report on a biennial basis.

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Children

Opportunity: 

CFP: Contribute chapter to edited volume entitled Children and Forced Migration: Durable Solutions during Transient Years [info]
- Submit abstract by 15 January 2015.

Publications:

CulTrain – Cultural Orientation Trainings: An Integration Measure in Austria Tackling Adaptation Problems of Young Refugees (IOM, 2014) [text]
- See also related project web page.

Djibouti’s Child Migrants: Destitution, Deportation and Exploitation (Regional MMS, Oct. 2014) [text]

Refugee Status for Children in Central America? (The Migrationist Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

Representation for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Court (TRAC, Nov. 2014) [text]

Undocumented Migrant Children in the EU (European Parliamentary Research Service, Dec. 2014) [text]

Why a Rights-based Approach to Migrant Children? The Case of Undocumented Children and Families (PICUM, Nov. 2014) [text]

Why do Children Undertake the Unaccompanied Journey? Motivations for Departure to Europe and Other Industrialised Countries from the Perspective of Children, Families and Residents of Sending Communities in Afghanistan (Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit & UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Americas, incl. Central American Unaccompanied Minors (20 Nov. 2014)
- Thematic Focus: Children & Youth (6 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Protection at Sea

HC Protection Dialogue:

Joint Statement on Protection at Sea in the Twenty-First Century (UNHCR, IOM, IMO, UNODC & OHCHR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Opening Remarks by Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, 10 Dec. 2014 [text]

Specific Protection Challenges Affecting Migrants at Sea and How the Global Community Could Better Respond to Their Plight, Statement by Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, 10 Dec. 2014 [text]

UNHCR Urges Focus on Saving Lives as 2014 Boat People Numbers near 350,000 (UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Elsewhere:

Large Scale Rescue Operations at Sea: Guidance on Ensuring the Safety and Security of Seafarers and Rescued Persons (International Chamber of Shipping, Dec. 2014) [text]
- See also related press release.

The Success of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) (Human Rights at Sea, Dec. 2014) [text]

View on Migration: Drone Searches Aid Refugee Rescues (SciDev.net, Dec. 2014) [text]

We Must Look Beyond the Sea to Prevent Migrant Deaths in the Mediterranean (ECRE, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Event: HC Dialogue on Protection Challenges (9 Dec. 2014)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

Event & opportunity:

Webinar: The Centrality of Protection: What Does It Mean in Practice?, 16 December 2014 [info]

Webcast: The Role of Gender in Humanitarian Protection and Response, 18 December 2014 [info]

Working Together in the Field for Effective Humanitarian Response, Berlin, 3-4 March 2015 [info]
- Registration is now open for ALNAP member organizations; some places also available for external participants. Deadline for exhibitors' applications is 30 December 2014; deadline for members' registration is 20 January 2015.

Call for Applications: First Global Humanitarianism Research Academy (GHRA) 2015 [info]
- Deadline for applications is 31 December 2014.

Publications:

Ancient Origins, Modern Actors: Defining Arabic Meanings of Humanitarianism, HPG Working Paper (ODI, Nov. 2014) [text]

Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (DanChurchAid, Dec. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Equipped to Meet Tomorrow’s Humanitarian Challenges? Conference Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Code of Conduct, Geneva, 5 Dec. 2014 [info]
- Follow link for agenda and concept paper.

Evaluating Protection in Humanitarian Action: Issues and Challenges (ALNAP, Dec. 2014) [text]

Humanitarian Access in Situations of Armed Conflict (Conflict Dynamics, Dec. 2014) [access via ReliefWeb]
- Follow link for the second versions of both the Handbook on the International Normative Framework and the Practitioners' Manual.

Humanitarians under Attack: Delivering Aid in Insecure Settings, Webcast, 20 Nov. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for audio.

Is Medical Care Really under Fire? A Debate on Humanitarian Security (Off the Cuff, Nov. 2014) [text]

World Humanitarian Data and Trends 2014 (OCHA, Dec. 2014) [text]
- See also related web site.

Web sites:

Humanitarian History [access]
- Aim of this project is to "make the history of the humanitarian sector more easily accessible to humanitarian workers and researchers to facilitate" and "support the work of those researching the history of the humanitarian sector."

INFORM: Index for Risk Management [access]
- "[A] global, open-source risk assessment for humanitarian crises and disasters; it can support decisions about prevention, preparedness and response."

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (18 Nov. 2014)

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

Thematic Focus: Climate Change

"Climate Change: Disappearing States, Migration and Challenges for International Law," Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, vol. 4, no. 1 (July 2014) [full-text]

Climate Change: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail (Global Views, Nov. 2014) [text]

"Climate Refugee, Protected Person and Complementary Protection Claims under the Microscope in New Zealand's Immigration and Protection Tribunal," Australia Environment Review, vol. 29, no. 9 (2014) [full-text via SSRN]

"Legal Study on the Climate Change-Induced Migrants in China," Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, vol. 4, no. 1 (July 2014) [full-text]

Linking Human Mobility and Climate Change (Nansen Initiative, Dec. 2014) [text]

New Dangers, Evolving Protections: Responses to Climate Displacement (RI Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

No Refuge from Climate Change (RefLaw, Dec. 2014) [text]

Protecting People on the Move in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change, Sydney, 4 Nov. 2014 [access]
- Follow link for video of seminar.

Refuge from Climate Change-related Harm: Evaluating the Scope of International Protection Following New Zealand’s Teitiota Judgment, Paper presented at Second Postgraduate Workshop on International Refugee Law, London, 25 April 2014 [text]

Safeguarding the Role of Displaced Communities in Decisions about Relocations (Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement, Nov. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Climate Change & Displacement (21 Oct. 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Legal Events & Opportunities: January 2015

Symposium: "This is Not a Drill": Confronting Legal Issues in the Wake of International Disasters, Nashville, TN, 13 February 2015 [info]
- Registration deadline is 12 January 2015.

CFP: Regulating ‘Irregular’ Migration: International Obligations and International Responsibilities, Athens, 20 March 2015 [info]
- Submit abstracts by 15 January 2015.

CFP: "Refugee and Asylum Law: Theory, Policy and Practice"  Stream, 2015 Socio-Legal Studies Association Conference, Coventry, UK, 31 March-2 April 2015 [info]
- Submit papers by 19 January 2015.

Event: Detained, Denied and Deported: The Human Consequences of the Legal Aid Cuts and Bail for Immigration Detainee's Annual General Meeting, London, 20 January 2015 [info]

CFP: Nordic Asylum Law Seminar, Uppsala, Sweden, 7-8 May 2015 [info]
- Deadline for abstracts/proposals is 26 January 2015.

Call for Essays: First Annual International and Comparative Disaster Law Essay Contest [info]
- Submissions due 30 January 2015.

Related posts:
- Events & Opportunities: Even More December 2014/New January 2015
- Opportunities: Two Calls for Comments on UNHCR Protection Guidelines

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

Events & Opportunities: Even More December 2014/New January 2015

December:

Call for Commissioned Papers: Vulnerability and Resilience in Explaining Environmental Change, Migration and Development (KNOMAD) [info]
- Submit paper proposals by 15 December 2014.

Seminar: The Rights of Women Seeking Asylum: The Role of Research and Civic Engagement in Securing the Rights of Women to Protection, London, 15 December 2014 [info]

Job: Statelessness Campaign Assistant, Geneva, UNHCR [info]
- Apply by 21 December 2014.

Job: "Prevention of Statelessness in Sudan" Protection Officer, Khartoum, UNHCR [info]
- Apply by 22 December 2014.

Call for Applications: First Global Humanitarianism Research Academy (GHRA) 2015 [info]
- Deadline for applications is 31 December 2014.

January:

CFP: "Dis-Placement: Refugees between Places," Special issue of Peripherie - Zeitschrift für Politik und Ökonomie in der Dritten Welt = Journal for Politics and Economy in the Third World [info]
- Submit manuscripts by 6 January 2015.

CFP: Panel on "Gender, Violence and Refugee Communities", 6th European Conference on African Studies, Paris, 8-10 July 2015 [info]
- Abstracts due 9 January 2015.

CFP: Refugee Health Conference, Toronto, 4-6 June 2015 [info]
- Abstracts due 9 January 2015.

RFP: Democracy, Human Rights, and Religious Freedom in Cameroon with a Particular Emphasis on Displaced Communities from Central African Republic [info]
- Proposals due 12 January 2015.

CFP: Panel on "Refugee Visions and Realities: Interpreting Time with People on the Move," Congress of the International Society for Ethnology and Folklore, Zagreb, 21-25 June 2015 [info]
- Deadline is 14 January 2015.

CFP: Contribute chapter to edited volume entitled Children and Forced Migration: Durable Solutions during Transient Years [info]
- Submit abstract by 15 January 2015.

Seminar: Defining "Survivors": Jewish Refugees in the Soviet Union and Iran, Haifa, 15 January 2015 [info]

Webinar: Recognising and Responding to Trauma amongst Refugee Populations, 28 January 2015 [info]
- Register by 19 January 2015.

Education: MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, Oxford [info]
- First deadline for applications is 23 January 2015 (esp. for students seeking scholarships).

CFP: International Journal of Migration and Border Studies [info]
- Submit papers by 31 January 2015.

Course: CRS Summer School, 4-8 May 2015 [info]
- Early bird registration deadline is 31 January 2015.

Related post:
- Events & Opportunities: More December 2014

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

News: Eritrea COI Report Controversy

Last month, the Danish Immigration Service issued a fact-finding report entitled "Eritrea: Drivers and Root Causes of Emigration, National Service and the Possibility of Return."  The report suggested in part "that the human rights situation in Eritrea may not be as bad as rumoured and that Denmark should no longer offer blanket asylum to Eritreans fleeing compulsory – and often time indefinite – military service."

However, the well-known academic Gaim Kibreab, who was used as a source, has since complained that he was misquoted and has asked to be "dissociated" from the report. A number of other organizations also heavily criticized the report's findings (see, e.g., Amnesty International Denmark).

Subsequently, the DIS issued a press release indicating that it had reconsidered its position regarding Eritrean deserters in light of reactions to the report. However, as AI Denmark notes, the report has not been officially retracted.

This update from Refugees Welcome provides a summary of the controversy.

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items, incl. Expert Testimony

Publications:

Considerations on the Impact of Measures relating to Ebola Virus Disease, on Persons Who are or may be in Need of International Protection (UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Human Rights, Immigration, and Border Walls (SSRN, Nov. 2014) [text]

"Immigration Law Beyond Borders: Externalizing and Internalizing Border Controls in an Era of Securitization," Annual Review of Law and Social Science, vol. 10 (2014) [free full-text]

Inequality, Immigration and Refugee Protection, Oxford, 26 Nov. 2014 [access]
- See also info re. related e-book.

Ivor C. Jackson, Key Figure in Shaping UNHCR Protection Mandate Dies (UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

"Multiple Nationality and Refugees," Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, vol. 47, no. 4 (2014) [full-text via SSRN]

"Non-Refoulement between 'Common Article 1' and 'Common Article 3'," Chapter 16 in Refuge from Inhumanity? War Refugees and International Humanitarian Law (Brill, July 2014) [eprint via Bepress]

"Psychological Assessment Protocol for Asylum Applications in Federal Immigration Courts," Annals of Psychotherapy & Integrative Health (Fall 2014) [full-text]

Expert testimony:

Two forthcoming books discuss the role of expert opinions and witnesses in asylum hearings.  One is available this month - Adjudicating Refugee and Asylum Status: The Role of Witness, Expertise, and Testimony (Cambridge University Press, Dec. 2014) - while the other - African Asylum at a Crossroads: Activism, Expert Testimony, and Refugee Rights (Ohio University Press) - will be published May 2015.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items (14 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Africa

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Humanitarian Engagement and Programming in Promoting Local Integration of Refugees in Zambia, Tanzania, and Cameroon (Development of Training Services, Oct. 2014) [access]

Food Cuts, Political Pressure Create Perfect Storm for Somali Refugees (RI Blog, Dec. 2014) [text]

Horn of Africa: The Linkages between Food Insecurity, Migration and Conflict (Insight on Conflict Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

The Kampala Convention Two Years on: Time to Turn Theory into Practice (IDMC, Dec. 2014) [text]
- See also related blog post.

Nigeria: Multiple Displacement Crises Overshadowed by Boko Haram (IDMC, Dec. 2014) [text]

A Review of the Legal Framework in Zimbabwe Relating to the Protection of IDPs: In the Context of the Kampala Convention and Other Supranational Normative Frameworks (IDMC, Dec. 2014) [text]

The Secret Urban Refugees of Dar es Salaam (RI Blog, Nov. 2014) [text]

Uprooted by Conflict: South Sudan’s Displacement Crisis (IRC, Nov. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Africa (11 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: MENA

"Dynamics of Protection: Asylum in the Medieval Arabic-Islamic World," Paper presented at Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference, 18-19 Nov. 2014 [abstract]

Framework for Cooperation Between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the Government of the United States of America for 2015 (U.S. Department of State, Nov. 2014) [text]

Jordan's Refugees: A Human Timeline of Regional Crisis (IRIN, Dec. 2014) [text]

Lessons from Baghdad: A Shift in Approach to Urban Shelter Response (NRC, May 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Libya: Countries Should Suspend Forcible Returns (HRW, Dec. 2014) [text]

Negotiated Masculinities: The Case of Iraqi Refugees in Jordan (Academia.edu, Nov. 2014) [eprint]

Ongoing Displacement: A Profile of Iraq 2013-2014 (IOM, Dec. 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Seeking Asylum in the Promised Land," Eureka Street, vol. 24, no. 23 (Dec. 2014) [full-text]

A Series on Statelessness: Palestinians Fleeing Death and Destruction in Syria are Unwelcome Visitors in Host Countries (Middle East Monitor, Dec. 2014) [text]

The Situation of Iraqi Minorities (European Parliamentary Research Service, Dec. 2014) [text]

UNHCR Seeks More Comments: Art 1D (Palestinians) and “Former Habitual Residence” (RSDWatch, Dec. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: MENA (13 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Syria, incl. Resettlement

Resettlement:

The UNHCR Pledging Conference on Resettlement and Other Forms of Admission for Syrian Refugees was held yesterday in Geneva. One of the aims was "to increase the number of places available to Syrian refugees in resettlement countries in areas such as Europe, and North and South America."  The result: "After today's pledges and indications of future commitments, UNHCR expects the total number of places for Syrian refugees available in the coming months to reach 100,000."  A coalition of NGOs had called for governments "to commit to offering sanctuary to at least 5 per cent of the most vulnerable refugees from Syria currently in neighboring countries - 180,000 people - by the end of 2015."

For more information, see:

In Search of Solidarity: Resettlement and Other Forms of Admission for Syrian Refugees (UNHCR, Dec. 2014) [text]

Left Out in the Cold: Syrian Refugees Abandoned by the International Community (Amnesty International, Dec. 2014) [text]
- See also related facts & figures.

Resettlement of Refugees from Syria (Oxfam et al., Dec. 2014) [access]

Other publications:

Amid the Debate Over a Buffer Zone, Challenging Questions on How It Would Work (Syria Deeply, Dec. 2014) [text via Brookings]

Jordan: Vulnerable Refugees Forcibly Returned to Syria (Human Rights Watch, Nov. 2014) [text]

Mental Health/Psychosocial and Child Protection for Syrian Adolescent Refugees in Jordan (Unicef & International Medical Corps, June 2014) [text via ReliefWeb]

Syrian Refugee Women in Lebanon: Gendering Violence through Johan Galtung (e-International Relations, Nov. 2014) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Syria (20 Nov. 2014)

Tagged Publications. 

Event: HC Dialogue on Protection Challenges

The High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges starts tomorrow in Geneva.  A number of new items relating to the agenda have been posted to the event's web page in advance of the meeting, including an updated schedule, flyers for the four regional roundtables, and an overview of the breakout sessions. As the schedule notes, the open plenary of the HC's Dialogue will be live streamed tomorrow via UN TV, from 10 am to 1 pm CET.

In terms of background content, the following new reports are available:
- Central Mediterranean Sea Initiative Action Plan (UNHCR Bureau for Europe, Dec. 2014) [text]
- Irregular Maritime Movements in South-East Asia (UNHCR Regional Office for South-East Asia, Dec. 2014) [access]
- Refugee Protection and International Migration: Trends August 2013-July 2014 (UNHCR, updated Nov. 2014) [text]

Finally, Civil Society Recommendations and Key NGO Messages can also be located via the event web page.

Elsewhere on this issue:
- the Migration Policy Institute issued the following new commentary: "Protection at Sea: Addressing Irregular Maritime Migration,"
- the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat posted this new article: "Protection at Sea: What Next in the Horn of Africa and Yemen?"

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