30 September 2015

Regional Focus: MENA

"Addressing the Root of the Palestinian Refugee Problem," +972Magazine, 24 Sept. 2015 [text]

Gulf States Fend off Criticism about Doing Little for Syrian Refugees (NPR, Sept. 2015) [text]

Identifying IDPs in Palestine: New Thinking on Monitoring Internal Displacement in the West Bank (IDMC, Sept. 2015) [text]

Is Yemen Europe's Next Migration Crisis? (IRIN, Sept. 2015) [text]

Israel: Refugees not Welcome (openDemocracy, Sept. 2015) [text]

Libya Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (REACH, Aug. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

“Look for Another Homeland”: Forced Evictions in Egypt’s Rafah (Human Rights Watch, Sept. 2015) [text]

Protecting Palestine Refugees (UNRWA, 2015) [text]

Resettling Syrian Refugees: Lessons from the (Forgotten) Iraqi Refugee Crisis (Markaz Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Two Years on: The Revolving Door of Expulsion and Re-migration of Ethiopians through Yemen (Regional MMS, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Syria (29 Sept. 2015)
- Regional Focus: MENA (17 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

29 September 2015

Regional Focus: Africa

Enquête sur les Intentions de Retour des Personnes Déplacées Internes à Bangui et à Boda en République Centrafricaine (CCCM Cluster & IOM, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Joint Communiqué: Tripartite Commission for the Voluntary Repatriation of Somali Refugees from Kenya (UNHCR, July 2015) [text]

Lake Chad Basin: Humanitarian Brief - An Overlooked Crisis in an Overlooked Region (OCHA, Sept. 2015) [text]

*"Migration and Asylum in the Horn of Africa: Causes, Factors and Possible Solutions," Horn of Africa Bulletin (July-Aug. 2015) [full-text]

"The 'Other' Refugees: Eritreans Pay the Price for African and Western Failure," America: The National Catholic Review, 20 Sept. 2015 [text]

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Violations and Abuses Committed by Boko Haram and the Impact on Human Rights in the Affected Countries, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/30/67 (UN Human Rights Council, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Sudan: A Country Study (Library of Congress, 2015) [text]
- Note: The Country Studies Program has now ended.  All country studies that have been produced over the years are available open access.

"Transnational Forced Migration and Negotiating Emotional Well-being: The Case of Women Refugees in South Africa," Social Dynamics: A Journal of African Studies, vol. 41, no. 1 (2015) [free full-text]

*Voluntary Return and Reintegration of Somali Refugees from Kenya, Pilot Phase (8 Dec. 2014-30 June 2015) - Evaluation Report (UNHCR, 2015) [text]

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Feature: Country of Origin Information on Eritrea (18 Sept. 2015)
- Regional Focus: Africa (2 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Americas

*"As Good as It Gets? Security, Asylum, and the Rule of Law after the Certificate Trilogy," Osgoode Hall Law Journal, vol. 53, no. 1 (forthcoming, 2015) [two versions available via SSRN: draft posted Sept. 2015 & eprint posted Oct. 2015]

How the U.S. Compares with Other Countries Taking in Refugees (Pew Research FactTank, Sept. 2015) [text]

Humanitarian Action and the Politics of Transition: The Context of Colombia (ATHA, Sept. 2015) [text]

"Irregular Immigrants in Australia and the US: Rights, Realities, and Political Mobilisation," Journal of Human Rights, Latest Articles, 2 April 2015 [postprint via Academia.edu]

More Syrian Refugees = More Asylum Seeker Delays? (The Asylumist, Sept. 2015) [text]

UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Asylum-Seekers from Colombia (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

"'Vast Hordes...Crowding in Upon Us': The Executive Branch's Response to Mass Migration and the Legacy of Chae Chan Ping," Oklahoma Law Review, vol. 68 (forthcoming, 2015) [full-text via SSRN]

"You Will Never Again be a Chilean Like the Others: From Diaspora to Diasporic Practices among Chilean Refugees Returning from Exile," Journal of Comparative Social Work, vol. 6, no. 1 (2015) [open access]

*UDPATED

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Americas (22 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

News: UN High-Level Meeting on Migration & Refugees

From the UN press release:

"On 30 September, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will convene a high-level meeting at Headquarters on migration and refugee movements. All Member States have been invited at the highest level to the event, which will be held on the side-lines of the high-level segment of the seventieth session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The high-level side event will provide an important opportunity for Member States to discuss the challenges and responsibilities, as well as the opportunities, that large migrant and refugee movements bring. Different policy areas, from refugee and human rights, smuggling and trafficking to sustainable development and migration will be brought to bear on the current dramatic increase in forced displacement and mixed migration flows.

“Long-term strategies and commitments are needed, combined with action across a wide range of policy areas,” Mr. Ban said. “Migration can be well-managed and refugee movements can be governed in an efficient and principled manner through effective cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination. The international community must develop a response that is effective, feasible and in line with universal human rights and humanitarian standards, including the right to claim asylum.”

The Secretary-General will open the event, which is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. in Conference Room 4. The Prime Minister of Turkey and the Foreign Ministers of Mexico, Indonesia and Germany will also make addresses from the podium.

The general debate will start with Heads of State and Government addressing the meeting. Heads of regional organizations will intervene as discussants and a coalition of civil society organizations will have the opportunity to make a joint statement.

The Secretary-General will initially chair the meeting, followed by Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson. Also delivering statements are High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for International Migration Peter Sutherland, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The Deputy Secretary-General will make concluding remarks and will speak to the press at the stakeout directly following the meeting.

The meeting and the media stakeout will be broadcast on UNTV and will be shown on UN WebTV at http://webtv.un.org."

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

Regional Focus: Syria

[Note: I am re-circulating this post due to the addition of several new items that have just come to my attention.]

Event:

*Panel Discussion: The Syrian Refugee Crisis: Challenges for Syria's Neighbors and the International Community, Washington, DC, 29 September 2015 [info]

Publications:

"Evaluating a Vocational Training Programme for Women Refugees at the Zaatari Camp in Jordan: Women Empowerment - A Journey and not an Output," International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, Latest Articles, 22 Sept. 2015 [open access]

Factsheet: Refugees from Syria (Kaldor Centre, Sept. 2015) [text]

Food Security and Livelihoods Assessment of Lebanese Host Communities (REACH, June 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

*Jordan's Refugee Crisis (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Sept. 2015) [text]

Kemal Kirişci on the Plight of Syrian Refugees (Brookings Institution, Sept. 2015) [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

*Not Likely to Go Home: Syrian Refugees and the Challenges to Turkey—and the International Community, Turkey Project Policy Paper, no. 7 (Brookings Institution, Sept. 2015) [text]

Seven Factors Behind Movement of Syrian Refugees to Europe (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

The Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Panel Discussion, Sydney, 14 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for video.

The Syrian Refugee Crisis: Searching for Solutions, Baltimore, MD, 21 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for a summary and video of this symposium.

*Syrian Refugees in Jordan: Confronting Difficult Truths (Chatham House, Sept. 2015) [text]

Turkey Absorbs 2 Million Refugees, but Says They Can't Stay (NPR, Sept. 2015) [text]

"What Can Countries Do to Help Refugees Fleeing to Europe?," New York Times, 15 Sept. 2015 [text]

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Regional Focus: MENA (17 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 


Regional Focus: Europe

Publications:

Cities and Refugees: Barcelona’s Message (CIDOB, Sept. 2015) [text]

Europe’s Migration Crisis in Context: Why Now and What Next? (Migration Information Source, Sept. 2015) [text]

The European Migrant Crisis Situation Overview (REACH, Sept. 2015) [access via ReliefWeb]
- Follow link for seven sitreps for Greece and the Balkans.

"The Failure of Refugee Camps," Boston Review, 28 Sept. 2015 [text]

"'Forever Temporary': Migrants in Calais, Then and Now," The Political Quarterly, Early View, 18 Sept. 2015 [abstract]

*The Next Big European Project? The Migration and Asylum Crisis: A Vital Challenge for the EU, Policy Brief, no. 25/2015 (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Sept. 2015) [text]

Responding to the Refugee Crisis in Europe (ATHA, Sept. 2015) [access]
- Follow link for podcast.

"Safe Countries of Origin": A Safe Concept?, Legal Briefing, no. 3 (AIDA, Sept. 2015) [text]

"The Terrible Flight from the Killing," New York Review of Books, posted 23 Sept. 2015 [text]

Web sites:

Humans of New York: Refugee Stories [access]
- "For the next several days, I’m going to be sharing stories from refugees who are currently making their way across Europe. ..."

Migrant Crisis (Migration Policy Centre) [access]
- "The website will gather all the relevant data (statistics, graphs, maps, legislations, documents from governments and other stakeholders, etc.), accompanied by analytical notes and policy briefs. It will cover all the countries on the main migration routes to the EU, allowing comparison between EU and non-EU countries."

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (24 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

28 September 2015

Thematic Focus: General

Update on Search for New HC:

In an earlier post, I referenced the looming departure of the current head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Antonio Guterres, and the speculation surrounding his possible replacement.  Since then, a second candidate has been announced in the press: Achim Steiner of Germany, who is currently the head of the UN Environment Programme.  ICVA has also circulated a call to candidates to publicly respond to five questions.  Finally, the following two articles provide further insight into the selection process.

- Bad Time to Change UN Refugee Supremo? (IRIN, Sept. 2015) [text]
- The Right Person for the Job? Selecting the Next UNHCR Chief (BRICS Post, Sept. 2015) [text]

Publications:

Alternatives to Camps: Making it Work - Good Practice and Guidance Series, Key Action #1: Settlement and Shelter Response (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2014: The Numbers and Trends (CRED, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Crisis in Context: The Global Refugee Problem (Center for American Progress, Sept. 2015) [text]

Leaving No One Behind: Internal Displacement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (IDMC, Sept. 2015) [text]

Migration Crisis: Containing People is not the Answer (ODI Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Why Do Countries Build Border Fences? The Answer May Surprise You (UN Dispatch, Sept. 2015) [access]
- See also related Economist article.

The World’s Congested Human Migration Routes in 5 Maps (National Geographic, Sept. 2015) [text]

Web site:

Migrants in Countries in Crisis Initiative (IOM) [access]
-  Launched in 2014, MICIC is "a State-led undertaking which seeks to improve the ability of States and other relevant stakeholders to increase the protection and decrease the vulnerability of migrants affected by crisis situations." Read the background paper and concept note for more info.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (16 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

24 September 2015

Regional Focus: Europe

Opportunity:

Social media project: #Rays of Hope, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights [info]
- You can also view the Thunderclap widget on the Commissioner's home page.  Read stories on his Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Publications:

Europe’s Double Refugee Crisis, CEPS Commentary (Centre for European Policy Studies, Sept. 2015) [text]

How Europe’s Refugee Crisis Was Years in the Making (Frontline, Sept. 2015) [text]

International Migration Outlook 2015 (OECD, Sept. 2015) [text]
- Note: The launch event focused on the refugee crisis in Europe. Read the press release and a policy brief, Is This Humanitarian Migration Crisis Different?, that was released at the same time.

International Protection Considerations Related to the Developments in Ukraine – Update III (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

Managing the Refugee Crisis: Immediate Operational, Budgetary and Legal Measures under the European Agenda on Migration (European Commission, Sept. 2015) [text]

Relocation of 120,000 Refugees: European Commission Statement following the decision at the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council (European Commission, Sept. 2015) [text]

Relocation of Asylum-Seekers in the EU: Law and Policy (EU Law Analysis Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

UNHCR Outlines Proposals to Manage Refugee and Migration Crisis in Europe Ahead of EU Summit (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (21 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

News: World Disasters Report 2015

The 2015 edition of the World Disasters Report was launched today.  The focus of the volume is "Local Actors, the Key to Humanitarian Effectiveness." Here's part of the description:
Local actors are often the most effective in conducting humanitarian operations. However, despite their critical role, they struggle to attract the funding and support they need.
  The 2015 World Disasters Report – launched today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – examines the complexities and challenges local actors face in scaling-up and sustaining their humanitarian response.
  Although widely recognized, the effectiveness of local or national humanitarian organizations is not reflected in humanitarian financing trends. The Report found, for example, that of the total funding given to international, regional, national and local NGOs between 2010 and 2014, only 1.6 per cent of these funds were channeled directly to national and local NGOs.
  The report calls on the humanitarian community to work together to ensure more equal partnerships with local actors and efficient financing flows, including at the community level, where humanitarian needs are the greatest and development impacts are felt the most.

The full-text of the report is provided in English, with summaries in Arabic, French and Spanish. A companion micro-site is also available. Previous editions can be read here.

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is hosting a launch event in London on 8 October 2015. Further details can be found here.

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

23 September 2015

New ETDs - Pt. 3

Journey of Jeopardy: Using Multimedia Storytelling to Humanize the Immigration Experience of Central American Families Seeking Asylum in Oregon, Bachelor thesis (Univ. of Oregon, June 2015) [text]

Maternal and Perinatal Health of Refugees in Ontario: A Population-based Perspective, Dissertation (Univ. of Toronto, June 2015) [text]

Mental Health and Well-being of Refugees to Canada: A Brighter Future, Thesis (Univ. of Manitoba, Sept. 2015) [text]

The Need for International Policy for Environmental Refugees, Senior project (California Polytechnic State Univ., June 2015) [text]

Partnership for Education? A Case Study on Tumaco, Colombia on a North-South Co-operation for Education in Conflict Areas, Thesis (Univ. of Oslo, May 2015) [text]

[Esoteric note: If you ever wonder why I always break up these ETD posts into multiple parts, it's because Blogger limits the number of characters that I can use to create subject labels!]

Tagged Publications.

New ETDs - Pt. 2

The Access of Refugee Children to Educational Services on a Local Level: A Case Study of the Community Schwetzingen and its Support Measures Concerning the Integration of Underage Refugees into the Education German System in the Year 2015, Bachelor thesis (Univ. of Twente, Sept. 2015) [text]

Connection between Refugee Housing Policy and Belonging in Norway, Thesis (Univ. of Stavanger, May 2015) [text]

The Externalisation of European Migration Control: How Can Human Security of Asylum Seekers be Achieved?, Thesis (Roskilde University, Aug. 2015) [text]

From Commitment to Compliance? Norway's International Human Rights Obligations and Practice towards Asylum Seekers, Thesis (Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences, Aug. 2015) [text]

Speaking in New Ways: Media Representations of the Asylum Relay, Thesis (Univ. of Gothenburg, May 2015) [text]

'A Well-Founded Fear': Children's Literature about Refugees and its Role in the Primary Classroom, Dissertation (Goldsmiths Univ. of London, 2015) [text]

Tagged Publications.

New ETDs - Pt. 1

(ETD = Electronic Theses & Dissertations)

Cost and Quality of Healthcare Services Provided to Urban Refugees through In-House and Outsourced Health Facilities in Nairobi, Kenya, Thesis (Kenyatta University, Aug. 2015) [text]

An Exploratory Study of the Role That Identity Documents Play in the Integration of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa: Reflections from Cape Town, Thesis (Univ. of Cape Town, Aug. 2015) [text]

Health Care Needs of Displaced Women Living in Osire Refugee Camp in Namibia, Dissertation (Univ. of Pretoria, July 2015) [text]

Lay Counselors Experiences with Counseling Their Peers: The Impact of Being a Lay Counselor and Providing Therapy to Traumatized Sudanese Refugees in Cairo, Thesis (American Univ. in Cairo, Fall 2015) [text]

The Syrian Refugees in Jordan: Negotiating Diasporic Identity through Sacred Symbols, Thesis (California State University, May 2015) [text]

What Makes a House a Home? The Meaning of Housing for Syrian Refugees in Their Process of Constructing a Home in Istanbul, Thesis (Utrecht University, Aug. 2015) [text]

Tagged Publications.

22 September 2015

Thematic Focus: Solutions

Event:

Conference: Protecting and Welcoming Refugees in Europe, Brussels, 20 October 2015 [info]
- Final conference of the SHARE Network.

Publications:

Background Briefing on the Mechanics of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (US State Dept., Sept. 2015) [text]

"A Capture-Recapture Approach to Estimation of Refugee Populations," International Migration, vol. 53, no. 5 (Oct. 2015) [full-text via ResearchGate]

"Introduction: Creating New Futures, " Chapter in Creating New Futures: Settling Children and Youth from Refugee Backgrounds (Federation Press, Aug. 2015) [eprint via SSRN]

Joint Return Intention Survey Report 2014 (IOM & UNHCR, 2014?) [text]
- Survey of Somalis in Dadaab.

Sustainable Refugee Return: Triggers, Constraints and Lessons on Addressing the Development Challenges of Forced Displacement (World Bank, Aug. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

"'Trying to make South Africa my home': Integration into the Host Society and the Well-being of Refugee Families," Journal of Comparative Family Studies, vol. 46, no. 1 (Winter 2015) [full-text via Univ. of Johannesburg IR]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Durable Solutions (3 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

Regional Focus: Americas

"Barred from Justice: The Duress Waiver to the Material Support Bar," Houston Law Review-e: Off the Record, vol. 6, no. 1 (2015) [text via SSRN]

The BIA’s Tepid Response to Asylum Fraud (The Asylumist, Sept. 2015) [text]

Frequent Questions about Syrian Refugees and Canada (Canadian Council for Refugees, Sept. 2015) [text]

Humanitarian Funding Analysis: Displacement in Colombia - Crisis Briefing (Global Humanitarian Assistance, Sept. 2015 [text via ReliefWeb]

Hunger without Borders: The Hidden Links between Food Insecurity, Violence and Migration in the Northern Triangle of Central America - An Exploratory Study (IOM, LSE, OAS & WFP, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

IACHR Expresses Concern over Arbitrary Deportation of Colombians from Venezuela (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Aug. 2015) [text]

Temporary Protected Status Designated Country: Syria (ImmigrationProf Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Americas (10 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

21 September 2015

Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items

News:

Free Access to OUP Resources on Refugee Law [access]
- "In response to the refugee crisis in Europe, Oxford University Press has made more than 30 book chapters, journal articles, and pieces of content from online resources freely accessible to assist those working with refugees on the ground, as well as anyone who would like to know more about the framework of rights and obligations concerning refugees. The materials are structured around four key questions: who is a refugee, what rights do they have, what are transit states’ obligations, and what are the duties of the state where a refugee applies for asylum. Other useful resources are linked to at the bottom of the page."

Events & opportunities:

Course: First Winter Law School on Migration Law & Refugee Issues, Thessaloniki, 1-8 December 2015 [info]
- Organized by the European Law Students' Association.  Apply by 1 October 2015.

CFP: Second Annual International Refugee Law Student Writing Competition [info]
- Submission deadline is 13 November 2015.

Publications:

Exploring Innovative Ideas to Strengthen the Global Protection System, Washington, DC, 14 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for video.
 
Guidance Note on Refugee Claims Relating to Crimes of Lèse Majesté and Similar Criminal Offences (UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]

International Humanitarian Law Magazine, no. 1 (2015) [full-text via ReliefWeb]
- Inaugural issue. The theme is "Pen and Sword: Journalism and IHL."

The Mass Flight of Syrian Refugees: What are the Legal Obligations of States? (Oxford Human Rights Hub Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Moving Beyond the Asylum Muddle (RefLaw Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items (3 Sept. 2015)

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


Regional Focus: Europe

Publications:

"As though we are not human beings": Police Brutality against Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Macedonia (Human Rights Watch, Sept. 2015) [text]

"Bringing the Refugee Crisis Home to Berlin," New Yorker, 15 Sept. 2015 [text]

Displacement Figures in Ukraine Fail to Reflect a Complex Reality, Briefing Paper (IDMC, Sept. 2015) [text]

The Dutch Response to the Refugee Crisis (Border Criminologies Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

EU Migration Talks: What EU Governments Can Do to Help Solve the Crisis (EUROPP Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Europe's Refugee Emergency: Update #1 on the Situation in Greece, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia

Interview with Jeff Crisp, Former Head of UNHCR's Policy Development and Evaluation Service (Urban Refugees, Sept. 2015) [access]

"An Island of Refugees," New Yorker, 16 Sept. 2015 [text]

Justice and Home Affairs Council Meeting, Brussels, 22 Sept. 2015: Background Note (Council of the European Union, Sept. 2015) [text via Statewatch]

*The Mass Flight of Syrian Refugees: What are the Legal Obligations of States? (Oxford Human Rights Hub Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]
- First in a new blog series on "Human Rights and the Refugee Crisis in Europe."

No Country for Refugees: Information Note (Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Sept. 2015) [text]

Over 210 000 First Time Asylum Seekers in the EU in the Second Quarter of 2015 (Eurostat, Sept. 2015) [text]

"Refugee Crisis: Apart from Syrians, Who is Travelling to Europe?," The Guardian, 10 Sept. 2015) [text]

Simply No Consensus: Can the EU Respond to Continued Refugee Flows?, Webinar, 18 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for podcast.

Web resource:

Courses on Admissibility Criteria, Asylum and Intro to ECHR (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) [access]
- Freely available e-learning courses.

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (16 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.


18 September 2015

Feature: Country of Origin Information on Eritrea

The release of the Danish Immigration Service's original fact-finding mission report on Eritrea and the subsequent controversy (see here and here) that erupted regarding the report's methodology and conclusions are the focus of a new article in the Oxford Monitor of Forced Migration.  Here's the abstract for "The Eritrea Report: Symbolic Uses of Expert Information in Asylum politics":
This paper discusses the role of country of origin information (COI) in asylum policies by examining the debate about a controversial Danish report on Eritrea that has been used to attempt to legitimise a restrictive turn in Danish asylum policy. Following substantial criticism, Danish authorities changed their policy interpretation of the report and returned to their former practice when dealing with asylum applications made by Eritreans. Nevertheless, the number of Eritrean applications lodged in Denmark has since dropped sharply and the report has influenced other asylum receiving states in Europe. The Eritrea case suggests that COI may function as a potential means of deterrence and that the boundaries between COI and policy goals blur easily, such that the production of knowledge becomes a site of political negotiation.

As the article notes, various other entities have since published their own country of origin information reports on Eritrea, including the UK Home Office. There have also been a number of analyses and assessments of these reports which shed light on the COI process and highlight good practice when undertaking this type of research.  I've listed several of these COI reports, in chronological order, with links to related reviews & commentaries:

UK Home Office (March 2015):
- Country Information and Guidance - Eritrea: Illegal Exit [text via Refworld]
- Country Information and Guidance - Eritrea: National (incl. Military) Service [text via Refworld]

Commentary:
- A Commentary on the March 2015 Country Information and Guidance Reports Issued on Eritrea (Still Human, Still Here, 1 May 2015) [text via Refworld] (note: this includes a detailed critique of the Danish Immigration Service report)
- Report by the Independent Advisory Group on Country Information on Eritrea Country Information and Guidance Reports Produced by the UK Home Office (13 May 2015) [text] (note: this also includes an assessment of the Danish report)
- Letter to the UK Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration on Flawed UK Country Information and Guidance Reports on Eritrea (Human Rights Watch, 1 July 2015) [text]
- UK: Flawed Policy on Eritrean Refugee Claims (Human Rights Watch, 2 July 2015) [text]
- The True Human Rights Situation in Eritrea: The New UK Home Office Guidance as a Political Instrument for the Prevention of Migration, Working Paper, no. 14 (Refugee Law Initiative, July 2015) [text]
- UK Home Office Guidance on Eritrea: An Instrument to Refuse Protection? (Right to Remain Blog, 26 Aug. 2015) [text]
- "Britain Refusing Asylum to Eritreans on Back of Discredited Report," The Guardian, 10 Sept. 2015 [text]

European Asylum Support Office (EASO) (May 2015):
- Country of Origin Information Report: Eritrea: Country Focus [text]

Commentary:
- ARC and DCR Comments on the EASO Country of Origin Information Report: Eritrea Country Focus (12 Aug. 2015) [text via Refworld]

Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry (June 2015):
- Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/29/42 (UN Human Rights Council, June 2015) [text via Refworld]
- Report of the Detailed Findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/29/CRP.1 (UN Human Rights Council, June 2015) [text via Refworld]

Commentary:
- Eritrea Rights Report Prompts Protection Rethink (IRIN, 10 June 2015) [text]
- Damning Findings of Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea Require Urgent Response (Amnesty International, 16 June 2015) [text]

UK Home Office (Sept. 2015)
Note: The UK Home Office has re-issued its two reports previously published in March 2015:
- Country Information and Guidance - Eritrea: Illegal Exit [text]
- Country Information and Guidance - Eritrea: National (incl. Military) Service [text]

Commentary:
- The Independent Advisory Group on Country Information has issued a call for tenders to evaluate these reports.  The application deadline is 24 September 2015.

Observations about COI collections:
- Refworld has removed the original Danish Immigration Service report from its COI collection on Eritrea, while ecoi.net has retained it (along with links to various critiques) and the updated version issued by the DIS.
- The UK Home Office provides access only to its most recent country information and guidance on Eritrea (i.e., Sept. 2015), while Refworld and ecoi.net keep all earlier versions of the UK Home Office reports in their collections.
- This raises an interesting question about balancing the need for currency and precedence (when one report supersedes another) and the importance of maintaining a record (to document policy shifts, changes over time, etc.).  What is the primary responsibility of the repository?

Tagged Publications.

17 September 2015

Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Smuggling

The 2015 US Trafficking Report: Signs of Decline? (openDemocracy, July 2015) [text]

"The Criminalization of Human and Humanitarian Smuggling," Migration, Mobility & Displacement, vol. 1, no. 1 (2015) [open access]

How Anxiety and Despair Haunt Trafficked Children (IRIN, Sept. 2015) [text]

In Search of Data and Research on Human Trafficking: An Analysis of Research-based Literature (2008-2014) (ISIM, July 2015) [text]

Key Messages to the AU-Horn of Africa Initiative on Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants (North Africa Mixed Migration Task Force, Sept. 2015) [text]

Non-criminalization of Smuggled Migrants: Notes on the Interpretation of Article 5 of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air (ACNUR, 2014) [text]

Regional Strategy for Combating Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in West and Central Africa (UNODC, Sept. 2015) [text]

The Smuggler: Hero or Felon?, Policy Brief, no. 2015/10 (Migration Policy Centre, 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking (30 July 2015)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: MENA

Opportunity:

The Independent Advisory Group on Country Information invites tenders to evaluate the UK Home Office Country Information Products on Libya, Eritrea, Syria and Iraq [info]
- Application deadline is 24 September 2015.

Publications:

The Applicability of the Humanitarian Intervention 'Exception' to the Middle Eastern Refugee Crisis: Why the International Community Should Intervene against ISIS, Cleveland-Marshall Legal Studies Paper, no. 15-286 (Cleveland State University, Sept. 2015) [text]

Final Communiqué of the Open-ended Emergency Meeting on the Syrian Refugee Crisis (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Moral and the Strategic: The UK’s Response to the Syrian Crisis (Foreign Policy Centre, Sept. 2015) [text]

The New Moroccan Policy on Migration and Asylum, Cairo, 5 May 2015 [info]
- Video of this seminar can be accessed via the CMRS home page.

Shelter Needs and the Most Vulnerable in Tripoli, Lebanon: Rapid Urban Assessment (CARE, Aug. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Strangers in Strange Lands: An Assessment of Arab Refugees and IDPs in Non-Arab Host Communities in Iraq and Turkey (SREO & IRIS, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Tackling the Syrian Refugee Crisis (International Crisis Group Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Why Urbanisation Matters in Responding to Humanitarian Crises (IIED, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Middle East (11 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

16 September 2015

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

"An Argument for Using Frozen Assets for Humanitarian Assistance in Refugee Situations," Journal of International Affairs, vol. 68, no. 2 (Spring/Summer 2015) [full-text]

Cluster Coordination Guidance for Country Offices (Unicef, May 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Doing Cash Differently: How Cash Transfers Can Transform Humanitarian Aid - Report of the High Level Panel on Humanitarian Cash Transfers (ODI & Center for Global Development, Sept. 2015) [text]
- See also related infographics.

Improving Funding for Front-line Responders: Opportunities and Options for Pooled Humanitarian Funds (OCHA, Sept. 2015) [text]

Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at the Country Level (Inter-Agency Standing Committee, revised July 2015) [text]

Security to Go: A Risk Management Toolkit for Humanitarian Aid Agencies (European Interagency Security Forum, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

This Refugee Crisis is a Major Test for the SDGs (ODI, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (2 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: General

Does Global Refugee Policy Exist and Does It Matter? (Global Refugee Policy Network, Sept. 2015)
- Three interviews currently available, with Jeff Crisp, Phil Orchard, and Naohiko Omata, respectively.

Estimating Populations Affected by Disasters: A Review of Methodological Issues and Research Gaps (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, 2015) [text via PreventionWeb]

"Five History Lessons in How to Deal with a Refugee Crisis," The Guardian, 10 Sept. 2015 [text]

"From Syria to Sudan: How Do You Count the Dead?," The Guardian, 8 Sept. 2015 [text]

On Refugee Camps (Migrants and Citizens, Sept. 2015) [text]

Policy Crisis? The M-word and the R-word (Regional MMS, Sept. 2015) [text]

Protection of and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons: Note by the Secretary-General, UN Doc. No. A/70/334 (UN General Assembly, Aug. 2015) [text via Refworld]

Report on the Annual Consultations with Non-Governmental Organizations, Geneva, 1-3 July 2015 [text via ICVA]
- This is the NGO rapporteur's report.

Slipping through the Net: Supporting Refugees in Urban Areas (International Rescue Committee, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (9 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Europe

Event:

Simply No Consensus: Can the EU Respond to Continued Refugee Flows?, Webinar, 18 September 2015 [info]

Publications:

EU: Deflecting Responsibility to Protect Refugees (Human Rights Watch, Sept. 2015) [text]

Europe's Migration Policies in Crisis (Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, Aug. 2015) [text via UKCCMC]

Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council (European Commission, Sept. 2015) [access]
- Follow link for statement and legislative documents.  See also UNHCR's response.

Heads Buried in the Sand: Member States Block Solutions to the Refugee Crisis (European Policy Centre, Sept. 2015) [text]

Is It Time to Invoke the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive for Syrian Refugees? (Free Movement Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Protection Deferred, Protection Denied? Report from Lesvos, Greece, European Union (Free Movement Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

The Refugee Crisis: Perspectives from Across Europe and the Atlantic (German Marshall Fund, Sept. 2015) [text]

Refugee Crisis: What Next?, London, 10 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for video.

‘Safe Countries of Origin’: Assessing the New Proposal (EU Law Analysis Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

Treat the Root Causes of the Asylum Crisis, Not the Symptoms, CEPS Commentary (Centre for European Policy Studies, Sept. 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe (11 Sept. 2015)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities. 

15 September 2015

Thematic Focus: Education

News:

Aqeela Asifi, an Afghan schoolteacher "who has dedicated her life to bringing education to refugee girls in Pakistan," is the latest recipient of the Nansen refugee award.  Read more about Ms. Asifi in this profile. The official award ceremony will be held 5 October 2015 in Geneva.  More information and media materials are available here.

Opportunity:

Overcoming WIOA’s Barriers to Immigrant and Refugee Adult Learners, Webinar, 28 September 2015 [info]

Publications:

Breaking the Cycle: Education and the Future for Afghan Refugees (Norwegian Refugee Council & UNHCR, Sept. 2015) [text]
- See also html version of the report.

Education in Syria: A Catalyst to Girls’ Well-being under Risk (UNU-GCM, Aug. 2015) [text]

Education Provision for Syrian Refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey: Preventing a “Lost Generation” (UNU-GCM, Aug. 2015) [text]

Education under Fire: How Conflict in the Middle East is Depriving Children of Their Schooling (Unicef, Sept. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

"From Homeland to Home: Widening Participation through the LEAP Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) Program," International Studies in Widening Participation, vol. 2, no. 1 (2015) [open access]

Library For All: A Digital Library for the Developing World (CILIP Blog, Sept. 2015) [text]

'A Well-Founded Fear': Children's Literature about Refugees and its Role in the Primary Classroom, Dissertation (Goldsmiths University of London, 2015) [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Education (7 July 2015)

Tagged Publications. 

Thematic Focus: Children

At the Crossroads for Unaccompanied Migrant Children: Policy, Practice & Protection (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, July 2015) [text]

"The Human Rights of Children in an Age of Mobility," Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 3 (Aug. 2015) [full-text via S SRN]
- Book review of Child Migration & Human Rights in a Global Age (Princeton University Press, 2014).

Making Rights Real for Children: A Children’s Rights Audit of Irish Law (Children's Rights Alliance, July 2015) [text]
- See esp. chapter 8, "Immigration and Asylum Law" and the "Spotlight on Direct Provision," pp. 124-29 in chapter 5.

Migration and Families, International Dialogue on Migration, no. 24 (IOM, June 2015) [text]

Not So Straightforward: The Need for Qualified Legal Support in Refugee Family Reunion (British Red Cross, 2015) [text]

Unaccompanied Alien Children: An Overview (U.S. Congressional Research Service, Aug. 2015) [text via Refworld]

"Young Afghans Facing Return," Forced Migration Review, no. 50 (Sept. 2015) [open access]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Children (17 Aug. 2015)

Tagged Publications.


14 September 2015

Admin: Blog Tweaks

This is a quick note to let visitors know about a few changes I've made to the blog:

1. The main one is the removal of the "New Research" journal article listing from the navigation panel on the right. This was a title list of relevant articles that were not available in full-text, but obviously, were still useful for research purposes. I compiled the listing to complement the other items highlighted in my blog posts. In the end, though, it just took too much of my time to maintain!  And ultimately, I'm not sure how useful it was for people. Happily, there are various free journal article databases available online that I will point you to instead in a forthcoming post.

Despite this change, I am still maintaining the list of references to law review articles (for now!), mainly because there are fewer free legal index alternatives.

2. With the resulting additional space in the navigation panel, I ended up re-working the introductory info and the links to my other resources.

3. I am beginning the process of updating and adding to other guides and resources that I have created.  The first I can cross off my "to do" list is the selection of additional info resources that is available here: http://fm-faq.blogspot.com/2009/11/where-can-i-find-other-forced-migration.html

That's it for now!




Thematic Focus: Mental Health

An Assessment of Psychosocial Needs and Resources in Yola IDP Camps Arising from Conflict-induced Displacement in North East Nigeria (IOM, June 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

Culture, Context and the Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Syrians: A Review for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Staff Working with Syrians Affected by Armed Conflict (UNHCR, 2015) [text]

"Impact of Asylum Interviews on the Mental Health of Traumatized Asylum Seekers," European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 6: 26286 (Sept. 2015) [open access]

"Mental Health of Displaced and Returnee Populations: Insight from the Sri Lankan Post-conflict Experience," Conflict and Health, 9:22 (Aug. 2015) [open access]

"The Mental Health, Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction of Internally Displaced Persons Living in Nakuru County, Kenya," BMC Public Health, 15:755 (Aug. 2015) [open access]

"Mental Health Research in the Syrian Humanitarian Crisis," Frontiers in Public Health, 2:44 (May 2014) [open access]

"Providing Sustainable Psychosocial Support for Syrian Refugees in Jordan," Oxford Monitor of Forced Migration, vol. 5, no. 1 (Aug. 2015) [full-text]

"Psychological Distress among Tsunami Refugees from the Great East Japan Earthquake," British Journal of Psychiatry Open, vol. 1, no. 1 (Aug. 2015) [open access]

Role of Psychiatrists in Humanitarian Settings, Webinar, 2 Sept. 2015 [info]
- Follow link for a recording.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Mental Health (31 July 2015)

Tagged Publications.

11 September 2015

Regional Focus: Asia Pacific

Afghan Refugees and Returnees: Corruption and Lack of Afghan Ministerial Capacity Have Prevented Implementation of a Long-term Refugee Strategy (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, Aug. 2015) [text via ReliefWeb]

"As Europe Makes Room for Refugees, Some in Japan Ask: Why Not Us?," Washington Post, 8 Sept. 2015 [text]

"Cambodia’s Montagnard Problem," The Diplomat, 8 Sept. 2015 [text]

"Concept Note for the High-level Segment on the Afghan Refugee Situation, 6-7 October 2015," 69th Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme, UN Doc. No. HLS/2015/CRP.2, 9 Sept. 2015 [text]

Getting Ready to Respond: Is Our Region Prepared to Respond to the Mass Displacement of People? (APPS Policy Forum, Sept. 2015) [text]

Refugees, Displacement and Forced Migration in Asia: Charting an Inclusive Research Agenda, Working Paper, no. 236 (Asia Research Institute, April 2015) [text]

A Regional Approach towards Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the Asia Pacific (APRRN, Auckland Refugee Council & Amnesty International, Sept. 2015) [text]
- Briefing paper for panel on Refugees: A Regional Vision, Auckland, 12 Sept. 2015.

Regional Dialogue on Forced Migration in the Asia-Pacific (Centre for Policy Development, 2015) [access]

Spotlight on the Vulnerable: Key Issues Impacting on the Human Rights of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in New Zealand (Amnesty International, May 2014) [text]

Thailand’s Uighur Refugees: Security Implications for Southeast Asia, RSIS Commentary, no. 160 (Nayang Technological University, July 2015) [text]

"Time to Protect Southeast Asia's Refugees: Regional Cooperation Must Focus More on Protection Solutions," The Diplomat, 12 Sept. 2015 [text]
- Part of a series on Southeast Asia's refugee crisis.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Asia Pacific, incl. Australia (31 Aug. 2015)

Tagged Publications.