Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items

News:

UNHCR has plans to revamp its Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Learning Programme, which to date has consisted of a self-study phase, a workshop, and a post-workshop phase. "The existing RSD LP was created in 2003 and has only been subjected to minor changes since then. A challenge in terms of inviting participants for the RSD LP has throughout the years been the varying level of knowledge and experiences among the participants of the RSD LP, with the consequence that some participants found the content of the RSD LP, including the workshop too complex and difficult to grasp, while other participants wanted more in-depth knowledge for their continued learning."

To address these varying levels, a "new RSD Introduction e-learning program will be launched [in 2018] targeting primarily new (junior) eligibility staff and others with an interest in RSD. It’s expected that all new staff involved in RSD will undertake the RSD Introduction e-learning, which will form the consistent basis for their initial learning."

"The revamp of the RSD LP will ensure that more experienced and senior eligibility/RSD staff get trained more in depth on complex topics, among others, sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), child applicants, applicants with specific needs, trauma, etc. Optional reading lists would be available to ensure staff are familiarised with the concepts required for strengthening of State asylum systems and advocacy. There will be a strong focus on strengthening skill sets, including legal analysis, drafting and structure of reasoning through a case-study approach. The self-study phase will include different training modalities, such as self-paced learning, webinars, as well as tutor-supported assignments with the objective to strengthen the knowledge and skill sets and enhance learning through multiple avenues. A 5-day workshop will continue to be part of the LP to enhance the skill set of staff through practical group- exercises and interactive learning."

[Note: Text above was taken from a consultancy job description that is no longer available online.]

Events & opportunities:

Discussion panel: Practicing Refugee Law on the Frontier: Refugee Law in Egypt, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong, Univ. of Hong Kong, 1 February 2018 [info]
- Note: A related article by one of the moderators, Martin Jones, is freely available.

Competition: Annual International Refugee Law Student Writing Competition [info]
- Submission deadline is 28 February 2018.

Seminar: The IDP in International Law: Debates, Developments and Prospects, Oxford, 28 February 2018 [info]

Course: International Refugee Law, Sanremo, 17-21 April 2018 [info]
- Deadline for applications is one month prior to the start of the course.

Public lecture: Decline of International Refugee Law?, Berlin, 23 April 2018 [info]

Publications:

"Access to Refugee Protection: Key Concepts and Contemporary Challenges," Chapter 1 in States, the Law and Access to Refugee Protection: Fortresses and Fairness (Hart Publishing, 2017) [free full-text]

Distinguishing between Asylum Seekers and Economic Migrants: An Analysis of State Practice (ATHA Blog, Jan. 2018) [text]

Fees Charged for Asylum Applications by States Parties to the 1951 Refugee Convention (Law Library of Congress, Dec. 2017) [access]

Mass Displacement of Destitute People: A Trigger for Non-Refoulement Protection?, Paper presented at The Social Practice of Human Rights: Charting the Frontiers of Research and Advocacy, Dayton, OH, 8-10 Nov. 2017 [text]

"Mixed Up: International Law and the Meaning(s) of 'Mixed Migration'," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 29 Jan. 2018 [abstract]

The Principle of Non-Refoulement: The Legality of Refugee Caps Amidst Record High Migration Rates (The View from Above Blog, Jan. 2018) [text]

Terrorism and Asylum: Unravelling the Myths (RLI Blog, Jan. 2018) [text]

Towards ‘Judicial Passivism’ in EU Migration and Asylum Law? Preliminary Thoughts for the Final Plenary Session of the 2018 Odysseus Conference (EU Immigration & Asylum Law & Policy Blog, Jan. 2018) [text]

'Waiting to disappear': International and Regional Standards for the Protection of the Human Rights of Persons with Albinism (International Bar Association, June 2017) [text via Refworld]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items (13 Jan. 2018)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.