23 March 2018

Admin: Brief Break

This blog will be quiet for a week or so.

Thematic Focus: General

Annotated Bibliography Compiled for the Cluster on Methodology and the Knowledge Production in Forced Migration Contexts (Refugee Research Network, July 2012; updated March 2018) [text]

"Conflict-induced IDPs and the Spread of Conflict," Journal of Conflict Resolution, vol. 62, no. 4 (2018) [abstract]
- See also earlier conference paper.

Deeply Talks: Picturing Refugees (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]
- See also related advice for photographers.

Immigration Data Matters (Migration Policy Institute, March 2018) [text]
- See also related webinar on how to find accurate data resources.

It’s Time to Stop Compartmentalizing Refugees and Migrants (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]

Refugee Statistics: Landmark Documents Adopted by the UN (Eurostat News, March 2018) [text]
- Here are the latest versions of the "International Recommendations on Refugees Statistics" and "Technical Report on Statistics of Internally Displaced Persons: Current Practice and Recommendations for Improvement" that were presented at the 49th session of the UN Statistical Commission, as well as the "Report of the Expert Group on Refugee and InternallyDisplaced Persons Statistics."

"Re-Imagining Refugee Camps as Livable Cities," VOA News, 22 March 2018 [text]

"UN Panel Debate: Response to Migrant and Refugee Crisis Must Recognise the Adverse Impact of Forced Displacement of IDPs," IPS, 21 March 2018 [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: General (14 March 2018)

Tagged Publications.


Regional Focus: United States

Deconstructing the Invisible Wall (AILA, March 2018) [text]
- See also related Immigration Impact blog post.

"Even as Congress Remains on Sidelines, the Trump Administration Slows Legal Immigration," Migration Information Source, 22 March 2018 [text]

"Getting it Righted: Access to Counsel in Rapid Removals," Marquette Law Review (Forthcoming) [full-text via SSRN]

"How America Fell Behind the World on Immigration," Politico Magazine, 19 March 2018 [text]

"Leveraging Social Science Expertise in Immigration Policy," Northwestern University Law Review, vol. 112 (Forthcoming, 2018) [preprint]

On the Brink of Deportation (NRC, March 2018) [text]

"The President's Immigration Courts," Emory Law Review (Forthcoming, 2018) [full-text]

Senate Confirms Kevin McAleenan as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Immigration Impact, March 2018) [text]

Tips from a Former Asylum Officer (The Asylumist Blog, March 2018) [text]

The U.S. Immigration Debate: Backgrounder (Council on Foreign Relations, updated March 2018) [text]

"When ICE Tries to Deport Americans, Who Defends Them?," New Yorker, 21 March 2018 [text]

Related posts:
- News/Funding Opportunities: U.S. State Department (16 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: United States (16 March 2018)

Tagged Publications. 

Regional Focus: Europe

Asylum Statistics (Eurostat, March 2018) [text]
- See also related news release.

Central Mediterranean: European Governments are Obstructing Lifesaving Rescues and Returning People to Unsafe Libya (MSF, March 2018) [text]

Circumventing Non-Refoulement or Fighting "Illegal Migration"? (EU Immigration & Asylum Law & Policy Blog, March 2018) [text]

Cracked Foundation, Uncertain Future: Structural Weaknesses in the Common European Asylum System (Migration Policy Institute, March 2018) [text]

Country Report: Italy (AIDA, March 2018) [text]
- Updated profile.

The Duty to be Generous: Challenging European Ideas on Forced Migration, Budapest, 19 March 2018 [info]
- Follow link for video.

"Europe’s New Anti-migrant Strategy? Blame the Rescuers," Prospect Magazine, 20 March 2018 [text]

The European Refugee Crisis: Crisis for Whom? (Border Criminologies Blog, March 2018) [text]

Humanitarian Needs and Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Europe (PACE, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Spain: Audiencia Nacional Revises Its Jurisprudence in Light of UNHCR Guidelines regarding Asylum Applicants from Honduras," ELENA Weekly Legal Update, 23 March 2018 [text]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (20 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (19 March 2018)

Tagged Publications. 

Thematic Focus: International Law/Legal Protection Items

Event & opportunity:

CFP: Complicity and Exclusion from Asylum, Cambridge, UK, 29 June 2018 [info]
- Submit abstracts by 30 March 2018.

Conference: Refugee Protection in a Hostile World?, 3rd Annual Refugee Law Initiative Conference, London, 18-19 July 2018 [info]
- Note: The draft programme is now available.

Publications:

"Advancing UNHCR Accountability through the Law of International Responsibility," Chapter in UNHCR and the Struggle for Accountability: Technology, Law and Results-based Management (Routledge, Feb. 2016) [Academia]

Aide-mémoire: Operational Guidance on Maintaining the Civilian and Humanitarian Character of Sites and Settlements (ICRC & UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

Complicity and Exclusion in International Refugee Law (RLI Blog, March 1018) [text]

A Few Steps Forward, a Few Steps Sideways and a Few Steps Backwards: The CAT’s Revised and Updated GC on Non-Refoulement (EJIL Talk! Blog, March 2018) [Part 1] [Part 2]
- Note: GC = General Comment.

"Mixed Up: International Law and the Meaning(s) of 'Mixed Migration'," Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 1 (March 2018) [free full-text]

Professional Standards for Protection Work Carried Out by Humanitarian and Human Rights Actors in Armed Conflict and Other Situations of Violence (ICRC, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Refugees and the Right to Freedom of Movement: From Flight to Return," Michigan Journal of International Law, vol. 39, no. 1 (2018) [full-text]

"Symposium on Framing Global Migration Law – Part III," AJIL Unbound, vol. 111 (2017) [open access]
- Includes an introduction and 7 articles.

Related posts:
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 1 (8 March 2018)
- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 2 (8 March 2018)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Regional Focus: MENA, incl. Syria

"Arrests and Torture of Syrian Refugees Returning Home Reported," Irish Times, 17 March 2018 [text]

"Bibi Netanyahu Echoes Trump on Immigration," New Yorker, 12 March 2018 [text]

Donor Response to Refugee Tensions in Lebanon (GSDRC, Feb. 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Shelter, Health, and Education Programs for Iraqi and Syrian Refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey (U.S. Dept. of State, Feb. 2018) [access]
- Follow link for final report and country studies.

How Syrian Refugees in Turkey Define Safe Returns (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]

Love in the Time of Displacement (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [Part I] [Part II]

Migration and Inclusive Cities: A Guide for Arab City Leaders (UN Habitat, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Promise to Practice: Following Through on Commitments to Support the Future of Syria and the Region (ActionAid et al., March 2018) [text]

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Libya, Including on the Effectiveness of Technical Assistance and Capacity-building Measures Received by the Government of Libya, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/37/46 (UN Human Rights Council, Feb. 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]
- The treatment of migrants is discussed on pp. 8-9.

Searching for Solutions: Lessons for Syria (IDMC, March 2018) [text]

Turkey: Mass Deportations of Syrians (Human Rights Watch, March 2018) [text]

"U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency Gets New Cash Pledges, Needs Much More to Survive," Thomson Reuters Foundation News, 15 March 2018 [text]

A Warning Against Mass Returns to Syria (Norwegian Refugee Council, March 2018) [text]

Yes, They are Refugees (LRB Blog, March 2018) [text]

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: MENA (12 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: Syria (12 March 2018)

Tagged Publications.

22 March 2018

Events & Opportunities: Even More March 2018/More April 2018

Meeting: Inclusive and Innovative Partnerships for Effective Global Governance of Migration, International Dialogue on Migration, New York, 26-27 March 2018 [info]

Seminar: Urban Integration of Refugees: Findings from Six Cities in the Refugees in Towns Project, Cairo, 28 March 2018 [info]

Big Ideas seminar: The Role of Archives in Addressing Refugee Crises, Richmond, UK, 29 March 2018 [info]

CFP: Forced Migration Processes: Trends, Concepts and Patterns, Bonn, 25-26 June 2018 [info]
- Submit abstracts by 30 March 2018.

Job announcement: Research Associate, Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration [info]
- Apply by 4 April 2018.

CFP: Borders, Racisms and Harms: A Symposium, London, 2-3 May 2018 [info]
- Submit proposal by 6 April 2018.

Webinar: Responding to Early Childhood Education and Care Needs of Children of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe and North America, 12 April 2018 [info]

Summer school: Global and Regional Migration Governance, Geneva, 18-22 June 2018 [info]
- Apply by 15 April 2018.

Conference: Managing Asylum: A Conference on Legal and Procedural Information for Asylum-Seekers in the European Union, Brussels, 19 April 2018 [info]

Job announcement: Research Officer, The Responsible Deal: Where and How to Best Protect and Integrate Syrian Refugees? [info]
- Apply by 24 April 2018.

Related posts:
- News/Funding Opportunities: U.S. State Department
- Events & Opportunities: More March 2018/New April 2018

Tagged Events & Opportunities. 

Thematic Focus: Persons with Disabilities & Older People

CIHC and IIHA Advocate for Older Persons’ Rights in Crisis at the United Nations (IIHA Blog, Feb. 2018) [text]
- Discusses "Humanitarian Action for Older Persons: Fifteen Years After Madrid," a side event of the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development.

Disability and Unsafe Migration: Data and Policy, Understanding the Evidence, Data Briefing Series, no. 7 (IOM Global Migration Data Analysis Centre, Dec. 2016) [text]

"Health Needs of Older Populations Affected by Humanitarian Crises in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Systematic Review," Conflict and Health, 11:29 (Dec. 2017) [open access]

Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for Older People and People with Disabilities (Handicap International, CBM & HelpAge International, 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Inclusion of Age and Disability in Humanitarian Action: A Two-Day Training Course - Training Handbook (HelpAge International et al., Sept. 2017) [text via ReliefWeb]

Invisible and Forgotten: Refugees Living with Disabilities (Refugee Law Project, Dec. 2017) [text]

"The Neglected Health Needs of Older Syrian Refugees in Jordan," Forced Migration Review, no. 57 (Feb. 2018) [open access]

Older Persons: A Priority to Protect (IIHA Blog, Jan. 2018) [text]

The Rights of Older Persons in the Global Compact on Refugees (NGO Committee on Ageing, Jan. 2018) [text]

Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh: Age and Disability Inclusion - Rapid Assessment Report (ASB, CDD & ADH, Dec. 2017) [text via ReliefWeb]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Persons with Disabilities (29 Nov. 2017)

Tagged Publications.

21 March 2018

Thematic Focus: Resettlement

Funding opportunity:

Reception and Placement Program, U.S. Dept. of State [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 14 May 2018.

Publications:

"90 Days to Start a New Life: For Refugees in the U.S., What Happens Next?," NPR, 9 March 2018 [text]

Europe Resettlement, January-December 2017 (UNHCR, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

How the US Resettles Refugees (Refugee Council of Australia, March 2018) [text]

"Manus Island: PNG Wants Australia to Put Deadline on Refugee Resettlement," Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 21 March 2018 [text via ReliefWeb]

"Refugee Resettlement as an Alternative to Asylum," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 12 March 2018 [abstract]

"Refugee Skeptic Lands Top State Department Refugee Job," Politico, 8 March 2018 [text]

Resettlement at a Glance: 2017 in Review (UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

"Resettlement, Humanitarian Admission, and Family Reunion: The Intricacies of Germany’s Legal Entry Regimes for Syrian Refugees," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 9 March 2018 [abstract]

Resettlement in PNG was Never a Viable Option (The Interpreter Blog, March 2018) [text]

Review of the Pilot Resettlement Programme in the Republic of Korea (UNHCR, Dec. 2017) [text]

What’s So Special about Canada? How Ordinary Canadians Successfully Sponsor Refugees, Sydney, 12 March 2018 [info]
- Follow link for video.

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Solutions (7 March 2018)

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Climate Change & Disasters

108th IOM Council: High-Level Panel Discussion on Opportunities to Address Migration and Climate Change in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, Geneva, 30 Nov. 2017 [info]
- Follow link for video.

Can We Demand More from the Global Compact on Refugees? Reflecting on Lessons from Climate Change Cooperation (RLI Blog, Feb. 2018) [text]

Climate Change's Impact on Migration is Strong and Growing (Devex, March 2018) [text]

"Climate Refugees": Drop the Quotation Marks!, Debate held at the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva, Geneva, 14 March 2018 [info]
- Video of this event is available here.

Disaster Displacement Information Sheet (University College Cork & Irish Red Cross Society, Feb. 2018) [text via Env. Migration Portal]

Global Compact for Migration not the Answer for Climate Refugees: UN Representative (Devex, March 2018) [text]

Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration (World Bank, March 2018) [access]
- Note: Other language versions are available via this link. Policy notes on internal climate migration in different regions are available for Sub-Saharan AfricaSouth Asia and Latin America. See also related news stories from Thomson Reuters News Foundation and the Guardian.

IOM's Engagement in Migration, Environment and Climate Change (IOM, 2018) [text]

A Meta-Analysis of the Literature on Climate Change and Migration, CREA Discussion Paper, no. 5 (Univ. of Luxembourg, Feb. 2018) [text via UNCCD Knowledge Hub]

Migration and the Environment: Some Reflections on Current Legal Issues and Possible Ways Forward (CNR edizioni, 2017) [full-text]

Somalia’s Climate Change Refugees (IRIN, Feb. 2018) [text]

"Voluntary Immobility: Indigenous Voices in the Pacific," Forced Migration Review, no. 57 (Feb. 2018) [open access]

Water Stress and Human Migration: A Global, Georeferenced Review of Empirical Research (FAO, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]
- See also related UN news story.

"What We Get Wrong about Migration and Climate Change," Prospect Magazine, 8 Feb. 2018 [text]

"Why Climate Migrants Do Not Have Refugee Status," The Economist, 6 March 2018 [text]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Climate Change & Disasters (7 Feb. 2018)

Tagged Publications.

20 March 2018

Regional Focus: Americas

As Colombia Tightens Its Border, More Venezuelan Migrants Brave Clandestine Routes  (IRIN, March 2018) [text]

As Venezuelans Flee Throughout Latin America, UNHCR Issues New Protection Guidance (UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

*"Canadian Attitudes toward Immigrants, Refugees Remain Positive: Study," Globe & Mail, 21 March 2018 [text]

"Collateral Damage: How Trump Threw Canada's Refugee System into Turmoil," Thompson Reuters Foundation News, 19 March 2018 [text]

"Colombia Proposes IMF Assistance for Venezuelan Refugees," Reuters, 19 March 2018 [text]

"Connecting the Dots: Emerging Migration Trends and Policy Questions in North and Central America," Migration Information Source, 7 March 2018 [text]

From Soldiers to Refugee Claimants: US War Resister Migration to Canada and the Embodied Geopolitics of Asylum, Los Angeles, 20 Oct. 2017 [info]
- Follow this link for a podcast.

In Search of a Global Refugee Strategy (Project Syndicate, Feb. 2018) [text]

Resolution 2/18: Forced Migration of Venezuelans (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 2 March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Situation of Human Rights in Venezuela (IACHR, Dec. 2017) [text via ReliefWeb]

Update on UNHCR’s Operations in the Americas, 71st Meeting of the Standing Committee, Geneva, 5 March 2018 [text]
- See also related presentation.

Web site:

Forced Migration Observatory = Observatório de Migrações Forçadas (Igarapé Institute) [access]
- "The observatory provides a georeferenced and interactive visualisation of the distribution of internally displaced people in Brazil over time. The tool will be used for research and decision making regarding migrants, strengthening the rights of those affected by forced displacement." See also related Guardian article.

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Venezuela (9 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: Americas (28 Feb. 2018)

Tagged Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Thematic Focus: Mental Health

"Challenges and Opportunities in Refugee Mental Health: Clinical, Service, and Research Considerations," European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, OnlineFirst, 13 Feb. 2018 [open access]
- Introduction to a forthcoming special issue on "Mental health issues in refugees."

"Development and Validation of a Mental Health Screening Tool for Asylum-seekers and Refugees: The STAR-MH," BMC Psychiatry, 18:69 (March 2018) [open access]

"The Effects of Discrimination Experience on Life Satisfaction of North Korean Refugees: Mediating Effect of Stress," Psychiatry Investigation, vol. 15, no. 1 (Jan. 2018) [open access]

"The Immigrant Paradox: Protecting Immigrants through Better Mental Health Care," Albany Law Review, vol. 81, no. 1 (2017/2018) [full-text]

"In War Zones and Refugee Camps, Researchers are Putting Resilience Interventions to the Test," Science Magazine, 28 Feb. 2018 [text]

"Journalists Covering the Refugee and Migration Crisis are Affected by Moral Injury not PTSD," JRSM Open, vol. 9, no. 3 (March 2018) [open access]

"Major Depression Prevalence among Syrian Migrants Seeking Asylum in Greece: A Cross-sectional Survey," The Lancet Global Health, vol. 6, no. suppl. 2 (March 2018) [abstract]

"Monitoring and Evaluation of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programs in Humanitarian Settings: A Scoping Review of Terminology and Focus," Conflict and Health, 12:9 (March 2018) [open access]

"Psychiatric Morbidity among Physically Injured Syrian Refugees in Turkey," Comprehensive Psychiatry, vol. 80 (Jan. 2018) [full-text]

"The Role of Mental Health Counselors in International Human Rights: Reflections on Counseling Services with Urban Refugees at the Refugee Law Project in Kampala, Uganda," International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, OnlineFirst, 17 March 2018 [abstract]
- See also related Refugee Law Project blog post.

"Syrian Refugees in Greece: Experience with Violence, Mental Health Status, and Access to Information During the Journey and While in Greece," BMC Medicine, 16:40 (March 2018) [open access]

"Understanding Trauma Faced by Syrian Refugees: Challenges and Community Solutions," Syrian Studies Association Bulletin, vol. 23, no. 1 (2018) [open access]

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Mental Health (12 Feb. 2018)

Tagged Publications.

Thematic Focus: Health

"Assessing Refugee Healthcare Needs in Europe and Implementing Educational Interventions in Primary Care: A Focus on Methods," BMC International Health and Human Rights, 18:11 (Feb. 2018) [open access]

The Deportation of Asylum Seekers as an Ethical Challenge for the Medical Profession (Physicians for Human Rights, Feb. 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Health Access and Utilization Survey: Access to Health Services in Jordan among Syrian and Non-Syrian Refugees (UNHCR, Feb. 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]
- See also related follow-up surveys of Iraqi refugeesSyrian refugees and refugees from other nationalities. Baseline surveys were reported in this earlier post.

"Health-Promoting Behavior and Influencing Factors in Young North Korean Refugees (NKRs) Living in South Korea," Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, OnlineFirst, 2 Feb. 2018 [open access]

"Immunity against Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B among Adult Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands, 2016," Vaccine, vol. 36, no. 12 (March 2018) [open access]

"National Immunization Strategies Targeting Migrants in Six European Countries," Vaccine, In Press, 6 Feb. 2018 [open access]

Public Health Research & Practice, vol. 28, no. 1 (March 2018) [open access]
- Special issue on refugee health.

"A Qualitative Approach to Understand Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Adherence for Refugees Living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda," Conflict and Health, 12:7 (March 2018) [open access]

"Review of Infectious Diseases in Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Current Status and Going Forward," Public Health Reviews, 38:22 (Sept. 2017) [open access]

*"Screening for Infectious Diseases among Newly Arrived Asylum Seekers, Bavaria, Germany, 2015," Eurosurveillance, vol. 23, no. 10 (March 2018) [open access]

"Screening for Infectious Diseases of Asylum Seekers upon Arrival: The Necessity of the Moral Principle of Reciprocity," BMC Medical Ethics, 19:16 (March 2018) [open access]

"Strengthening Effective Preventive Services for Refugee Populations: Toward Communities of Solution," Public Health Reviews, 39:3 (Feb. 2018) [open access]

*UPDATED

Related post:
- Thematic Focus: Health (5 Feb. 2018)

Tagged Publications.

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1

[Note: I am re-publishing this post to reflect some additions re. the Eu-Turkey deal.]

News: Two Years of the EU-Turkey deal

From ECRE's editorial in its Weekly Bulletin:

"This month marks the two-year anniversary of the ignominious EU-Turkey deal. Although rebranded and formalised as a 'Statement,' in part to avoid the parliamentary and judicial scrutiny that an international agreement entails, at its heart there is a deal, an agreement for the mutual benefit of the two parties. The true heart of the deal for the EU, its benefit, is the blocking of departures of people from Turkey. As most of those who arrived during the crisis were refugees, this means the containment of refugees, mainly Syrian, in Turkey. This action of preventing of departures or reducing their facilitation, is not even explicitly mentioned in the Statement, it is dressed up in point 3, that Turkey will 'take any necessary measure to prevent new sea or land routes for illegal migration opening…'. But there is no doubt that this is what is important to policy-makers who claim that the deal is a success because the measure of success is exactly this: people were prevented from leaving (and thus the EU was saved)." Read the rest here.

Other commentary:

"The EU-Turkey Refugee Agreement: A Review," Deutsche Welle, 18 March 2018 [text]

EU-Turkey Statement: Two Years on (European Commission, March 2018) [text]

*Expert Views: The E.U.-Turkey Deal After Two Years (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]

Refugees Out of Sight, Out of Mind Two Years on from EU-Turkey Deal (The Conversation, March 2018) [text]

The Stories of Asylum Seekers Trapped in Greece: On EU-Turkey Deal Anniversary, Greece Should End Containment Policy (Human Rights Watch, March 2018) [text]
- Follow link to access special interactive feature. See also related Q&A.

*Turkey-Style Deals Will Not Solve the Next EU Migration Crisis (Migration Policy Institute, March 2018 [text]

*Two Years after the EU-Turkey Deal: The Key Questions (Terre des Hommes, March 2018) [text]

Two Years into the EU-Turkey ‘Deal’: Taking Stock (Jacques Delors Institut – Berlin, March 2018) [text]

Two Years on, EU-Turkey Deal Creates Misery and Desperation for Those Stuck on Greek Islands (MSF, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Other publications:

"Austria Plans to Put Immigration and Borders at Heart of EU Presidency," Reuters, 9 March 2018 [text]
- Note: Austria assumes the EU Presidency in July 2018.

I Get You: Promoting Best Practices to Prevent Racism and Xenophobia towards Forced Migrants through Community Building (JRS Europe, Dec. 2017) [text]

Progress Report on the Implementation of the European Agenda on Migration (European Commission, March 2018) [text]
- See also related press release, which includes an overview and links to a number of relevant annexes and factsheets.

Towards Safety and Opportunity: Regular Pathways to Europe for Refugees and Other Migrants in the Middle East, MMP Briefing Paper, no. 8 (Mixed Migration Platform, Nov. 2017) [text]

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (9 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2 (9 March 2018)

Tagged Publications. 

19 March 2018

Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 2

"Arab Others at European Borders: Racializing Religion and Refugees along the Balkan Route," Ethnic and Racial Studies, Latest Articles, 11 Jan. 2018 [open access]

Blaming the Refugees? Experimental Evidence on Responsibility Attribution, Rationality & Competition Discussion Paper, no. 83 (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, March 2018) [text]

Country Report: Spain (AIDA, March 2018) [text]
- Updated profile.

Crossing the Line of Contact: Monitoring Report (UNHCR, Feb. 2018) [text]
- Focuses on Ukraine.

Feeling Threatened by Immigrants in Your Neighbourhood? (Debate Migration Blog, March 2018) [text]

"European Court of Human Rights: Lack of Access to the Asylum Procedure from 2009 to 2012 in Greece Violated the Applicant’s Fundamental Rights," ECRE Weekly Bulletin, 16 March 2018 [text]

Evaluating the Effectiveness of PRM Multilateral Partners in Ukraine to Assist Internally Displaced Persons and Prepare for the Eventual Transition from Relief to Development (U.S. State Dept., Feb. 2018) [text]

Greece: Site Profiles, January-February 2018 (UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

How Italy Can Combine Migration Control with Human Rights (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]

Hungary’s Government Turns on the UN: Country Ramps-up Anti-Refugee Rhetoric Before Elections (Human Rights Watch, March 2018) [text]

"'It's ok if it's hidden': The Discursive Construction of Everyday Racism for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Wales," Journal of Applied & Community Psychology, Early View, 9 March 2018 [open access]

Italy Shuts Down ‘Worrying’ Migrant Hotspot (Human Rights Watch, March 2018) [text]

Know Your Rights: A Guide for Migrants (Migrants' Rights Network, March 2018) [text]
- See also related MRN blog post.

Quantifying the Romanian Asylum System (JRS Europe Blog, March 2018) [text]

Still on the Streets: Documenting the Situation for Refugees and Displaced People in Paris, France (Refugee Rights, March 2018) [text]
- See also related Guardian article.

Related post:
- Regional Focus: Europe - Pt. 1 (19 March 2018)

Tagged Publications. 

New Issue of JRS

The latest issue of the Journal of Refugee Studies (JRS) has been published. Contents of vol. 31, no. 1, March 2018 include:

  • Beyond Labelling: Rethinking the Role and Value of the Refugee ‘Label’ through Semiotics [abstract]
  • Coming Out under the Gun: Exploring the Psychological Dimensions of Seeking Refugee Status for LGBT Claimants in Canada [free full-text]
  • The Right to Belong (If You Can Afford It): Market-based Restrictions on Social Citizenship in Refugee Resettlement [abstract] [ResearchGate]
  • A Moral Marriage: Humanitarian Values and the Bhutanese Refugees [abstract]
  • Know thy Neighbour: Residential Integration and Social Bridging among Refugee Settlers in Greater Brisbane [abstract]
  • Health Service Access and Utilization among Syrian Refugees and Affected Host Communities in Lebanon [abstract]

Tagged Periodicals.

Regional Focus: Asia, incl. Rohingya Crisis

"China and the International Refugee Protection Regime: Past, Present, and Potentials," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 13 March 2018 [open access]

"Examining the Impacts of Disaster Resettlement from a Livelihood Perspective: A Case Study of Qinling Mountains, China," Disasters, vol. 42, no. 2 (April 2018) [free full-text]

Japan Revels in Its Refusal of Refuge (Refugees Deeply, March 2018) [text]

"The Role of Civil Society in Hong Kong," Forced Migration Review, no. 57 (Feb. 2018) [open access]

Survival of the Invisible: Economic Security of African Urban Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Bangkok, Thesis (Chulalongkorn University, 2017) [text]

Watch for:

It looks like a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Refugee Studies will focus in part on refugee issues in Asia. Check out abstracts that have been posted for the following articles:

  • Boundaries and Belonging in the Indo-Myanmar Borderlands: Chin Refugees in Mizoram [abstract]
  • Hospitality as a Horizon of Aspiration (or, What the International Refugee Regime Can Learn from Acehnese Fishermen) [abstract]
  • Neither Here nor There: Pakistani Hindu Refugee Claims at the Interface of the International and South Asian Refugee Regimes [abstract]
  • From Political Activists to Social Entrepreneurs: Burmese Refugees in South Korea [abstract]
  • Forced Migration, Refugees and China’s Entry into the ‘Family of Nations’, 1861–1949 [abstract]

Rohingya crisis:

Myanmar Levels Former Rohingya Villages to Build Camp for Returnees (IRIN, March 2018) [text]
- See also related Amnesty International report.

*Neglected Suffering: The Unmet Need for Palliative Care in Cox’s Bazar (World Child Cancer, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

‘No one was left’: Death and Violence against the Rohingya (MSF, March 2018) [text]

The Rohingyas Beyond Domination and Resistance: A Case Study on Refugees’ Innovative Strategies, Global Migration Research Paper, no. 20 (Global Migration Centre, 2017) [text]

Snapshot Survey: An Insight into the Daily Lives of the Rohingya in Unchiprang & Shamlapur (Xchange, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on His Visit to Bangladesh to Assess the Situation of Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar (UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Statement by Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council (OHCHR, March 2018) [text]
- See also related news story.

Statement by Ms. Yanghee Lee, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council (OHCHR, March 2018) [text]
- See also related NPR story

UN Launches 2018 Appeal for Rohingya Refugees and Bangladeshi Host Communities (UNHCR & IOM, March 2018) [text]
- See also related UNHCR news story.

*UPDATED

Related posts:
- Regional Focus: Asia - Pt. 1 (6 March 2018)
- Regional Focus: Asia - Pt. 2: Rohingya Crisis (6 March 2018)

Tagged Publications. 

16 March 2018

News/Funding Opportunities: U.S. State Department

News:

The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, was fired on 13 March 2018. The following references highlight some of the refugee- and migration-related actions taken by, as well as the damage done to, the State Department during his brief tenure.

Articles & blog posts:
  • "At Trump’s State Department, Eight of Ten Top Jobs Are Empty," Bloomberg, updated 13 March 2018 [text]
  • "How Rex Tillerson Wrecked the State Department," New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2017 [text]
  • The Personnel Crisis Awaiting the Next Secretary of State (Just Security Blog, March 2018) [text]
  • "Refugee Skeptic Lands Top State Department Refugee Job," Politico, 8 March 2018 [info]
  • "Rex Tillerson Has Been Fired. Experts Say He Did Damage That Could Last 'a Generation'," Vox, 13 March 2018 [text]
  • "State Dept. Seeks Tougher Visa Scrutiny, including Social Media Checks," Reuters, 4 May 2017 [text]
  • "State Department Tells Refugee Agencies to Downsize U.S. Operations," Reuters, 21 Dec. 2017 [text]
State Dept. statements:
  • Resuming the United States Refugee Admissions Program with Enhanced Vetting Capabilities, 24 Oct. 2017 [text]
  • Status of the Central American Minors Program, 8 Nov. 2017 [text]
  • U.S. Ends Participation in the Global Compact on Migration, 3 Dec. 2017 [text]
  • Presidential Proclamation Fully Implemented Today, 8 Dec. 2017 [text]
  • Spokesperson Nauert on Mr. Isaacs' Nomination for IOM Director General, Announced in State Department Press Briefing, 1 Feb. 2018 [Twitter]
Funding opportunities:

Despite everything, the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration has continued to issue notices of funding opportunities for NGOs; here are the latest:

NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 12 April 2018.

Request for Concept Notes for NGO Projects Benefiting Urban Refugees in South Africa [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 12 April 2018.

NGO Programs Benefiting Asylum Seekers and Vulnerable Migrants from Venezuela [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 16 April 2018.

Tibetan Refugees in India and Nepal [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 17 April 2018.

Global Programming to Further Innovation in Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Conflict-Affected Humanitarian Emergencies [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 4 May 2018.

Reception and Placement Program [info]
- Proposal submission deadline is 14 May 2018.

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Thematic Focus: Global Compacts Round-up

Where we are now:

A "zero draft plus" of the Global Compact for Migration was issued 5 March 2018 (compare with initial zero draft), and a second round of intergovernmental negotiations took place 12-15 March 2018. (Here is the civil society joint statement that was delivered on day 2 of the meetings.)

A "draft 1" of the Global Compact on Refugees was issued 9 March 2018 (compare with initial zero draft); the second formal consultation will be held in Geneva from 20-21 March 2018. (Here is the agenda. Also, a side event on 20 March 2018 will provide an update on the CRRF.)

Refugees International has published a helpful issue brief on "The Status of the Global Compacts on Refugees and Migration."

Other recent commentary:

The Draft Global Compact on Migration Fails One of Its Guiding Principles. Here is How to Fix It (openDemocracy, March 2018) [text]

Feeding the Global Compact on Migration: How Do Immigrants Contribute to Developing Countries’ Economies? (OECD Development Matters Blog, March 2018) [text]

The Global Compact Negotiations Have Started. What’s On the Docket for the Next Five Months? (CGD Blog, March 2018) [text]

"The Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: What Africa Should Demand from the World and from Itself," Policy Analysis, vol. 10, no. 2 (Addis Ababa Univ., Jan./Feb. 2018) [ResearchGate]

Making the Global Compacts Work for All? A Matter of Information in the Right Language (Forced Migration Forum, March 2018) [text]

NGO Statement on the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), 71st Meeting of the Standing Committee, Geneva, 6-8 March 2018 [access]

The Rapporteur Calls Upon States to Include IDPs in the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration, in Line with the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants (OHCHR, March 2018) [access]
- Follow link for open letter by the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons.

Stopping the Smugglers: Objective 9 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, March 2018) [text via ReliefWeb]

Three Reasons for Rejecting a ‘Global Compact for Most Migration’ (Jorgen Carling Blog, March 2018) [text]

"Three Ways the Global Compact Can Better Serve Refugees," IPS, 12 March 2018 [text]

Volker Türk Explains Thinking Behind Plans for Global Refugee Compact (UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

Related posts:
- News: Global Compact for Migration (9 March 2018)
- Thematic Focus: General, incl. Global Compacts (1 March 2018)


Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Regional Focus: United States

News & developments:

"Haley: Vote with U.S. at U.N. or We’ll Cut Your Aid," Foreign Policy, 15 March 2018 [text]

"ICE Spokesman Resigns, Saying He Could No Longer Spread Falsehoods for Trump Administration," New York Times, 13 March 2018 [text]

Long-Residing Liberians are at Risk of Losing Protection from Deportation by the End of March (Immigration Impact, March 2018) [text]
- See also related factsheet on Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians.

"Trump Administration Moves to Reshape Who Qualifies for Asylum," NPR, 12 March 2018 [text]
- See also related Human Rights First press release and Asylumist blog post below.

"Trump Administration Strikes Multiple Deportation Deals: What's in Them?," VOA News, 3 March 2018 [text]

Blog posts:

Attorney General Seeks to Limit Asylum… or Something (The Asylumist, March 2018) [text]

DHS’ Constant Vetting Initiative: A Muslim-Ban by Algorithm (Just Security, March 2018) [text]

The Empty Promise of “Waivers” from Trump’s Muslim Ban (Just Security, March 2018) [text]

Your Affirmative Asylum Case Was Denied. Now What? (Part 2: Immigration Court and Beyond) (The Asylumist, March 2018) [text]

Law reviews & reports:

"American Courts and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees: A Need for Harmony in the Face of a Refugee Crisis," Harvard Law Review, vol. 131, no. 5 (2018) [full-text]

Cogs in the Deportation Machine: How Policy Changes by the Trump Administration Have Touched Every Major Area of Enforcement (AILA, March 2018) [text]
- See also the related resources listed on the right side of the page.

The End of Immigration Enforcement Priorities under the Trump Administration (American Immigration Council, March 2018) [text]
- See also related blog post.

The Immigration Nexus: Law, Politics, and Constitutional Identity, Portland, OR, 9 March 2018 [info]
- Included sessions on travel ban and asylum; follow link for access to video.

Invoking Common Law Defenses in Immigration Cases (SSRN, Feb. 2018) [text]

Related post:
- Regional Focus: United States (6 March 2018)

Tagged Publications.

15 March 2018

Thematic Focus: Abuse in the Aid Sector

Event & opportunity:

Panel discussion: The Humanitarian #MeToo Moment: Where Do We Go from Here?, Geneva, 22 March 2018 [info]
- Will also be livestreamed.

Inquiry: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in the Aid Sector, UK International Development Committee [info]
- Written evidence may be submitted until 6 April 2018.

News & commentary:

Aid Agencies Can’t Police Themselves. It’s Time for a Change (IRIN, Feb. 2018) [text]

Humanitarian Accountability for Displaced Persons: Where Are We at? (RLI Blog, March 2018) [text]

A Humanitarian Ombudsman Revisited? (ALNAP Blog, March 2018) [text]

Sex Scandal in the Aid Sector (Thomson Reuters Foundation News, Feb. & March 2018) [access]
- Follow link for coverage.

What Oxfam Can Learn from Charities That Survived Scandals (The Conversation, Feb. 2018) [text]

Agencies' responses/actions:

How We are Working to Rebuild Your Trust (Oxfam, Feb. 2018) [access]

Save the Children UK Confirms Chair and Terms of Reference for Independent Review of Workplace Culture (March 2018) [text]
- Scroll to bottom of page to learn how to take part in the review.

Tackling Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and Sexual Harassment at UNHCR: An Information Note (UNHCR, March 2018) [text]

UK Aid Chiefs Agree Safeguarding Action Plan as DFID Uncovers New Incidents (Devex, March 2018) [text]

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.