Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items

Short pieces:

Beyond the Dotted Line: Navigating the Fine Print of Asylum in Lebanon and Norway (RLI Blog, July 2026) [text]

Reports:

96th Standing Committee Meeting, Geneva, 16-18 June 2026 [access]

- Protection-related session. Follow link for English- and French-language meeting documents, remarks/oral updates and presentations. See also related NGO statements on ICVA's website.

Independent Declaration on the Right of Persons with Experience of Forced Displacement or Statelessness to Participate in Decisions That Affect Them (Kaldor Centre, Dec. 2025) [access]

- Follow link for the text of the declaration, with commentary, and the consultation report. The companion website provides access to a Spanish-language of the declaration, as well as information on how to endorse it.

Intersecting Regimes: The Convergence of International Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, and International Refugee Law, RLI Working paper, no. 85 (Refugee Law Initiative, June 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Integrating Gender Equality into International Refugee Law: The Contribution of the Court of Justice of the European Union," European Journal of International Law, vol. 37, no. 1 (Feb. 2026) [open access]

"An international human rights law of migration? Reflections on the place of a right to immigrate," International Journal of Migration and Border Studies (Forthcoming, 2026) [open access]

"Outsourcing Migration: A Comparative Analysis of Border Externalization and the Future of International Refugee Law," Loyola Univ. Chicago International Law Review, vol. 22, no. 2 (2026) [full-text]

"A sign of precarity or protection? Understanding the role of evacuations from disasters in international protection claims," International Journal of Refugee Law, Advance Articles, 22 July 2026 [open access]

Resource:

ACCESS Mid-Term Dataset: The Role of Courts in Shaping Access to Asylum (2026) [access]

“The ACCESS project's mid-term dataset is a repository of the 555 most relevant national court decisions on access to asylum, compiled through April 2026. It covers the 18 jurisdictions analysed in the project, encompassing judgments from trial, appellate, and supreme or constitutional courts. Each entry provides key case metadata, the specific barriers addressed, and an English-language summary of the decision.” The full name of the project is "Gatekeepers to International Refugee Law? The Role of Courts in Shaping Access to Asylum." See more info on its website.

Related posts:

- Round-up: 1951 Refugee Convention at 75 (28 July 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 1 (3 July 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Law/Policy Items - Pt. 2 (3 July 2026)

Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 2 (MENA)

Short pieces:

Beyond Asylum Rhetoric: Protecting Afghan Women from Gendered Deportation (ImpACT, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Qatar.

Journal articles:

"Assessing gendered accessibility inequalities to urban facilities among refugees: A 3SFCA method," Applied Geography, vol. 194 (Sept. 2026) [open access]

- Note: 3SFCA = Three-Step Floating Catchment Area. Focuses on Syrian refugees in Türkiye.

"Building collective agency through participating in a grassroots initiative among Syrian refugee informal health workers in Lebanon: An action research study," SSM - Health Systems, In Press, 22 July 2026 [open access]

"Governing through Neglect: Abandonment as Gender-Based Violence among Refugee Women in North Lebanon," Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, Advance Articles, 20 July 2026 [open access]

"Intimacies in Transit: Sex, Reproduction, and the Elusive Pleasures of Agency for Syrian Refugee Women in Lebanon," Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, Advance Articles, 18 July 2026 [open access]

Mashriq & Mahjar: Journal of Middle East and North African Migration Studies, vol. 13, no. 2 (2026) [open access] 

- Special issue on “Marriage across Different Migratory Movements: Exploring Emerging Perspectives on Conjugal Relationships in the Middle East and North Africa.” The editorial is available here. Note: This issue is still in progress.

"Sabr as a Situated Religious Concept of Resilience Among Syrian Refugee Women in Turkey," Religions, vol. 17, no. 7 (July 2026) [open access]

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 1 (27 July 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Short pieces:

"A Blueprint for Complicity"- Three Years On, EU-Tunisia Deal Continues to Fuel Human Rights Violations: Joint Statement by 46 Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations (Human Rights Watch et al., July 2026) [text]

- See also related HRW news release.

The Human Cost of Migration Deterrence in Egypt (E-International Relations, July 2026) [text]

Thirty-one organisations call on the EU to urgently end abusive migration cooperation with Libyan authorities (Amnesty International et al., July 2026) [text]

Reports:

Humanitarian Access and Protection Under Siege: A Focus on Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon (Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, June 2026) [text via UCL]

Lebanon - Syrian Refugee Return: Snap Return Intentions, Perceptions and a Qualitative Analysis (UNHCR, June 2026) [text]

Living Conditions of Vulnerable Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: Access, Assistance and Experience of UNRWA Service Users (Fafo Institute, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Quick impact projects: Sixteen facilities rehabilitated by UNHCR in 2025 (UNHCR, July 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Libya.

Southern Responses to Displacement from Syria: Views from Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye and Beyond (UCL Migration Research Unit, 2025; posted June 2026) [text]

Underfunding Syrian refugees in Lebanon & Turkey after Assad’s fall, MidEast Policy Brief, no. 1 (PRIO, 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Drought amplifies the psychological burden of war," Nature Sustainability, 22 July 2026 [open access]

"Everyday Humanitarianism: Household-Level Refugee–Refugee Hosting as a Humanitarian Act in Amman, Jordan," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

"From Syria to Gaza: A Critical Analysis of the Changing Role of Neutrality in Humanitarian Discourse," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

"Transferts européens et dynamiques endogènes : politisation et racialisation de l’immigration subsaharienne en Tunisie," Mondes & Migrations, no. 1354 (2026) [open access]

"The Unknowable Cost of Camps: An Exploration of WASH Spending in Zaatari Camp, Jordan," Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, vol. 7, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

Multimedia:

Lebanon at a Breaking Point: Conflict, Displacement, and the Regional Protection Crisis, 9 July 2026 [access]

Tahjeer Podcast [access]

- "[A] podcast devoted to examining displacement across the Arab world as an engineered political, economic, and social process. Through conversations with scholars, practitioners, journalists, and international experts, TAHJEER moves beyond statistics to explore the histories, policies, conflicts, and systems of power that produce displacement and shape the lives of refugees and internally displaced people. Each episode seeks to connect academic knowledge with lived experience and to make research on forced migration accessible to wider audiences." See also related post on the Forced Migration List.

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (9 July 2026)

Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance

Short pieces:

5 ways UNHCR is transforming its transport and infrastructure services for a more sustainable future (UNHCR Blog, June 2026) [text]

When risk is local, but decisions are not: bridging the gap in risk-sharing practice (ODI HPN, June 2026) [text]

Reports & journal articles: 

The 5 Dos and Don'ts of Humanitarian Diplomacy (Norwegian Refugee Council, July 2026) [text]

2025 Report on flexible funding: Flexibility that drives resilience (IOM, July 2026) [access]

- Follow link to companion information page on flexible funding; access to the report is provided towards the bottom.

Delivering an ecosystem approach to humanitarian action: proposals from the Advisory Panel on the Future of Humanitarian Action (ODI, June 2026) [text]

"The health outcomes of shelter and settlements interventions in humanitarian crises: a systematic review," Conflict and Health, 20 June 2026 [open access]

Humanitarian Access and Protection Under Siege: A Focus on Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon (Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, June 2026) [text via UCL]

Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2026 (ALNAP, June 2026) [access]

- Follow link for full report and summaries in English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

The Impact of Funding Cuts on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Haiti and South Sudan, Working Paper, no. 53 (Researching Internal Displacement, June 2026) [text]

Oppression, liberation and humanitarianism in Palestine, Myanmar and Sudan (ODI, July 2026) [text]

Synthesis and Meta-Analysis of Findings from Crisis-specific Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluations Covering the Period 2015-2025 (OCHA, April 2026) [access]

- "The IAHE Synthesis exercise pulls together the findings from seven inter-agency humanitarian evaluations (IAHEs) covering nine different contexts spanning 2015 – 2025: Mozambique Cyclone Idai (2019), Ethiopia drought (2015-2018), Yemen (2015-2021), Afghanistan (2021-2023), Northern Ethiopia conflict (2021-2023), Somalia drought (2022-2024), and Türkiye/Syria Earthquake (2023-2025). The document also presents a meta-analysis of issues that arise from reading across the evaluations and suggests recommendations that stem from the findings. The synthesis brief (English, Arabic, French, and Spanish versions), as well as the summary and full reports, are available." See also related ICVA Blog post.

Resource:

Solutions from the Start Toolkit: Guidance for Emergency Response (Norwegian Refugee Council) [access]

- "The toolkit is an approach for designing emergency response and preparedness that not only meets basic needs but also creates a pathway toward self-reliance and durable outcomes for displaced people, prioritising sustainable options wherever feasible, strengthening local capacities, and avoiding parallel service delivery systems."

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Humanitarian Assistance (9 June 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Short pieces:

Egypt: Refugees, Asylum Seekers Arrested, Deported - Amend New Asylum Law in Line with International Standards (HRW, July 2026) [text]

Lebanon: Israel radically expands use of unlawful mass ‘evacuation’ orders and commits war crime of unlawful transfer (Amnesty International, June 2026) [text]

Libya: Anti-Migrant Rhetoric Fuels Abuses (HRW, July 2026) [text]

Refugee-led organisations and Lebanon’s displacement crisis (ODI Insights, June 2026) [text]

Regional Escalation in the Middle East: 10 Things to Know (IOM, June 2026) [text]

Stuck between borders: The power of bureaucratic ambiguity (Border Criminologies Blog, ) [text]

- Focuses on the Bahrain-Saudi border.

When Return Becomes Rejection: Syria’s Hidden Recognition Gap (Refugees International, June 2026) [text]

Reports:

Egypt Vulnerability Assessment for Refugees (EVAR) 2025 (UNHCR & WFP, April 2026) [text]

- See also summary and Arabic version.

*Global impacts of the conflict in the Middle East (ACAPS, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Home, But Not Whole: The Fragile Return and Reintegration of Syrian Returnees (International Rescue Committee, July 2026) [text]

Inter-Agency Refugee Protection Overview for the Middle East Situation (UNHCR et al., June 2026) [text]

Life after Forcible Transfer: Palestinian Household Conditions, Needs, and Future Outlook in the West Bank (West Bank Protection Consortium, June 2026) [text via NRC]

Reconsidering ‘Home’: Aspirations and Intentions of Syrians in Sweden in the Context of Syrian Political Transition (IOM, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Syrian Refugees in Jordan: Demographics, Labor Market Outcomes, and Wellbeing through 2025, Special Working Paper, no. 8 (Economic Research Forum, June 2026) [access via LinkedIn]

Under-capacity and out of time: 1,000 days of limited aid access and humanitarian disaster in Gaza (Action for Humanity, July 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Journal articles:

"Crossing borders without papers: how food insecurity fuels irregular migration in the MENA region," Comparative Migration Studies, 22 June 2026 [open access]

"Gazans: Perpetual Refugees on the Run," Chapter in Visas in Migration and Asylum Law: The Key that Opens the Door (Routledge, June 2026) [open access]

"The Waiting Class: Privilege, Refuge, and the Postponed Return of Beirut’s Wealthier Syrians," Refugee Survey Quarterly, Advance Articles, 24 June 2026 [open access]

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (8 June 2026)

Thematic Focus: Education

Short pieces:

Beyond access: what does meaningful refugee education actually require? (UNESCO, June 2026) [text]

From parallel systems to inclusion: Integrating refugee students into the national education system in Chad (Education for Global Development Blog, June 2026) [text]

The right to education for forcibly displaced people: Exploring ideas on participation, connectedness and technology (BERA Blog, June 2026) [access]

- Blog series. 

New open access books:

Educational Integration of Refugees and Newly Arrived Immigrants: Institutional Contexts and Their Relevance (Springer, June 2026) [open access]

- "The volume brings together qualitative and quantitative studies on educational participation in primary and secondary education as well as in vocational education and training. It also examines the challenges involved in acquiring second-language proficiency and achieving success across a range of school subjects. It explores the institutional conditions for the educational integration of refugees and newly arrived immigrants (particularly access to education, academic achievement, and attainment) across different host countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Sweden. It offers valuable insights and discusses potential implications for researchers studying educational opportunities of immigrant youth, as well as for policymakers and policy advisors."

Transforming Humanitarian Partnerships: Dismantling Colonial Legacies for Refugee Education (Bristol Univ. Press, June 2026) [open access]

- "This book examines how global humanitarian systems shape partnerships in education in emergencies. Focusing on the Syrian refugee crisis and the education response in Lebanon, it reveals how colonial legacies, structural racism and the marketization of aid enable Global North actors to dictate policies and practices, while marginalizing local voices and knowledge. Yet in moments of crisis, community-led initiatives and smaller partnerships proved to be agile and responsive. Rather than offering celebratory accounts of 'partnership', the book draws on rigorous research to foreground the structural inequities that constrain them—while also pointing to possibilities for more just, community driven alternatives."

Journal articles:

"Geopolitics and the Governance of International Students: The Evolving Role of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in Canadian Policy," Canadian Journal of Higher Education, vol. 56, no. 2 (May 2026) [open access]

"Guest or Brother? Turkish Language Teachers’ Metaphorical Narratives About Syrian Refugees," Sage Open, 26 May 2026 [open access]

"The Integration Challenges in the Educational Context – A Comparative Perspective of the Refugees in Poland and in the Netherlands," Stanovništvo, vol. 64, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

- Focuses on Ukrainians in Poland and Moroccans in the Netherlands.

"International Education as Complementary Pathways to Resettlement: The Case of Refugee Background Students in Japan," Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 24, no. 2 (2026) [open access]

"Navigating Educational Exile through Liminal Space Mobility: Challenges and Pathways for Myanmar’s Displaced Youth," Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, vol. 24, no. 2 (2026) [open access]

"Policy can’t feel, people can: belonging and safety in refugee education in England," Pedagogy, Culture & Society, Latest Articles, 1 June 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Afghans.

"School-Based Factors, Positive Wellbeing, and Post-Traumatic Growth for Refugee and Asylum Seeking Students," School Mental Health, Latest Articles, 18 June 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Malaysia.

"Systematic Education Challenges Facing Refugees’ Children in Urban Centers in Kenya," L’éducation En débats: Analyse comparée, vol. 16, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Education (21 May 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Opportunities:

Seminar: Refugees Return from Egypt: Legal Frameworks, Historical Contexts, and Contemporary Practices, Cairo, 14 June 2026 [info]

- *Note: This seminar has been postponed until further notice.

Consultancy: Regional Study on Gender Dynamics, Risks, and Decision-Making Related to Syrian Returns in Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, and Syria [info]

- Submit proposal by 21 June 2026.

Short pieces:

Mixed migration through Iran (Mixed Migration Centre, May 2026) [access]

- Infographic.

Occupied Palestinian Territory: UN experts alarmed by escalating settler terror and displacement (OHCHR, June 2026) [text]

United Arab Emirates: Targeting of Shia Migrants for Deportation Amidst Iran War (Immigration Detention Monitor, June 2026) [text]

Reports:

Downward Refugee-Led Accountability: Rethinking Humanitarian Governance by studying the Syrian Cross-Border Response, RLI Working Paper, no. 84 (Refugee Law Initiative, April 2026) [text]

International Protection Considerations with Regard to Asylum-Seekers from the Syrian Arab Republic (UNHCR, May 2026) [text]

Not Yet Home: Evidence and recommendations on Syrian refugee returns from Türkiye (FORCE4Refugees & Upinion, May 2026) [text via ICVA]

Palestinians Returning to Lebanon: Possibilities, Readmission and Risks, RLC Briefing Paper, no. 6 (Refugee Law Clinic, May 2026) [text]

Returning to Syria: Supporting safe and inclusive returns from Jordan and Lebanon (Humanity & Inclusion, ) [text via ReliefWeb]

*Vulnerability Assessment Framework: Socio-Economic Survey on Refugees - Jordan (UNHCR, May 2026) [access]

Journal articles:

Diasporas: Circulations, Migrations, Histoire, no. 45 (2026) [open access]

- Thematic dossier on "Chercher refuge au-delà de l’Europe: Réfugiés, migrants et exilés européens au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique du Nord (xixe-xxe siècles) = Seeking Refuge Beyond Europe. European Refugees, Migrants and Exilees in the Middle East and North Africa, 19th and 20th centuries."

"Exploring the Drivers of Hesitancy Towards Covid-19 Vaccine Among Syrian Refugees Residing in Mount Lebanon: A Qualitative Study," IJID Regions, In Press, 23 May 2026 [open access]

"Forced Displacement Trauma: Palestinian Nakba Narratives across Three Refugee Generations in Gaza," Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, Latest Articles, 14 May 2026 [open access]

Multimedia:

Humanitarianism in the West Bank: Structures, Power, and the Limits of Aid, 19 May 2026 [access]

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (19 May 2026)

Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues

Short pieces:

How Fear of Deportation Silences Immigrant Survivors of Gender-Based Violence (Refugee Research Online, May 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US.

US Court Rules to Protect Immigrant Domestic Violence Survivors (HRW, May 2026) [text]

Who Sees Displaced Women? Gender-Based Violence, Forced Displacement and Protection Politics in Central Africa (RLI Blog, June 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Attractiveness for Status? The Link Between Physical Attractiveness and Male Refugees' Romantic Relationships in Germany," Journal of Marriage and Family, Early View, 20 May 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Syrians and Afghans.

"Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Burden and Perceptions among Asylum-seeking Women in Berlin, Germany: A Cross-sectional Study," Journal of Migration and Health, vol. 13 (2026) [open access]

"Fixing Our Borders of Injustice: The Fall of Chevron Brings New Hope for Gender-Based Violence Asylum," Catholic Univ. Law Review, vol. 75, no. 4 (2025) [full-text]

- Focuses on the US.

"Gender and Community Forestry: Analyzing Women’s Engagement in Forestry Management Near Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda," International Journal of Forestry Research, 23 May 2026 [open access]

"Impact of gardening and nutrition support provided to women in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh," Food Policy, vol. 141 (June 2026) [open access]

"Integrating Gender Equality into International Refugee Law: The Contribution of the Court of Justice of the European Union," European Journal of International Law, Advance Articles, 20 May 2026 [open access]

"Reconceiving Forced Marriage into Armed Groups as Forced Recruitment in International Refugee Law," European Journal of International Law, Advance Articles, 24 May 2026 [open access]

Multimedia:

Prolonging the Temporary: Female-Headed Syrian Refugee Households on Displacement, Return and Waiting post-Assad, 22 May 2026 [access]

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 1 (11 May 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 2 (MENA) (11 May 2026)

Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

Short pieces:

There is something wrong with the asylum process for LGBTQ+ people – but it’s not fake claimants (The Conversation, April 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the UK.

UNHCR: Reaffirming protection for LGBTIQ+ refugees (UNHCR, May 2026) [text]

Reports & journal articles:

"'Already emancipated'? Queer refugee women in the Netherlands, dirty labor and the paradox of respectability," Chapter in Feminist and Queer Imaginaries of Hope in a Turbulent Era (Edward Elgar, April 2026) [open access]

"Frozen Identity: How Rigid Conceptions of Sexuality Endanger Lesbian Asylum Claims," Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, vol. 21, no. 2 (2026) [full-text]

- Focuses on the US.

"Governing Legibility: Recognition, Protection, and Mental Health Among LGBTIQ+ Asylum Seekers in the United Kingdom and Lebanon," Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Latest Articles, 18 April 2026 [open access]

"Migrations LGBT+ vers la France : appropriations et négociations des catégories migratoires," Lien social et Politiques, no. 95 (2025; posted April 2026) [open access]

"Queer refugees in times of Dutch homonationalism, the dangerous straight male refugee and the limits of safety," Politics, Groups, and Identities, Latest Articles, 24 April 2026 [open access]

Restrictive Immigration: The Reduction of Support Provisions for Vulnerable Asylum Seekers, MOBILE Working Paper, no. 93 (April 2026) [text]

- "The paper builds on contemporary literature of queer migration and Nordic asylum models, with a particular focus on Denmark."

"'Working the Pages': Entrepreneurship Strategies of Venezuelan Trans Women Refugees Who Enter Sex Work in Brazil During COVID-19," Gender, Work & Organization, Early View, 29 April 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (27 March 2026)

Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 2

Journal articles:

"Everyday cosmopolitanism of refugee entrepreneurs," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 32, no. 11 (Dec. 2026) [open access]

- Focuses on Finland.

"Institutional Ethnography of Mismatched Paths: Refugee Professionals’ Struggles to Reintegrate into Their Former Professions in Norway," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Latest Articles, 7 May 2026 [open access]

"The Meaning of Work for Venezuelan Refugees in Brazil: Job Crafting as a Strategy for Inclusion and Professional Development," Social Sciences, vol. 15, no. 5 (May 2026) [open access]

"Mental well-being among Syrian refugee workers in Lebanon: a multidimensional approach," Journal of Global Health, vol. 16 (2026) [open access]

"Situated agency in precarious labor: intersectional insights from women in Lebanon’s informal economy," Gender in Management, EarlyCite, 4 May 2026 [open access]

"Unequal returns: gendered and origin-based disparities in initial refugee employment trajectories in Germany," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 10 May 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on refugees from Ukraine and MENA.

"Work Authorization as a Due Process Interest in Property: How Procedural Due Process Can Be Used to Protect the Work Authorization of Beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status Program," Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, vol. 40, no. 1 (2025) [full-text]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects - Pt. 1 (19 May 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Short pieces:

Despite announced ceasefire, more people are forced to flee their homes in Lebanon (UNHCR, May 2026) [text]

Middle East crisis ripple effects strain aid efforts beyond region (UNHCR, May 2026) [text]

"Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion and say today’s catastrophe is worse," AP News, 15 May 2026 [text]

Tunisia: End Abusive Prosecution of Refugee Aid Workers (HRW, May 2026) [text]

Where Iranians are going under fire – a real‑time picture of displacement (The Conversation, May 2026) [text]

Reports:

An Analysis of Afghan Onward Movements from Iran to Türkiye (UNHCR, May 2026) [text]

Deaths and Displacement in Lebanon: Update on the Human Rights Situation in Lebanon (OHCHR, April 2026) [text]

Overview Report: Practices and policies affecting human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,

including East Jerusalem (7 October 2023 – 31 May 2025) (OHCHR, May 2026) [text]

Protracted Displacement in the Middle East and North Africa (Baker Institute, May 2026) [text]

- A compilation of nine briefs that "examine innovative approaches and state strategies for addressing long-term displacement — from refugee-led responses in Lebanon to climate-focused diplomacy in Egypt and Jordan, and alternative pathways in the United Arab Emirates — offering lessons on governance, inclusion, and durable solutions."

Syrian refugees in Turkey: real prospects for returning to Syria?, Les Analyses du CERI (SciencesPo, April 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Navigating access barriers: Strategies for Syrian refugees confronting healthcare challenges in Jordan - A qualitative approach," PLOS Glob Public Health 6(5): e0006136 (May 2026) [open access]

"The Prohibition on Forced Displacement, the Right to Leave, Non-Refoulement and the Right to Return: Four Sides of the Same Coin?," International & Comparative Law Quarterly, vol. 75, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

- "The article posits that a future realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination has been coopted by external actors as a justification for infringing, in an immediate and tangible sense, the individual rights of Gazans to leave the strip in order to seek and to enjoy elsewhere protection from rights violations... ."

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 2 (MENA) (11 May 2026)

- Regional Focus: MENA (28 April 2026)

Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 2 (MENA)

Reports:

Sexual violence and forcible transfer in the West Bank: How the Exploitation of Gender Dynamics Drives Displacement (Norwegian Refugee Council, April 2026) [text]

Understanding Gender Dynamics to Inform the Jordan Refugee Response (Inter-Sectoral Gender Advisory Team, March 2026) [access via UN Women]

Journal articles:

"From solidarity to selective engagement: boundaries of feminist praxis and refugee women in Turkey," New Perspectives on Turkey, FirstView, 23 April 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on Syrian women.

"Maternal outcomes and access to maternal healthcare services among migrant, refugees and forced displaced women in the Middle East and North Africa: A systematic scoping review," International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, vol. 10 (June 2026) [open access]

"Structural vulnerability and maternal health: Qualitative insights into the three delays faced by undocumented migrant women in Tunisia," SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, vol. 9 (June 2026) [open access]

"Unplanned pregnancy and contraceptive use in humanitarian settings: the case of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon," Conflict and Health, 25 April 2026 [open access]

"Widowed and displaced: Spiritual and religious coping in mental health recovery among Syrian refugee women in Türkiye," Women's Health, 3 May 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 1 (9 May 2026) 

Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects

Short pieces:

New Proposed DHS Rule Effectively Ends Work Authorization for Asylum Applicants (TRAC, April 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US. The comment period ends 29 June 2026. See other comments that have been shared online. 

Refugee entrepreneurs transforming waste into self-reliance (UNHCR Innovation, April 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Ecuador.

Reports & book chapters:

"Job Quality as a Crucial Measure of Migrants’ Economic Integration," Chapter in Job Quality in a Turbulent Era (Edward Elgar, March 2026) [open access]

Measuring the Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Labor Markets: Quasi-Experimental Studies of §287(g) Agreements and the Secure Communities Program (US Congressional Research Service, March 2026) [text]

Private sector partnerships and inclusive public policies support the integration of hundreds of thousands of refugees across Latin America (UNHCR, April 2026) [access]

- Links to the following reports, in English and Spanish: 1) Self-reliance for refugees in the Americas, and 2) Private sector engagement for refugee inclusion in the Americas.

Work Authorization Delays and Economic Integration of Asylum Seekers in the United States, IZA Discussion Paper, no. 18462 (IZA@LISER, March 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"An analytical framework for examining the ethical dimensions of innovative humanitarian finance," Journal of International Humanitarian Action, 11:9 (April 2026) [open access]

"A Female Refugees’ Career: A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Societies, vol. 16, no. 4 (April 2026) [open access]

"Intersecting oppressions and mental distress: Migrant domestic workers under the Kafala system in Lebanon," Migration Studies, vol. 14, no. 2 (June 2026) [open access]

"The Living Project of Long-Term Economic Integration Among Resettled Refugees: Perspectives From Community Leaders and Service Providers," Journal on Migration and Human Security, OnlineFirst, 22 April 2026 [full-text]

- Focuses on the US.

"Needs for capacity sharing in humanitarian responses: qualitative study on experiences of professional and voluntary workforce," Journal of International Humanitarian Action," 11:10 (April 2026) [open access]

"Overeducated and Underpaid: Characteristics of H-1B Visa Holders from New Administrative Records, 2014–2024," International Migration Review, OnlineFirst, 21 April 2026 [open access]

- Focuses on the US.

"The Role of Settlement Intentions (Un-)Certainty in the Labour Market Integration of Ukrainian Refugees in Germany," Work, Employment and Society, OnlineFirst, 15 April 2026 [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Work/Economic Aspects (30 March 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Short pieces:

From Gaza to Lebanon: Forcible Displacement Dressed in Humanitarian Garb (EJIL: Talk Blog, April 2026) [text]

Funding cuts push refugee families in Egypt to the brink (UNHCR, April 2026) [text]

Humanitarian scorecard: Six months in, Gaza ceasefire is failing (NRC et al., April 2026) [text]

Impacts of the Middle East conflict on East African refugees and migrants (Mixed Migration Centre, April 2026) [text]

- "This article examines the implications of the conflict for refugees and migrants from East and the Horn of Africa who reside in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."

When Warnings Displace: Evacuation Orders, Civilian Protection, and the Right to Remain in Lebanon (RLI Blog, April 2026) [text]

- See also related TNH article.

Reports:

Enhanced Regional Survey on Syrian Refugees Perceptions and Intentions on Return to Syria, Wave 2:  Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon (UNHCR, April 2026) [text]

- See also related summary.

Protection Overview of Afghan Refugees in Iran: Key Protection Risks, Needs and Priorities amid Economic Pressure and Insecurity (UNHCR, April 2026) [text]

- See also related report on Afghans' protection concerns in Iran.

Return and reintegration in Syria: home under strain (Mixed Migration Centre, April 2026) [text]

*Syria: Protection and Reintegration Insights - Voices of returnees and host communities across Syria (January-March 2026) (UNHCR, April 2026) [text]

UNRWA’s ability to fulfil its mandate across its areas of operation (EU Agency for Asylum, April 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Challenges of Afghan refugees in accessing healthcare services in Iran: a qualitative interview study," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 25 April 2026 [open access] 

"Hesitant sharing, hesitant caring: How global and national policies on refugees and asylum seekers interact in the global South," Comparative Migration Studies, 14:24 (April 2026) [open access]

- Focuses on Egypt.

"Honorable Return or Diplomatic Expedient? Opportunities and Limitations for the Dignified Return of Refugees to Syria from Türkiye," Border Crossing, vol. 16, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

"Stuck or striving in the city? Urban friction and the making of internal–international migration pathways in Iraqi Kurdistan," Comparative Migration Studies, 31 March 2026 [open access]

Multimedia:

*The Human Cost of the War in Iran (Forced from Home Podcast Series, 2026) [access]

Surviving war while delivering aid (Rethinking Humanitarianism Podcast Series, April 2026) [access]

- Focuses on Lebanon.

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (9 April 2026)

Regional Focus: MENA

Opportunity:

Webinar: A System Under Strain: Can Refugee Protection Keep Pace with Global Displacement?, 14 April 2026 [info]

- "Using Jordan and Lebanon as a regional lens, the webinar will consider how non-signatory states engage with and shape the international refugee protection regime in practice."

Short pieces:

"Afghans in Iran are fleeing bombs, and Iranian crackdowns," The New Humanitarian, 7 April 2026 [text]

Evacuation Orders: An Unlawful Use of Precautionary Measures? (EJIL: Talk Blog, April 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Lebanon.

Gulf Countries: Conflict, Hardships Leave Migrants in Limbo (HRW, March 2026) [text]

Over 200,000 people cross into Syria after a month of hostilities in Lebanon (UNHCR, April 2026) [text]

- See also earlier related briefing note.

Six Months into Gaza Ceasefire, Setting the Record Straight About Aid (Refugees Intl., April 2026) [text]

- See also video recording of related media briefing.

Reports:

Middle East Emergency: One-Month Impact Report (UNHCR, March 2026) [text]

Situation Update: Iran - Ten Issues Reshaping the Humanitarian Landscape (USCRI, April 2026) [text]

Syrian refugees in Turkey: real prospects for returning to Syria?, Les Analyses du CERI (SciencesPo, April 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Bridges and shields in the law of immunity of international organizations? The 2025 ICJ’s advisory opinion and the issue of UNRWA’s immunities (Part I)," Questions of International Law (March 2026) [open access]

- Introduction to Part 1 of the Zoom-in. Part 1 includes "United Nations’ immunities: Abuses and disputes settlement" and "The inviolability of the United Nations in armed conflicts: International Humanitarian Law and the ICJ’s UNRWA Advisory Opinion."

- Part II has not yet been posted.

"Circular Refugee Migration: Understanding Protracted Displacement Beyond a Refugee-Returnee Binary," International Migration Review, OnlineFirst, 30 March 2026 [open access]

- "We examine circular refugee migration (CRM) between Syria and Lebanon, focusing on why refugees undertake trips to their home country and how they navigate them."

"Influx of Refugees in Egypt and Their Integration in Social Protection Programs," Journal on Migration and Human Security, OnlineFirst, 3 April 2026 [full-text]

"(Not) On the Map: Story-Mapping Uncertainties in Syrians' Displacement Between Syria and Tunisia," Antipode, vol. 58, no. 3 (May 2026) [open access]

"Towards a Humanized Border Governance in Africa: Protecting Vulnerable Migrants and Displaced Persons (The Cases of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya)," Pensar: Revista de Ciências Jurídicas, vol. 31 (2026) [open access]

"What Do Changes in Turkey and Syria Spell for Kurds Seeking Protection Abroad?," Migration Information Source, 2 April 2026 [text]

Multimedia:

An exit talk with UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini (Rethinking Humanitarianism Podcast Series, April 2026) [access]

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (24 March 2026)

Thematic Focus: Children & Families - Pt. 2

Reports:

Age as a verdict: Harmful age assessments of unaccompanied migrant children in Poland (Médecins Sans Frontières & Save the Children, March 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Age Assessment Practices in EU+ Countries (EU Agency for Asylum, March 2026) [text]

*Displaced Again: The compounding impact of repeated displacement on children in Lebanon (International Rescue Committee, April 2026) [text]

A Generation at Risk: Protecting Children in Conflict Zones (IMPACT Initiatives, March 2026) [text via ReliefWeb]

Guidance on Child Marriage: Programming for married girls and girls at risk of child marriage in forced displacement and crisis settings (UNHCR, Jan. 2026) [text]

“I am still looking for my daughter”: crimes against humanity committed by Russian authorities against children from Ukraine, UN Doc. No. A/HRC/61/CRP.8 (UN Human Rights Council, March 2026) [access]

- This paper complements the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine’s latest report to the Human Rights Council. Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian. 

Inaccessible legal pathways: Reuniting child relatives with family members with protection status in the UK (King’s College London, March 2026) [access]

Indefinite Separation: What Asylee Families Are Facing (USCRI, March 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US.

Practical guide on the best interests of the child in the framework of international protection (EU Agency for Asylum, March 2026) [text]

What About My Children: Family Separation Among Parents Deported to Honduras (Women’s Refugee Commission & Physicians for Human Rights, March 2026) [text]

- Focuses on the US. See also related blog posts (here and here) and the recording of an interview with one of the authors.

Willing Accomplices: Gazprom and Rosneft’s Role in the Transport and Indoctrination of Ukraine’s Children (Yale Univ., March 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Russia. See also related Reuters article.

*UPDATED

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Children & Families - Pt. 1 (7 April 2026)

Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Smuggling

Short pieces:

125,000 Trafficking Victims Worldwide, 30,000 Children: IOM Chief Calls for Global Action (IOM, Feb. 2026) [text]

Europol launches new unit to fight migrant smugglers (InfoMigrants, March 2026) [text]

Suffering for Security: How the Refugee Crisis Leaves People Vulnerable to Human Trafficking (Refugee Research Online, Feb. 2026) [text]

Reports:

Strengthening the Capacities of West African States to Develop a Human Rights-Based Response to Smuggling of Migrants and to Effectively Respond to Human Rights Violations Related to Irregular Migration (UNODC & OHCHR, March 2025) [access]

Submission of evidence to inform the new EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (ENS, Jan. 2026) [text]

Journal articles:

"Forced labour, trafficking, and structural exploitation of women migrant workers: International legal perspectives," Freedom, Security & Justice: European Legal Studies, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

"Human Trafficking: Challenges and Innovative Approaches for Research, Policy and Practice," Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 90, no. 1 (Feb. 2026) [free full-text]

"Human trafficking risks in countries unaccustomed to migration: Romanian assistance providers’ experiences with conflict-affected migrants from Ukraine," European Journal of Criminology, vol. 23, no. 1 (Jan. 2026) [open access]

"Lebanon’s lifeboats: a data-driven exploration of irregular maritime migration to Europe between 2019–2022," Cogent Social Sciences, vol. 12, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

"The Migration–Trafficking Nexus: Child Refugees at Risk and the Slow Violence that Deepens Their Vulnerability," Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 90, no. 1 (Feb. 2026) [ResearchGate]

- Focuses on Sweden.

"Smuggling Conspiracies," Columbia Journal of Race and Law, vol. 15, no. 1 (2025) [open access]

- Focuses on the US.

"War, martial law, and mobilisation: Exploring the characteristics of human smuggling at Ukraine’s borders in 2022–2023," European Journal of Criminology, vol. 23, no. 1 (Jan. 2026) [open access]

"When Aid Comes with Strings: Donor Power and Everyday Anti-Trafficking Work in Moldova," International Migration, vol. 64, no. 2 (April 2026) [open access]

Related post:

- Thematic Focus: Human Trafficking & Smuggling (26 Jan. 2026)

Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues

Opportunity:

Seminar: International Refugee Law and the Global Compact: Where are the Women?, Online, 27 April 2026 [info]

Short pieces:

From Doubt to Denial: Reflections on International Women’s Day 2026 (RSC Blog, March 2026) [text]

How humanitarian aid agencies approach empowerment for refugee women (LSE Review of Books, March 2026) [text]

Sexual and reproductive healthcare: Are we failing newly-arrived refugee and asylum-seeking women? (Lens Blog, March 2026) [text]

- Focuses on Australia.

Reports:

"No One Came To My Rescue": Gang rape, sexual slavery, and mass displacement of women in Oromia, Ethiopia (Amnesty International, March 2026) [access]

Seeking Safety from War: Violence and rights abuses against women from Ukraine (EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, Feb. 2026) [access]

Journal articles:

"Double immobility: Syrian refugee women navigating the voluntary and forced marriage binary in Egypt," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 51, no. 9 (2025) [postprint]

- Note: The embargo period for accessing this article has now ended.

"Gender-related vulnerabilities: new challenges for the protection of migrants and asylum seekers," Freedom, Security & Justice: European Legal Studies, no. 1 (2026) [open access]

- Includes a focus section on "Vulnerabilità legate al genere: nuove sfide per la tutela di migranti e richiedenti asilo = Gender-related vulnerabilities: new challenges for the protection of migrants and asylum seekers"; the introduction is in English, while other contributed articles are in either English, Italian or Spanish.

"Refugee Camps as Contested Gendered Spaces: Afghan Women's Liminality, Inequality, and Agency in Germany," Population, Space and Place, vol. 32, no. 2 (March 2026) [open access]

"Social determinants of postpartum depression among refugees and internally displaced women in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study," Scientific Reports, 15 March 2026 [open access]

"Understanding barriers for refugees and migrants when accessing abortion care in Europe: a scoping review," BMC Public Health, 21 March 2026 [open access]

"Walking with Afghan women: using mobile methods to understand differentiated embedding within different places across England," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 4 March 2026 [open access]

Multimedia:

Legal Training and Workshop: Enhancing Asylum Claims on the basis of Gender-Based Violence, 4 Feb. 2026 [access]

- Focuses on East Africa.

Related posts:

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 1 (24 Feb. 2026)

- Thematic Focus: Gender-related Issues - Pt. 2 (24 Feb. 2026)

New Issue of JRS

The latest issue of Journal of Refugee Studies (JRS) has been published. Contents of vol. 39, no. 1, March 2026 include:

• Mapping the Global North bias in forced migration studies: three decades of publication and citation trends [open access]
• Credible fictions: how states stage refugee governance for geopolitical gain [open access]
• Asylum access adjudication: a multi-level framework for socio-legal research [open access]
• Accountability without accounting: missing and inconsistent labeling of refugee and asylee students in state datasets [abstract]
• Digitalisation of the Finnish asylum procedure: from efficiency to procedural vulnerabilities [open access]
• The racialized, racializer, and anti-racializer: religion and the racialization of refugees in South Korea [abstract]
• Making Rafha: explaining the establishment of Saudi Arabia’s first and only refugee camp [open access]
• Perceived discrimination of asylum seekers and refugees in Hong Kong: the empowering role of refugee-led organizations [abstract]
• Forced migration and fertility: disruption and adaptation outcomes of women fleeing to Türkiye from Syria [open access]
• Constrained paths: legal status and mobility governance of Syrian refugees after the 2023 earthquakes [abstract]
• ‘The threat of forced return is the government’s last resort’: structural, cultural, and direct violence towards Syrian refugees in Lebanon [abstract]
• ‘Partial returns:’ displacement, mobility, and translocal connections in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina [open access]
• Land for refugees: sharing and exchanging in Northern Uganda [free full-text]
• ‘Chileans ex Romania’: Resettlement, Containment, and the Limits of UNHCR’s Global Ambitions during the Cold War [abstract]
• Intermediaries and opacity: understanding refugee family reunification through migration infrastructures [abstract] 
• The ties that bind and break: a natural experiment on the role of (in)stability in local and transnational social ties for loneliness among refugees [open access]
• When the best is the enemy of the good: the ironic negotiation process of Japan’s controversial asylum amendment bill [abstract] 

Three reviews are also included.

Tagged Periodicals.

Regional Focus: MENA

Opportunities:

Seminar: The Syrian Refugees in Egypt and Their Return, Cairo, 26 March 2026 [info]

Course: Palestine Refugees and International Law, Istanbul, 8-9 May 2026 [info]

- *Note that the venue and dates have changed.* Closing date for applications is 10 April 2026.

Short pieces:

"Displaced but uncounted: The people aid is leaving behind in Lebanon’s war," The New Humanitarian, 17 March 2026 [text]

- See also related UNHCR briefing note.

Egypt: UN experts raise alarm over violations against refugees and migrants (OHCHR, March 2026) [text]

Middle East Conflict Spurs New Displacement (Baker Institute, March 2026) [text]

"Syria’s next chapter: Where hopes and concerns meet," JDC Newsletter (March 2026) [text]

- See also the related JDC Digest for March.

UNHCR responds to rising displacement in Middle East emergency (UNHCR, March 2026) [text]

- Includes link to the related dashboard. See also related TNH article.

Why Syrian refugee return is driven by push, not pull (MPC Blog, March 2026) [text]

Reports:

Civil Documentation of Refugees in Jordan: Evolution, Achievements, and Future Priorities (2011-2025) (UNHCR, March 2026) [text]

Independent evaluation of data systems in MENA: Multi-country evaluation of phone-based contact centres, EVO/2025/06 (UNHCR, July 2025) [access]

- Follow link for report in English and Arabic, executive summary and annexes in English, and the management response in English.

Journal articles:

"The burden of hospitality: the role of cultural and economic concerns in attitudes towards Syrian refugees in Türkiye," Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Latest Articles, 1 March 2026 [open access]

"Displacing the displaced: the response to the protracted precarious situation of Syrian refugees in Türkiye during the Covid-19 pandemic," International Journal of Human Rights, vol. 29, no. 1 (2025) [SSRN]

"Forced migrants’ agency in first countries of asylum: towards a more holistic understanding of decisions about secondary movement by Syrian refugees in Turkey and Lebanon," Comparative Migration Studies, 25 Feb. 2026 [open access]

"Logos, refugee advertisement and humanitarian ethics: a case study of Syrian refugees," Journal of Global Ethics, Latest Articles, 4 March 2026 [open access]

"Prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder among Sudanese refugees in Egypt: a pilot study," Population Health Metrics, 8 March 2026 [open access]

"Return or Stay? The Dilemma of Hope and Despair among Syrian Refugees Living in Jordan: An Ecological Perspective," Social Sciences, vol. 15, no. 3 (March 2026) [open access]

Related post:

- Regional Focus: MENA (25 Feb. 2026)