Recent Bibliographies & Literature Reviews: Housing, Multiculturalism, Youth, Women Refugees

Annotated Bibliography of New Zealand Literature on Migrant and Refugee Youth (NZ Department of Labour, 2008) [text]

Housing, New Migration and Community Relations: A review of the evidence base (ICAR, 2008) [access]

Multiculturalism, Citizenship and Identity: A policy and literature review prepared as part of ICAR’s Refugee Rights and Responsibilities project, funded by the Sigrid Rausing Trust (ICAR, 2008) [text]

Women Refugees in International Perspectives, 1991-1999 (Research Resource Division for Refugees, Carleton University, 2007) [access]
- Extensive bibliography that updates the previous volume, published in 1997.

Posted in Publications.

Research Papers: Asylum/South Africa & UK, Climate Change, Corruption, NGOs/Romania, Palestinians, Protection, Urban IDPs

Barbour, Brian and Brian Gorlick, Embracing the 'responsibility to protect': a repertoire of measures including asylum for potential victims, New Issues in Refugee Research paper no. 159 (UNHCR, July 2008) [text]

Black, Richard et al., Demographics and Climate Change: Future Trends and Their Policy Implications for Migration, DRC Working Paper no. T-27 (Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, June 2008) [text]

Fielden, Alexandra, Ignored Displaced Persons: the plight of IDPs in urban areas, New Issues in Refugee Research paper no. 161 (UNHCR, July 2008) [text]

Fletcher, Emily, Changing Support for Asylum Seekers: An Analysis of Legislation and Parliamentary Debates, Working Paper no. 49 (Sussex Centre for Migration Research, May 2008) [text]

Maxwell, Daniel et al., Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Assistance (Feinstein International Center, Humanitarian Policy Group & Transparency International, July 2008) [text]

Munteanu, Alison, Partners for protection: a review of the organizational capacity of NGOs in Romania, New Issues in Refugee Research paper no. 160 (UNHCR, July 2008) [text]

Tiltnes, Åge A., Characteristics of Displaced Palestinian Refugees from the Nahr El-Bared Refugee Camp, Fafo-paper 2008:02 (Fafo, May 2008) [text]

Vigneswaran, Darshan, A Foot in the Door: Access to Asylum in South Africa (Forced Migration Studies Programme, June 2008) [text]
- See the related research report.

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Dev. in Practice, Hum. Exch., Mig.& Id.; Calls for Papers

New Issues:

Development in Practice, vol. 18, nos. 4&5 (August 2008) [contents]
- Focus is on participatory research and gender analysis; includes a literature review.

Humanitarian Exchange Magazine, no. 39 [full-text]
- Features articles on the humanitarian response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Migrations & Identities, vol. 1, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Calls for Papers:

Forced Migration Review: "Ten Years of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement" (deadline 12 Sept. 2008) [access]

Refuge: Canada's Periodical on Refugees: 2 calls, one for "Sanctuary in a Global Context" (deadline 1 Sept. 2008), and the other for "Refugees and the Insecure Nation: Managing Forced Migration in the Global North" (deadline 31 Oct. 2008) [access]

Posted in Periodicals and Events & Opportunities.

Displacement from/in Iraq

The International Crisis Group recently issued a report entitled "Failed Responsibility: Iraqi Refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon," with recommendations for Iraq, the U.S., host countries, and the international community.

For information on the status and treatment of Iraqi refugees in receiving countries, read the country updates for Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, the U.S. , and Yemen in the latest World Refugee Survey.

For regular updates on the internal displacement situation, see:

• The Internally Displaced People in Iraq - Updates (Iraqi Red Crescent, monthly) [access]
• IOM-Iraq Assessment and Statistics Report (bi-weekly) [access]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of HHR, IJRL, JEMS, RHM, Researcher

Health and Human Rights, vol. 10, no. 1 (2008) [full-text]
- First issue in the newly-adopted open access format. Includes an article on promoting greater access to biomedical literature to meet the needs of people around the world who cannot afford the subscription costs generally associated with health and medical journals.

International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 20, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Articles examine UNHCR's guidelines on human trafficking, the legal status of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and extraterritorial processing.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 6 (2008) [contents]
- Includes articles on human smuggling and refugee entrepreneurship.

Reproductive Health Matters, vol. 16, no. 31 (May 2008) [contents]
- Special issue focusing on reproductive health and conflict-/displacement-affected people.

The Researcher, no. 10 (June 2008) [full-text via ecoi.net]
- Mix of articles relating to RSD and protection matters, including an article on the subject of human trafficking.

Posted in Periodicals.

Climate Change and its Implications

ReliefWeb has compiled a resource page entitled "Humanitarian Implications of Climate Change." It includes links to key documents, research institutions, international humanitarian organizations, hazard specific analysis, thematic impact studies, and geographic impact studies.

Two recent discussions on the displacement implications of climate change held within a day of each other are available as a podcast and video, respectively:

- Human Displacement and Climate Change in International Law, 22 May 2008 [FMO podcast]

- Climate Change, Migration & Environmental Refugees, 23 May 2008 [YouTube video]

Two upcoming meetings will provide further opportunity to explore this issue:

- Environmental Change and Migration, Refugee Studies Centre Workshop, 11-12 September 2008 (venue to be announced) [more info.]

- Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability, 9-11 October 2008, Bonn [more info.]

Posted in Publications and Events.

Recent UNHCR Meetings: EXCOM Conclusions, NGOs, Standing Committee

Annual Consultations with NGOs, 25-27 June 2008 [web site]
- Provides access to detailed agendas for the consultations and side meetings, NGO profiles, and previous years' meeting documents. Topics discussed this year include human rights mechanisms, protection of women and children, IDP protection, resettlement, detention, education/employment creation, refugee law, reducing statelessness, and urban refugees.

Informal Consultative Meeting, 9 June 2008 [documents]
- Held to discuss ways to improve the drafting process for EXCOM Conclusions and to examine their use.

Standing Committee Meeting, 24-26 June 2008 [documents]
- Topics addressed include protracted refugee situations, resettlement, HIV/AIDS, IDPs, staff/refugee security, among others.

Posted in Events and Publications.

Research/Policy Papers: Afghans/Pakistan, Local Integration, Palestinian Refugees, Racism, Stranded Migrants

Brynen, Rex, "The Past as Prelude? Negotiating the Palestinian Refugee Issue," Briefing Paper, The Regional Dimension of the Palestinian Refugee Issue (Chatham House, June 2008) [text]

Burnett, Jon, "Racism, Destitution and Asylum," PAFRAS Briefing Paper, no. 6 (PAFRAS, June 2008) [text]

Dowd, Rebecca, "Trapped in Transit: The Plight and Human Rights of Stranded Migrants," New Issues in Refugee Research Paper, no. 156 (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Fielden, Alexandra, "Local Integration: An Under-reported Solution to Protracted Refugee Situations," New Issues in Refugee Research Paper, no. 158 (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Gal, Orit, "Israeli Perspectives on the Palestinian Refugee Issue," Briefing Paper, The Regional Dimension of the Palestinian Refugee Issue (Chatham House, June 2008) [text]

Schöch, Rüdiger, "Afghan Refugees in Pakistan during the 1980s: Cold War Politics and Registration Practice," New Issues in Refugee Research Paper, no. 157 (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, Detention/Neth., Disabilities, DNA Testing, Env., Expulsions/Mauritania, Hosting Refugees, Preventing Sexual Abuse

Civil Wars beyond their Borders: The Human Capital and Health Consequences of Hosting Refugees (Institute for the Study of Labor, April 2008) [text via Human Security Gateway)

Climate Change and Human Rights: A Rough Guide (International Council on Human Rights Policy, June 2008) [text]

Disabilities among Refugees and Conflict-Affected Populations (Women's Commission, June 2008) [access to report, resource kit, fact sheet and other related info.)

Linking Environment and Conflict Prevention: The Role of the United Nations (Swiss Peace Foundation, 2008) [text]

Mauritania: Nobody wants anything to do with us, arrests and collective expulsions of migrants denied entry into Europe (Amnesty International, June 2008) [text]

The Netherlands: The Detention of Irregular Migrants and Asylum-Seekers (Amnesty International, June 2008) [text]

To Complain or Not to Complain: Still the Question - Consultations with Humanitarian Aid Beneficiaries on Their Perceptions of Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, June 2008) [text]

UNHCR Note on DNA Testing to Establish Family Relationships in the Refugee Context (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Annual Reports: Conflicts, Disaster Statistics, Peace Efforts, UNICEF

2008 Peace Process Yearbook (Escola de cultura de pau, June 2008) [text]

Alert 2008! Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding (Escola de cultura de pau, June 2008) [text]

Annual Disaster Statistical Review: The Numbers and Trends 2007 (CRED, ISDR & UCL, 2008) [text]

Humanitarian Action Report 2008 (UNICEF, June 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of APMJ, Conflict Trends, Cultures & Conflits, Dis. Prev. & Mgmt., FEX, HHRJ, IJRL, JHA, JIMI, Torture, WAN

Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, vol. 17, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Includes an article on displacement from the Three Gorges dam in China.

Conflict Trends, no. 1 (2008) [full-text]
- Tenth anniversary issue.

Cultures & Conflits, no. 69 (printemps 2008) [texte intégral]
- Focus of this issue is "Xénophobie de gouvernement, nationalisme d'Etat."

Disaster Prevention and Management, vol. 17, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Social perspectives on disasters in SE Asia."

Field Exchange, no. 33 (June 2008) [full-text]
- Focus is on nutrition problems.

Harvard Human Rights Journal, vol. 21 (Spring 2008) [full-text]
- Mix of articles on human rights.

International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 20, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Articles examine the EU refugee qualification directive, Canadian refugee status determination (RSD), Canadian jurisprudence, and the relationship between the ICC and RSD.

Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (June 2008) [full-text]
- New article added entitled "Have Islamic aid agencies a privileged relationship in majority Muslim areas? The case of post-tsunami reconstruction in Aceh."

Journal of International Migration and Integration, vol. 9, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Theme of this issue is "Attracting new arrivals to smaller cities and rural communities: findings from Australia, Canada and New Zealand."

Torture Journal, vol. 18, no. 1 (2008) [full-text]
- Includes several articles on the impact of trauma and exposure to conflict on various populations, including displaced Turkish Cypriots.

Women's Asylum News, no. 76 (June/July 2008) [full-text]
- From the Refugee Women's Resource Project.

Posted in Periodicals.

World Disasters Report 2008

Six months after the 2007 edition was published, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched its World Disasters Report 2008. The theme of this issue is "Rising to the challenge of HIV in disasters and crises." The complete text of the book is provided online in English, while chapter summaries are available in French and Spanish; Arabic summaries can be accessed via the French and Spanish language pages.

Previous editions are also available.

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Camp Mgmt., Climate Change, Ethiopians, Mental Health, Refugees/South Africa, Refugees/Spain, Somalis, Volrep/Afghanistan, Zimbabweans

Camp Management Toolkit (NRC, June 2008) [access]

Climate Change and Migration: Improving Methodologies to Estimate Flows, Migration Research Series, no. 33 (IOM, June 2008) [access]

"Mental Health of Returnees: Refugees in Germany Prior to Their State-sponsored Repatriation," BMC International Health and Human Rights 2008, 8:8 [access via ReliefWeb]

Neighbors in Need: Zimbabweans Seeking Refuge in South Africa (HRW, June 2008) [text]

No Choice: Somali and Ethiopian Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants Crossing the Gulf of Aden (MSF, June 2008) [access]

Protecting Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigrants in South Africa (CoRMSA, June 2008) [text]

Return with Dignity, Return to What? Review of the Voluntary Return Programme to Afghanistan (CMI, June 2008) [access]

La situación de los Refugiados en España: Informe 2008 (CEAR, June 2008) [access]

Posted in Publications.

World Refugee Day - 20 June

Today is World Refugee Day. The following sites provide news and examples of some of the many activities organized around the world to mark the day and to honor the courage of refugees and other displaced populations in the face of adversity.

ACNUR [access]

African Union [access]

AlertNet [access]

Amnesty International USA [access]

Asylkoordination [access]

CEAR [access]

ECRE [access]

Forum réfugiés [access]

France Terre d'asile [access]

International Rescue Committee [access]

Irish Refugee Council [access]

Italian Refugee Council [access]

Portuguese Refugee Council [access]

ProAsyl [access]

UNHCR [access]

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen [access]

Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children [access]

Posted in Events.

World Refugee Survey 2008

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) has released the 2008 edition of its World Refugee Survey. This issue features articles on the worst places to be a refugee and rallying for refugee rights in Israel, Thailand and Tanzania, a refugee rights report card, statistics, country updates, and a partner directory. (Interested readers must first register before accessing the text.)

Earlier editions as of 2003 are available via the USCRI's publications page.

Posted in Publications.

AU Convention on Internal Displacement

The Second Meeting of Legal Experts from Member States on the Draft AU Convention for the Prevention of Internal Displacement and the Protection of and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons in Africa was recently held in Addis Ababa. NGO commentary on the draft is available here. (The First Meeting of Legal Experts was held in December 2007, but proved an insufficient amount of time to fully review the convention text.)

The aim is for the draft convention to be endorsed at a Special Summit on Forced Displacement, to be held in November 2008. Participants in a joint African Union/ICRC seminar on internal displacement (May 2008) also made several recommendations that will be conveyed to heads of state attending the special summit.

For some background on these matters, read Chaloka Beyani's Recent Developments in the Treatment and Protection of Internally Displaced Persons (April 2006). (A more complete article was published in the Journal of African Law; read the abstract for more information.)

Posted in Events and Publications.

Publications: Asylum/EU, Disasters, Internal Displacement, Returns Directive, Statistics

2007 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement: Annotations, 2nd ed. (ASIL and Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, 2008) [access]

Policy Plan on Asylum: An Integrated Approach to Protection across the EU (Commission of the European Communities, June 2008) [text via Statewatch]
- See also press release noting the adoption of this communication and Q&A on the policy plan.

Preliminary Report on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, A/CN.4/598 (UN General Assembly, May 2008) [access via UN Pulse]

UNHCR Position on the Proposal for a Directive on Common Standards and Procedures in Member States for Returning Illegally Staying Third-Country Nationals (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Asylum/ EU, Conflict & Education, Iraqi Refugees, Statelessness, Targeting Humanitarian Assistance

Armed Conflict and Schooling: Long-term Evidence from Cambodia and Rwanda (World Bank, May 2008) [text]

Building a Europe of Asylum: UNHCR's Recommendations to France for its European Union Presidency (UNHCR, June 2008) [text]

Critical Review Instead of Complacency: Amnesty International's Ten-Point Human Rights Programme for the French Presidency of the European Union (Amnesty International, June 2008) [text]

Iraq - Rhetoric and Reality: The Iraqi Refugee Crisis (Amnesty International, June 2008) [text]

"No One Should have to be Stateless in Today's Europe," Viewpoint of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (June 2008) [text]

Targeting in Complex Emergencies: South Sudan Country Case Study (Feinstein International Center, May 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Trafficking in Persons Report 2008

The Trafficking in Persons Report 2008 was released by the U.S. State Department on June 4, 2008. It "covers 170 countries: 153 are assessed and ranked into Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2 Watch List, and Tier 3; another 17 countries are considered special cases, often because [of a lack of] sufficient information to assess whether a significant number of trafficking victims exist in those countries" (Briefing by Mark P. Lagon). The Tiers are defined on p. 35 of the Introduction and Tier Placements are listed on p. 44.

Previous reports are available here.

Posted in Publications.

World Refugee Day/Refugee Week

World Refugee Day (WRD) is commemorated annually on June 20th. This year's theme is protection. For more information about World Refugee Day generally, visit UNHCR's special events web page. And here is more information about how UNHCR is using social media to get the word out about this year's WRD.

The UK and Australia each play host to week-long activities that culminate on World Refugee Day. To learn more about their respective programmes, visit:
http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Home/ (theme is "Different Pasts, Shared Future")
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/newsevents/refugeeweek.html (theme is "A Place to Call Home")

Posted in Events.

Two Annual Reports: ICRC, UNHCR

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have both recently issued their annual reports. These publications provide information about the organizations' activities during the past year, accomplishments, and programme expenditures. They also tend to include profiles of the countries in which they have operated, maps, and other useful reference information.

ICRC Annual Report 2007 [text]

UNHCR Global Report 2007 [access via home page]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Afghans/Iran, Children's Rights, COI, Cyclone Nargis, Education in Emergencies, Indigenous Migration, Prevention of SGBV

Common EU Guidelines for Processing Country of Origin Information (COI) (European Union, April 2008) [text via Refworld]

Concise Report - Prevention of Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Refugees in Europe: A Participatory Approach (ICRH, April 2008) [text]

Cyclone Nargis: Lessons for Operational Agencies (ALNAP, May 2008) [text]

Indigenous Routes: A Framework for Understanding Indigenous Migration (IOM, May 2008) [text]

Last in Line, Last in School 2008: How Donors Can Support Education for Children Affected by Conflict and Emergencies (Save the Children, June 2008) [text]

Second-generation Afghans in Iran: Integration, Identity and Return (AREU, April 2008) [text via Refworld]

UNHCR Guidelines on Determining the Best Interests of the Child (UNHCR, May 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Economic Programs, Gaza, Housing, Reception, Rejected Asylum Seekers, Refugees/Africa

Comparative Overview of the Implementation of the Directive 2003/9 of 27 January 2003 Laying Down Minimum Standards for the Reception of Asylum Seekers in the EU Member States (Odysseus Academic Network, 2007) [text]
- Note: This report was formerly confidential but has now been made available to the public on the European Commission web site.

Don't Call it Shangri-La: Economic Programs for Displaced Populations in Nepal (Women's Commission, May 2008) [text]

The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion (CAFOD, March 2008) [text]

Housing, New Migration and Community Relations: A Review of the Evidence Base (ICAR, April 2008) [text]

Recommendations for the Return and Reintegration of Rejected Asylum Seekers: Lessons Learned from Returns to Kosovo (Danish Refugee Council, May 2008) [text via Refworld]

"The Refugee Crisis in Southern and Central Africa," Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (June 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Operational Guides: HAP Standard, HIV Surveys, Profiling IDPs, Public Health

(updated)

Guidance on Profiling Internally Displaced Persons (IDMC & OCHA, April 2008) [text]

The Guide to the HAP Standard: Humanitarian Accountability and Quality Management (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, May 2008) [text]

Manual for Conducting HIV Behavioral Surveillance Surveys among Displaced Populations and their Surrounding Communities (UNHCR, Great Lakes Initiative against HIV/AIDS, & World Bank, March 2008) [text]

Public Health in Crisis-affected Populations: A Practical Guide for Decision-makers, HPN Network Paper, no. 61 (Humanitarian Practice Network, Dec. 2007) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of AJDTS, AWR, GILJ, IMR, ICRC Review, JRS

Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, no. 2008-1 [full-text]
- This issue focuses on psychosocial support programs.

AWR Bulletin, vol. 46, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles on migrants/asylum seekers in Europe.

Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, vol. 22, no. 2 (Winter 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on the use of teleconferencing in asylum removal hearings.

International Migration Review, vol. 42, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles on immigrants and immigration.

International Review of the Red Cross, vol. 90, no. 869 (March 2008) [contents]
- The focus of this issue is Humanitarian Law and Action in Iraq.

Journal of Refugee Studies, vol. 21, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Includes articles on global civil war, understanding integration, UNHCR's involvement with IDPs, humanitarianism in Australia, and livelihood experiences of Liberian refugees in Ghana.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Seekers/Australia, Child Sexual Exploitation, Civilian Prot., DR/Statelessness, EXCOM Concl., Forced Marriage, Peace Rankings

"Community-based Asylum Seekers' Use of Primary Health Care Services in Melbourne," eMJA, vol 188, no. 6 (2008): 344-348 [text]

Dominican Republic: Time to Move Forward to Resolve Statelessness (Refugees International, May 2008) [text]

Forced Marriage with the LRA, Uganda (Feinstein International Center, May 2008) [text]

Global Peace Index 2008 [Vision of Humanity, access]

No One to Turn To: The under-reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers (Save the Children, May 2008) [text via Refworld]

The Protection of Civilians and the Post-Conflict Security Sector: A Conceptual and Historical Overview (NUPI, May 2008) [text]

Review of the Use of UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions on International Protection, Informal Consultative Meeting, 9 June 2008 [text]

Posted in Publications.

Annual Reports: Amnesty International, Child Soldiers, Human Security, Religious Freedom

Amnesty International Report 2008: State of the World's Human Rights (May 2008) [access]

Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (May 2008) [text]

Child Soldiers Global Report 2008 (May 2008) [access]

Human Security Brief 2007 (May 2008) [access]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Asylons, Dev. in Practice, Hum. Sec. J., JHA

Asylon(s), no. 4 (mai 2008) [full-text]
- Focuses on xenophobia in France.

Development in Practice, vol. 18, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Human Security Journal, no. 6 (Spring 2008) [full-text]
- Special issue on "Human Trafficking."

Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (May 2008) [full-text]
- New article on the theory of obligation in the context of humanitarian assistance.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Seekers/Ireland, Education, Girls, Iraqi Refugees, Palestinian Refugees/Lebanon, Refugee Detention/Turkey, UNHCR

Assessment on Returns to Iraq Amongst the Iraqi Refugee Population in Syria (UNHCR Syria, April 2008) [text]

Because I am a Girl: The State of the World's Girls 2008. Special Focus: In the Shadow of War (Plan International, May 2008) [text]

Beyond the School Gates: Supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Secondary School (Refugee Council, May 2008) [text]

Hidden Cork: Perspectives of Asylum Seekers on Direct Provision and the Asylum Legal System (NASC - Irish Immigrant Support Centre, April 2008) [text]

"Living and Health Conditions of Palestinian Refugees in an Unofficial Camp in the Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Survey," Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, vol. 62 (2008): 91-97 [text]

UNHCR Field Review: Presentation of Main Findings (May 2008) [text]

Unwelcome Guests: The Detention of Refugees in Turkey's Foreigners Guesthouses (Helsinki Citizens Assembly, April 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Conflict & Health, HRQ, Intl. Mig., Refuge, Women's Asylum News

Conflict and Health (March 2008) [access]
- Several full-text articles posted to this open access journal focus on infectious diseases in the displaced Burmese population.

Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 2 (May 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

International Migration, vol. 46, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on forced displacement in Darfur.

Refuge, vol. 24, no. 1 and no. 2 (2007) [access]
- These are two issues that have recently been posted online in full-text. No. 1 focuses on urban refugees, and no. 2 focuses on integration.

Women's Asylum News, no. 75 (May 2008) [text]
- From the Refugee Women's Resource Project (RWRP).

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Extradition, Guantanamo, Information, Kenya, Humanitarian Networks, Natural Disasters, Peace Processes

Anuario 2008 de procesos de paz (Escola de cultura de pau, April 2008) [Spanish text]

Crisis in Kenya: Land, Displacement and the Search for "Durable Solutions," HPG Policy Brief, no. 31 (ODI, April 2008) [text]

Global Symposium +5 on Information for Humanitarian Action: Final Report (OCHA, May 2008) [text]

Guantánamo's Refugees: Trapped by Inaction (Center for Constitutional Rights, Feb. 2008) [text]

Guidance Note on Extradition and International Refugee Protection (UNHCR, April 2008) [text]

Human Rights and Natural Disasters: Operational Guidelines and Field Manual on Human Rights Protection in Situations of Natural Disaster (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, March 2008) [pilot version]

Strengthening Humanitarian Networks: Applying the Network Functions Approach (ODI, April 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Accessions Lists

The Refugee Studies Centre library has posted its latest Accessions List covering materials added to the collection between January and March 2008. Browse the PDF or HTML version.

The Refugee Archives at UEL has issued its list of new additions to the library for the first quarter of 2008. Browse the PDF version.

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Alcohol Use, Climate Change, HIV, Human Rights, Humanitarian Assistance, Refugee Protection

ALNAP's 7th Review of Humanitarian Action (ALNAP, March 2008) [access]

Beyond the Nexus: UNHCR's Evolving Perspective on Refugee Protection and International Migration, New Issues in Refugee Research no. 155 (UNHCR, April 2008) [text]

Future Floods of Refugees: A Comment on Climate Change, Conflict and Forced Migration (Norwegian Refugee Council, April 2008) [text]

HIV and the UK Asylum Pathway (National AIDS Trust, April 2008) [text]

Human Rights Annual Report 2007 (UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, March 2008) [text]

Humanitarian Agenda 2015: The State of the Humanitarian Enterprise (Feinstein International Center, March 2008) [text]

Influencing State Behavior for Refugee Protection: UNHCR and the Design of the Refugee Protection Regime, New Issues in Refugee Research no. 154 (UNHCR, April 2008) [text]

Rapid Assessment of Alcohol and Other Substance Use in Conflict-affected and Displaced Populations: A Field Guide (UNHCR & WHO, 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of EJML, FMR, Govt. & Opposition, RSQ

European Journal of Migration and the Law, vol. 10, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Articles address different aspects of the war on terrorism.

Forced Migration Review, no. 30 (April 2008) [full-text]
- Theme of this issue is "Burma's Displaced People."

Government and Opposition, vol. 43, no. 2 (Spring 2008) [contents]
- Special issue on the "Refugee in Trans/national Politics and Society: Representation, Contestation and Control."

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- This issue focuses on "UNHCR and the Global Cold War."

Posted in Periodicals.

Spring Break

I'll be offline until the end of the month. Check back for more current awareness listings in May!

Publications: Asylum/Europe, Disasters, Forced Migration & Security, Greece, Iraq, Kenya, Older Refugees,

"From Isolation to Integration" Conference, Papers and Presentations, Jan. 2008 [access]

Kenya: Setting the Stage for Durable Peace? (USIP, April 2008) [text]

McAdam, J., ed., Forced Migration, Human Rights and Security, Studies in International Law, no. 17 (Hart Publishing, March 2008) [description & TOC]

Memorandum to the JHA Council - Ending the asylum lottery: Guaranteeing refugee protection in Europe (ECRE, April 2008) [text]

Rethinking Disasters: Why Death and Destruction is not Nature's Fault but Human Failure (Oxfam, April 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

UNHCR Position on the Return of Asylum-Seekers to Greece under the "Dublin Regulation" (UNHCR, April 2008) [text]

Uprooted and Unstable: Meeting Urgent Humanitarian Needs in Iraq (Refugees International, April 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Internal Displacement Survey

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre's latest annual survey concludes that the global internal displacement crisis deteriorated last year. The report, Internal Displacement: Global Overviews of Trends and Developments in 2007, includes key facts and figures, major findings, a review of worldwide developments and responses, and regional summaries. Also provided are statistics, maps and photographs. Previous editions are available through the publications page.

The IDMC has also released its annual activity report.

Posted in Publications.

Pubs: Asylum Policy/Greece, Bhutanese Refugee Children, Detention/Turkey, North Korean Children/China, Peace Processes, Protection, Youth/Sierra Leone

Anuario 2008 de procesos de paz (Escola de cultura de paz, April 2008) [Spanish text]

Country at a Crossroads: Challenges Facing Young People in Sierra Leone (Women's Commission, April 2008) [text]

Denied Status, Denied Education: Children of North Korean Women in China (Human Rights Watch, April 2008) [text via Refworld]

A Gamble with the Right to Asylum in Europe: Greek Asylum Policy and the Dublin II Regulation (NOAS, Norwegian Helsinki Committee & Greek Helsinki Monitor, April 2008) [text]

"Malnutrition and Micronutrient Deficiencies Among Bhutanese Refugee Children - Nepal 2007," MMWR Weekly, vol. 57, no. 14 (April 11, 2008), pp. 370-73 [text]

Refugee Protection and Durable Solutions in the Context of International Migration: Report on the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, December 2007 (UNHCR PDES, April 2008) [text]

Unwelcome Guests: The Detention of Refugees in Turkey’s "Foreigners' Guesthouses" (Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, April 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Alert 2008

Alert 2008! Report on conflicts, human rights and peacebuilding is produced annually by the School for a Culture of Peace at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The report analyzes trends and developments in such areas as armed conflicts, peace processes, humanitarian crises, human rights, and the gender aspects of peacebuilding.

Currently, the Spanish-language edition is available. The English version will be posted online in the near future. Previous editions can be accessed via the same web page.

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Asylum, IDPs/Iraq, Refugee Protection/Europe, Refugees/Malaysia, Security Guide, Timor-Leste

Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq - Update (IDP Working Group, March 2008) [text via Refworld] [text via ReliefWeb]

The Rise and Fall of Asylum: What Happened and Why?, Centre for Economic Policy Research Discussion Paper, no. 577 (Australian National University, March 2008) [text]

Sharing Responsibility for Refugee Protection in Europe: Dublin Reconsidered (ECRE, March 2008) [access]

Stay Safe: The International Federation's Guide for Security Managers (IFRC, March 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Timor-Leste's Displacement Crisis, Asia Report, no. 148 (International Crisis Group, March 2008) [text]

Undocumented Migrants and Refugees in Malaysia: Raids, Detention and Discrimination (FIDH, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of AJEM, APMJ, Disasters, HR Brief, IJMHSC, Intervention, Migration Lett., Women's Asylum News,

Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, vol. 16, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- Theme is "The Migration and Development Prism: A Lens on Vulnerabilities and Capabilities."

Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 23, no. 1 (Feb. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on "Australasian libraries in the emergency sector."

Disasters, vol. 32, no. 2 (June 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Human Rights Brief, vol. 15, no. 2 (Winter 2008) [text]
- Mix of human rights articles.

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 3, no. 4 (Dec. 2007) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on collecting information on migrant and asylum seeker status in England.

Intervention: International Journal of Mental Health, Psychosocial Work and Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict, vol. 6, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents and introduction]
- Special issue on "Evaluation of Community based Psychosocial Programmes."

Migration Letters, vol. 5, no. 2 (April 2008) [full-text]
- Mix of articles.

Women's Asylum News, no. 74 (April 2008) [text]
- Compiled by the Refugee Women's Resource Project.

Posted in Periodicals.

Ten Stories...

The UN issued its list of 10 Stories the World Should Hear More About yesterday. These are stories that unfolded in 2007, and included among them is a reference to the plight of the stateless. For the first time, each story is also accompanied by useful web links to enable readers to find more information about an issue of interest. Previous 10 Stories listings are available at the above URL as of 2004.

Posted in Publications and Web Sites/Tools.

Publications: Armed Conflict, Asylum/UK, Iraq, Iraqi Refugees, Protection/IDPs

Fit for Purpose Yet? The Independent Asylum Commission's Interim Findings (March 2008) [exec. summary text via The Independent] [text of report]

Five Years Later, A Hidden Crisis: Report of the IRC Commission on Iraqi Refugees (International Rescue Commission, March 2008) [text]

How is the Term "Armed Conflict" Defined in International Humanitarian Law? (ICRC, March 2008) [text via Refworld]

Iraq: No Let-Up in the Humanitarian Crisis (ICRC, March 2008) [text]

Protection of Conflict-Induced IDPs: Assessment for Action (Protection Cluster Working Group and the Early Recovery Cluster Working Group, Feb. 2008) [text via Refworld]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Dev. in Practice, IJMS, IMR, JEMS, Researcher

Development in Practice, vol. 18, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one analyzing the international humanitarian relief system.

International Journal on Multicultural Societies, vol. 9, no. 2 (2007) [full-text]
- Special issue on "Migration and Integration in the Asia-Pacific Region."

International Migration Review, vol. 42, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on refugees in Australia.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 4 (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Economics in Migration Research: Prospects for Disciplinary Integration."

The Researcher, no. 9 (Feb. 2008) [full-text]
- From the Refugee Documentation Centre in Ireland.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Stats., Case Law, Detention, Displaced Iraqis, FGM, Integration, Urban IDPs/Uganda

Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries, 2007: Statistical Overview of Asylum Applications Lodged in Europe and Selected Non-European Countries (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

ECRE 2008 Iraq Survey (ECRE, March 2008) [text]

Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation: An Interagency Statement (WHO, Feb. 2008) [text]

Local experiences of migration: Consulting Coventry (ICAR, Feb. 2008) [text]

"States should not impose penalties on arriving asylum-seekers," Viewpoint of CoE Commissioner for Human Rights (Council of Europe, March 2008) [text]

Uganda’s Urban IDPs Risk Being Left Out Of Government’s Return Plans (Refugee Law Project, March 2008) [text]

UNHCR Compilation of Case Law on Refugee Protection in International Law (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Working Papers/Policy Briefs: EU Interdiction, Gaza, Iraq, Palestinians/Lebanon

Amnesty International et al., "The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion," A Joint Agency Report (Oxfam, March 2008) [access]

Baraka, H., “Palestinians in Lebanon: Chains of Misery (Bound by the Law and the Market),” FMRS Working Paper, no. 9 (Forced Migration & Refugee Studies, American University in Cairo, Feb. 2008) [text]

Gammeltoft-Hansen, T., "The Refugee, the Sovereign and the Sea: EU Interdiction Policies in the Mediterranean," DIIS Working Paper no 2008/6 (Danish Institute for International Studies, March 2008) [access]

Humanitarian Policy Group, “Humanitarian action in Iraq: putting the pieces together,” HPG Policy Brief 30 (ODI, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Pubs: Assistance/Afghanistan, Asylum/Europe, Civil-Military, Climate Change, Community-based Approaches, Iraqis/Jordan & Lebanon, Unacc. Minors/UK

The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance (AREU, Feb. 2008) [access]

Assessment on psychosocial needs of Iraqis displaced in Jordan and Lebanon: survey report (IOM, Feb. 2008) [text via Eldis]

Civil-Military Guidelines & Reference for Complex Emergencies (IASC and OCHA, March 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Claiming Asylum at a Screening Unit as an Unaccompanied Minor (Children's Commissioner, March 2008) [text]

Climate Change and International Security (EU, March 2008) [text via Euractiv]

Comments from the European Council on Refugees and Exiles on the Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Directive 2003/109/EC to extend its scope to beneficiaries of international protection (ECRE, March 2008) [text]

UNHCR Manual on a Community Based Approach in UNHCR Operations (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Annual Surveys: Humanitarian Assistance, Peace Operations

Two new annual reports have been issued:

Annual Review of Global Peace Operations 2008 (Center on International Cooperation)
- Looks at issues and trends in peacekeeping operations. The book is available for purchase through Lynne Rienner Publishers. A briefing paper summarizing the report's findings is currently available online.

Global Humanitarian Assistance 2007/2008 (Development Initiatives)
- Looks at humanitarian aid expenditures, and who is spending how much, where and on what. The full report is available on the DI site as well as in the ReliefWeb library.

Posted in Publications.

2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

The 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices were released yesterday by the U.S. State Department. Submitted annually to Congress, the reports are frequently consulted by country conditions researchers as part of the refugee status determination process. The reports along with other regularly issued human rights and conflict surveys are incorporated into the repositories of country of origin information databases produced by Ecoi.net and Refworld.

That said, human rights groups emphasize that while "[t]his year’s reports provide an honest assessment of the human rights practices of countries around the world...'the United States’ own policies on torture, rendition and detention' [make it more difficult for] the Bush Administration...to combat human rights abuses abroad' (Human Rights First press release, 11 March 2008)." See other commentary from Amnesty International USA.

Posted in Publications.

State of the World's Minorities 2008

Minority Rights Group International (MRG) just launched the online World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples. Now it has released the 2008 edition of the State of the World's Minorities. The volume can be downloaded in its entirety or by chapter. Contents include thematic articles such as "climate change and minorities" and regional sections with an initial introduction to relevant issues affecting the region, followed by profiles of minority populations in individual countries.

Previous editions are available on the MRG web site.

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, Destitution, EU Asylum Law, Iraqi Returnees, Standing Comm. Docs., Migration Management,

The Destitution Tally: an indication of the extent of destitution among asylum seekers and refugees (Asylum Support Programme Inter-Agency Partnership, Jan. 2008) [text]
- Note: If the link doesn't work, alternate access is available through Refblog.]

EXCOM Standing Committee, 41st Meeting, Documents (4-6 March 2008) [access]
- Issues discussed include protracted refugee situations, supporting the return and reintegration of displaced populations, assessing unmet needs of populations of concern, among others.

"Managing Migration: The Global Challenge," Population Bulletin, vol. 63, no.1 (March 2008) [text]

Migration and Climate Change, IOM Migration Research Series, no. 31 (IOM, 2008) [text]

UNHCR Observations on the Commission Proposal for a Council Directive Amending Directive 2003/109/EC Establishing a Long-Term Residence Status to Extend its Scope to Beneficiaries of International Protection (UNHCR, 2008) [text]

UNHCR second rapid assessment of return of Iraqis from displacement locations in Iraq and from neighbouring countries (UNHCR, March 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New IDP Database

The Global Database on the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement was recently launched by the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement and the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM). Its aim is to facilitate the development of national legal and policy frameworks on internal displacement by providing "instant access to official documents, including recommendations of United Nations treaty-monitoring bodies, reports of UN charter bodies, and UN General Assembly resolutions about the rights of these IDPs."

It is browsable by four sections, some of which are not yet fully finalized:
- Internal Displacement (an introduction and overview, with an FAQ section and an incomplete related materials section
- Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (includes history, a link to legal annotations to the principles, an incomplete handbook on the application of the principles section, and an incomplete related materials section)
- Legal Database on the Guiding Principles (searchable database housing a variety of related documents)
- Representative of the UN Secretary-General (introduction to the mandate and activities)

The database is available in English, French and Spanish.

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

First Podcast from IASFM Conference

As promised in this earlier post, Forced Migration Online (FMO) has released the first of a planned series of podcasts recorded during the 11th International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM) conference, which was held in Cairo earlier this year. The theme of the initial plenary was "Emerging patterns of irregularity and their effects among migrants and refugees in the Middle East."

Posted in Web Sites/Tools and Events.

Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched the Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls yesterday in commemoration of International Women's Day. The last UNHCR protection guidelines relating to women were issued in 1991. Chapters in the new handbook cover gender equality, addressing risks faced by women and girls, UNHCR's protection strategy, women's human rights, and the relevant legal framework. A 28-page glossary rounds out the handbook.

While in years past, March 8th has been the official date designated by the UN as International Women's Day, this year it was observed on March 6th. The 2008 theme is "investing in women and girls."

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of AWR, FEX, JRMI, RSQ, Women's Asylum News

AWR Bulletin, vol. 45, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- Mix of articles on asylum and migration policies in Europe and North America.

Field Exchange, no. 32 (Jan. 2008) [text]
- From the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN).

Journal of Refugee and Migration Issues, vol. 4, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Two articles, including one on immigration and asylum law in Australia.

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- This issue reproduces presentations to the 12th Annual Humanitarian Conference of Webster University, Geneva. The theme was "The Spirit of Geneva in a Globalized World."

Women's Asylum News, no. 73 (March 2008) [text via Refworld]
- From the Refugee Women's Resource Project (RWRP).

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Asylum Law, FGM, Iraqis/Jordan, Libraries, RCOs, Resettlement/Europe

Asylum Law and Female Genital Mutilation: Recent Developments (Congressional Research Service, Feb. 2008) [text]

Iraqi Asylum Seekers in Jordan: A Report of the ICMC-USCCB Mission to Assess the Protection Needs of Iraqi Asylum Seekers in Jordan (International Catholic Migration Commission, Dec. 2007) [text]

The Meeting Room: Libraries as Community Centers for Culturally Diverse Populations (Paper presented at 16th BOBCATSSS Symposium 2008, 28-30 Jan. 2008) [text]

More responsive public services? A guide to commissioning migrant and refugee community organisations (Joseph Roundtree Foundation, Feb. 2008) [text]

Welcome to Europe! A Guide to Resettlement (International Catholic Migration Commission, Dec. 2007) [access]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of IJRL, JRS

International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 19, no. 4 (Dec. 2007) [contents]
- Article titles include: "Assessing Testimonial Evidence in Asylum Proceedings: Guiding Standards from the International Criminal Tribunals," "Shadows in Paradise – Exploring Non-Refoulement as an Open Concept," "International Law and Detention of US Asylum Seekers: Contrasting Matter of D-J- with the United Nations Refugee Convention," "Redundant or Essential? How Politics Shaped the Outcome of the 1967 Protocol," and "Starting a Movement of Refugee Legal Aid Organizations in the South."

Journal of Refugee Studies, vol. 21, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Article titles include: "Theoretical Perspectives on Post-Migration Adaptation and Psychological Well-Being among Refugees: Towards a Resource-Based Model," "EU–Libya Cooperation on Migration: A Raw Deal for Refugees and Migrants?," "Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Not All Refugees, Not Always in Pakistan, Not Necessarily Afghan?," "Dislocated Masculinity: Adolescence and the Palestinian Nation-in-exile," "Involuntary Resettlement as an Opportunity for Development: The Case of Urban Resettlers of the Three Gorges Project, China," "Mediated Communication with Minors in Asylum-seeking Hearings," and "Giving Silence a Chance: The Importance of Life Stories for Research on Refugees."

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Children & Conflict, Climate, Minority Groups, Public Health, Repatriation/Rwanda, Weak States

Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration: Addressing Vulnerabilities and Harnessing Opportunities - Background Paper (IOM & Greek Chairmanship of the Human Security Network, Feb. 2008) [text]

Getting it Done and Doing it Right: A Global Study on the United Nations-led Monitoring & Reporting Mechanism on Children and Armed Conflict (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, Jan. 2008) [text]

Index of State Weakness in the Developing World (Brookings Institution, Feb. 2008) [access]
- "Tool for analyzing and understanding the world's most vulnerable countries."

Peoples under Threat 2008 (Minority Rights Group, Feb. 2008) [text]

Public Health Facility Toolkit: Tools for Assessing, Monitoring and Evaluating the Quality of Public Health Services Supported by UNHCR (UNHCR, Jan. 2008) [text]

Repatriation and Reconciliation in Divided Societies: The Case of Rwanda’s ‘Ingando’, RSC Working Paper, no. 43 (RSC, Jan. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples

The Minority Rights Group has launched an online version of the World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples. The database provides access to profiles of some 700 minority and indigenous groups by region, country, or group. Entries for individual countries provide an overview of the environment, people, history, and governance of the country, as well as a summary of the current status and treatment of minority and indigenous groups with links to more detailed profiles of individual groups. Lists of relevant organizations and additional reading materials are also provided.

The database's predecessor, the World Directory of Minorities, was formerly published in 1990 and 1997 as a print encyclopedia.

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

Newsletters: Conflict, Human Security, Humanitarian Assistance, Refugee Rights, UN

Human Security Research, no. 38 (Feb. 2008) [text]
- Reviews recent studies on human security-related topics.

Monday Developments, vol. 25, no. 12 (Dec. 2007) [info.]
- Focus is "Tackling Accountability"; online version coming soon.

Programme on Conflict and Peacebuilding Monthly Newsletter, no. 23 (Jan. 2008) [text]
- Includes feature article on Kenya.

Refugee Rights News, vol. 4, no. 1 (Jan. 2008) [text]
- Includes feature article on Kenya.

UN Chronicle, vol. XLIV, no. 3 (2007) [text]
- Focus is on racism and racial discrimination; includes an article on asylum.

Posted in Periodicals.

New Issues of Dis. Prev. & Mgmt., Disasters, EJML, HRQ, JEMS

Disaster Prevention and Management, vol. 17, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on learning the lessons of disasters from the past 105 years.

Disasters, vol. 32, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on IDP women in Colombia.

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 9, no. 4 (2007) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 1 (Feb. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on human trafficking.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on asylum-seekers and refugees in the UK.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Children, Climate Change, Destitution, Gender Issues, IDPs/Darfur, Refugee Education

Climate Change and its Implications for Human Migration and Health (International Centre for Migration and Health, Feb. 2008) [text]

Living on the edge of despair: destitution amongst asylum seeking and refugee children (The Children's Society, Feb. 2008) [text]

OI Policy Compendium Note on Gender Issues in Conflict and Humanitarian Crises (Oxfam International, Dec. 2007) [text]

Protecting Darfur’s Internally Displaced (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Feb. 2008) [text]

Tertiary Refugee Education Impact and Achievements: 15 Years of DAFI (UNHCR, Nov. 2007) [text]

UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report 2008 (UNICEF, Feb. 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Posted in Publications.

Working Papers: Asylum/Europe, Palestinians, Return Migration, Timor-Leste, Voluntary Repatriation/Afghanistan

Bialczyk, Agata, "‘Voluntary Repatriation’ and the Case of Afghanistan: A Critical Examination," RSC Working Paper, no. 46 (Refugee Studies Centre, Jan. 2008) [text]

Bitar, Maher, "Unprotected Among Brothers: Palestinians in the Arab World," RSC Working Paper, no. 44 (Refugee Studies Centre, Jan. 2008) [text]

Gonzalez Devant, Sara, "Displacement in the 2006 Dili Crisis: Dynamics of an Ongoing Conflict," RSC Working Paper, no. 45 (Refugee Studies Centre, Jan. 2008) [text]

King, Russell and Anastasia Christou, "Cultural Geographies of Counter-Diasporic Migration: The Second Generation Returns ‘Home’," Sussex Migration Working Paper, no. 45 (Sussex Centre for Migration Research, Jan. 2008) [text]

Maas, Wies Maria, "Fleeing to Europe: Europeanization and the Right to Seek Refugee Status," ISS Working Paper, no. 454 (Institute of Social Studies, Jan. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking

The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking began today and will run through 15 February. Sessions will look at what makes people vulnerable to being trafficked; the impact of human trafficking on individuals, communities and economies; and the available instruments and tools that can be used to better protect people and fight human trafficking. An IOM-led session will be held tomorrow that focuses on "Communities in Crisis." Specifically, it "will address the human and social consequences of conflict, post conflict and natural disasters, such as the vulnerabilities related to child exploitation, child soldiers and refugees."

A number of background papers are available on the Forum's web page, along with a draft handbook in English and French for parliamentarians on the appropriate legal responses to combating trafficking in persons.

Published in Events and Publications.

New Library Acquisitions

(updated)

The following lists provide updates on the latest acquisitions to several library collections:

"Recent acquisitions in the RDC library," The Researcher, vol. 2, no. 4, Dec. 2007, p. 21 [text]

Refugee Council Archive at UEL, Accessions List, Nov. - Dec. 2007 [text]

Refugee Studies Centre Library, Accessions List, Oct. - Dec. 2007 [text]

UNHCR Library Highlights, Dec. 2007 [text], Jan.-Feb. 2008 [text]

Posted in Publications.

EU Asylum Law and Policy

The Statewatch European Monitoring & Documentation Centre on Justice and Home Affairs in the EU (SEMDOC) recently launched its newly updated and re-organized web site. It monitors EU Justice and Home Affairs policy, including measures relating to migration and asylum. Much of the information posted is available for free, but portions of the site require a subscription to access.

Other information resources relating to EU law and policy as it relates to asylum and refugee issues include:

Justice and Home Affairs, EU

- The European Union Policy towards a Common European Asylum System (EUROPA, Justice and Home Affairs) [access]
- Towards a common European asylum system (EUROPA, Justice and Home Affairs, Virtual Documentation Centre) [access]

Comments on EU Asylum Law and Policy

- Amnesty International, EU Office [access]
- ECRE [access]
- JRS Europe [access]
- UNHCR [access]

New Developments

- ECRAN Weekly Updates [access]

Statistics

- Asylum levels and trends in industrialized countries (UNHCR) [access]
- Population and Social Conditions (EUROSTAT) [access] (expand the population tree to "asylum" under the "data" and "tables" tabs)

Web Resources

- Eurasylum [access]

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

Publications: Assistance/Africa, COI, Humanitarian Reform, IDPs/Colombia, Iraqi Displacement, Reintegration Policy

Advisory Panel on Country Information, Papers from Ninth Meeting, 2 October 2007 [access]

Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa, A/RES/62/125 (UNGA, 24 Jan. 2008) [text via Refworld]

Colombia: IDP Response Requires Greater Local Action and Accountability (Refugees International, Jan. 2008) [text]

ICVA Conference, "The Essential Humanitarian Reforms," Meeting Documents (1 Feb. 2008) [access]

The Iraqi Displacement Crisis (Refugees International, Jan. 2008) [text]

Policy Framework and Implementation Strategy: UNHCR's Role in Support of the Return and Reintegration of Displaced Populations, Informal Consultative Meeting (UNHCR, Feb. 2008) [English text] [French text]

Posted in Publications.

Periodicals: Conflict Trends, Forum refugies, Geo. Immig. LJ, Intl. Mig., ICRC Review, Women's Asylum News

Conflict Trends, no. 4/2007 [text]
- Focus is on peacekeeping in Africa.

Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, vol. 22, no. 1 (Fall 2007) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on the difficulties Iraqis face seeking asylum in the U.S.

International Migration, vol. 46, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on hunger among asylum seekers and resettled refugees.

International Review of the Red Cross, no. 867 (2007) [text]
- Focus is on torture.

Le journal de forum réfugiés, no. 41 (janvier 2008) [text]
- Includes viewpoint on "réfugiés climatiques."

Women's Asylum News, no. 72 (Feb. 2008) [text]
- Lead article discusses how to protect trafficked women under the 1951 Convention.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Armed Conflict, Asylum/EU, Children, Climate, Environment/Tanzania, Humanitarian Action, Reintegration/Angola

Better outcomes: the way forward, improving the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UK Home Office, Jan. 2008) [text]

Children and armed conflict: report of the Secretary-General, A/62/609–S/2007/757 (UN General Assembly, Security Council, Dec. 2007) [text]

Climate change and forced migration, New Issues in Refugee Research no. 153 (UNHCR, Jan. 2008) [text]

The Externalisation of EU Asylum Policy: The Position of African States, DIIS Brief (Danish Inst. for International Studies, Dec. 2007) [text]

The impact of environmental degradation on refugee-host relations: a case study from Tanzania, New Issues in Refugee Research no. 151 (UNHCR, Jan. 2008) [text]

An Uncertain Future: Law Enforcement, National Security and Climate Change (Oxford Research Group, Jan. 2008) [text]

When the displaced return: challenges to 'reintegration' in Angola, New Issues in Refugee Research no. 152 (UNHCR, Jan. 2008) [text]

World Economic Forum-OCHA Guiding Principles for Public-Private Collaboration in Humanitarian Action (Jan. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

COE Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings comes into force today, 1 February 2008. This was triggered by the required 10th state ratification on 24 October 2007. A handbook is available for parliamentarians to learn more about how to promote further ratification and application of the Convention by their governments. A complete list of ratifications and signatories is available on the COE's Campaign to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings web site.



Posted in Publications and Web Sites.