New Issues of Childpsych Clinics, GILJ, IJRL, JEMS, WAN

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, vol. 17, no. 3 (July 2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Refugee Mental Health."

Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, vol. 22, no. 3 (Spring 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 20, no. 3 (Oct. 2008) [contents]
- Includes articles on non-refoulement, property restitution, asylum in the Western Balkans,

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 8 (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Ethnic Minorities' Cultural Practices as Forms of Political Expression."

Women's Asylum News, no. 77 (Aug./Sept. 2008) [text via Refworld]
- Mix of articles.

Posted in Periodicals.

Forced Migration Guide

For any new researchers out there, I have compiled a guide to information resources relating to refugees and forced migration. It is available as a wiki at http://forcedmigrationguide.pbwiki.com.

You can use the guide in two ways. First, read through the chapters just like you would a regular text. Part one begins with an introduction to the concept of “forced migration” that includes a review of forced migration categories, their legal or policy bases, the principal assistance organizations, and the academic perspective on forced migration definitions. The second part of the guide presents a basic framework for conducting forced migration research both in libraries and on the Internet. It introduces key search concepts and principles to consider in any research undertaking, then describes resources that can be used 1) as starting points for research, 2) to help expand research, and 3) to support research. Part three highlights key information sources in forced migration, such as scholarly journals, reports and books, and discusses strategies for finding additional research literature through databases, library catalogues, search engines, and people.

Second, access the information resources described in the guide either by:

• type of source (e.g., bibliographies, periodicals, glossaries, etc.);
• specific index term (e.g., climate, culture, refugee impact, etc.);
• broad subject category (e.g., asylum/legal protection, mental health, etc.);
• region (if applicable);
• language (if applicable); OR
• using the search function (for example, search on an author or a keyword that is not included as an index term or subject category).

So why a wiki? Basically, it's an easy way to set up a database online. I have no technical experience, but using pbwiki.com, I was able to create over 450 pages of narrative text and bibliographic descriptions, and inter-link them in such a way that - hopefully - makes the guide easy and intuitive to use. I can also regularly update the guide, as well as quickly make corrections to URLs and other bibliographic details.

Hope you find the guide useful!

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

Children and Armed Conflict

Several publications have appeared recently that focus on the impact of armed conflict on children, particularly in the area of mental health.

Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, A/HRC/9/3 (Human Rights Council, June 2008) [text via Refworld]

Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, A/63/227 (UNGA, August 2008) [text via UN Pulse]

From a special issue of International Review of Psychiatry that considers the “Global Perspective on Child and Adolescent Mental Health”:

“The mental health of children affected by armed conflict: protective processes and pathways to resilience,” International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 3 (June 2008) [abstract]

“Responding to the needs of children in crisis,” International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 3 (June 2008) [abstract]

From a special issue of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America that considers “Refugee Mental Health”:

“Political Violence and Development: An Ecologic Approach to Children in War Zones,” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, vol. 17, no. 3 (July 2008) [abstract]

“Testimonials, Narratives, Stories, and Drawings: Child Refugees as Witnesses,” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, vol. 17, no. 3 (July 2008) [abstract]

Posted in Publications.

Research Papers: IDPs/Darfur, Refugees/Mail, Refugees/South Africa, Relief & Religion, Urban IDPs

Barriers to Asylum: The Marabastad Refugee Reception Office (Forced Migration Studies Programme, August 2008) [text]

Conflict, Arms, and Militarization: The Dynamics of Darfur’s IDP Camps, HSBA Working Paper no. 15 (Small Arms Survey, Sept. 2008) [text]

The ‘Humanitarian Frontline’, Development and Relief, and Religion - What Context, Which Threats and Which Opportunities?, Working Paper no. 10 (Conflict Research Group, Univ. of Ghent, July 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Internal Displacement to Urban Areas - the Tufts-IDMC Profiling Study, Khartoum, Sudan (Feinstein International Center & IDMC, August 2008) [text]

Opportunity and conflict: the impact of a refugee influx on decentralisation in Mali, New Issues in Refugee Research Paper no. 163 (UNHCR, Sept. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, EXCOM, Human Trafficking, Protection/Migrants, Remittances, Repatriation

Conflict-induced migration and remittances: exploring conceptual frameworks, RSC Working Paper, no.47 (RSC, August 2008) [text]

Review of the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report (The Protection Project, Summer 2008) [text]

Seeing People Through the Trees: Scaling Up Efforts to Advance Rights and Address Poverty, Conflict, and Climate Change (Rights and Resources Initiative, July 2008) [text via Human Security Gateway]

State, Nation, Citizen: rethinking repatriation, RSC Working Paper, no. 48 (RSC, August 2008) [text]

Thematic Compilation of Executive Committee Conclusions, 3rd ed. (UNHCR, August 2008) [text]

Towards a ‘soft law’ framework for the protection of vulnerable migrants, New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper, no. 162 (UNHCR, August 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Glossaries: Disasters, Humanitarian Assistance, Refugees & Migration

Several glossaries have recently been issued:

Glossary of Humanitarian Terms (ReliefWeb, Aug. 2008) [text]
- Compilation of terms selected from other glossaries; see also their listing of other humanitarian glossaries.

People on the Move: Handbook of Selected Terms and Concepts (Hague Process on Refugees and Migration, July 2008) [text]
- Developed for the general public/civil society to raise awareness, to inform policy responses, and to promote greater accuracy in language. Terms were elaborated in consultation with international experts (list is provided in the handbook).

Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters. Annex I: Glossary (International Law Commission, Feb. 2008) [text]
- Addendum to a study presented to the International Law Commission that "provides an overview of the existing legal instruments and texts applicable to a variety of aspects of disaster prevention and relief assistance, as well as of the protection of persons in the event of disasters, focusing primarily on natural disasters" (UN Pulse).

Posted in Publications.

New UNHCR Publications & Pages

Publications:

Reports and Documents for the 59th Executive Committee Plenary Session (August 2008) [access]
- The actual meetings are scheduled for 6-10 October 2008.

Selected Documents Relating to National Security and Counter-Terrorism Relevant to International Refugee Protection (UNHCR, July 2008) [text]

UNHCR Recommendations for the Ministerial Conference of the Euro-African Process on Migration and Development (Paris, 20-21 October 2008) (July 2008) [text]

UNHCR Statement on the "Ceased Circumstances" Clause of the EC Qualification Directive (August 2008) [text]

Web pages:

The UN Human Rights System [access]
- "Deals specifically with the human rights mechanisms within the United Nations, and with UNHCR's involvement with the issue."

UNHCR and Human Trafficking [access]
- Provides access to policy guidelines and working papers.

Posted in Publications and Web Sites.

Publications: Asylum Stats./UK, Disasters, French IDP Manual, Iraq, Olympics/Forced Evictions, Roma/Forced Evictions

Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2007 (Home Office, August 2008) [text]

Forced Evictions and the Right to Housing of Roma in Russia (Intl. Fed. for Human Rights, July 2008) [text via Refworld]

The Looming Crisis: Displacement and Security in Iraq (Brookings Institution, August 2008) [text]

Manuel pour la protection des déplacés internes (IASC, 2008; English version issued earlier) [text via Refworld]

One World, Whose Dream? Housing Rights Violations and the Beijing Olympic Games (COHRE, July 2008) [text]

Protection of persons in the event of disasters, A/CN.4/590, 11 Dec. 2007 (International Law Commission, 60th Sess., 5 May-6 June and 7 July-8 August 2008) [access via UN Pulse]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, Disaster IDPs, Family Reunif., HR Field Officers, IDPs/Kenya, IDPs/Zimb., Protection, Sudanese/Uganda, Unacc. Minors/UK

The Climate Change-Displacement Nexus (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, July 2008) [text]

For Disaster IDPs: An Institutional Gap (Brookings Institution, August 2008) [text]

Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Officers Working in Conflict and Post-conflict Environments (Univ. of Nottingham, July 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

The Many Faces of Displacement: IDPs in Zimbabwe (IDMC, August 2008) [text]

Moving Beyond Relief: The Challenges of Settling Kenya's Internally Displaced (USIP, August 2008) [text]

Northern Uganda: International Support for Sudanese Refugees Still Required (Refugees International, August 2008) [text]

Promoting the emotional wellbeing and mental health of unaccompanied young people seeking asylum in the UK (Thomas Coram Research Unit & Institute of Education, University of London, July 2008) [text]

Protection Work: from Concept to Practice - Strengthening CSOs Engagement on Protection in Conflict and Humanitarian Emergencies (ActionAid, July 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

"Refugees must be able to reunite with their family members," COE Commissioner for Human Rights Viewpoint (Council of Europe, August 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Addendum to New Issues: JRS

The latest issue of the Journal of Refugee Studies is now available: vol. 21, no. 3 (September 2008). Articles focus on displacement resulting from the Iraq war, refugee returns, integration, linking asylum seekers and host communities, predicting forced migration, peace education, and refugee business. Nine book reviews are also included.

Posted in Periodicals.

New Issues of AJEM, Conflict Tr., HR Brief, HRQ, Hum. Sec. J., IJMHSC, Intervention, JEMS, JMRI, RSQ, TWQ

Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 23, no. 2 (May 2008) [full-text]
- Mix of articles.

Conflict Trends, no. 2008/2 [full-text]
- Mix of articles.

Human Rights Brief, vol. 15, no. 3 (Spring/Summer 2008) [full-text]
- Mix of articles.

Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 3 (August 2008) [contents]
- Includes articles on Darfur and sexual violence in Bosnia and Rwanda.

Human Security Journal, no. 7 (Summer 2008) [full-text]
- Focus is on military interventions.

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 4, no. 1 (July 2008) [contents, sample full-text article]
- Focus is on refugees and asylum-seekers; free sample article provided: "Human Rights and Access to Psychiatric Care for Adult Asylum Seekers: Guidelines to Improve Care."

Intervention: International Journal of Mental Health, Psychosocial Work and Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict, vol. 6, no. 2 (July 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 34, no. 7 (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on "Diasporic Tensions: The Dilemmas and Conflicts of Transnational Engagement."

Journal of Migration and Refugee Issues, vol. 4, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Two articles on RSD in Australia and applying the refugee convention in Hong Kong.

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Focus of this issue is "Asylum and Islam."

Third World Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 6 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including several on poverty reduction.

Posted in Periodicals.

Summer Schedule

I will be off-line for the next couple of weeks. Please check back in mid-August.

Publications: Iraq, Mental Health, Refugee Abuse, Refugee Protection/Gulf of Aden, Trafficked Women & Asylum, Urban IDPs

Good Intentions: A Review of the New Asylum Model and its Impact on Trafficked Women Claiming Asylum (POPPY Project and Refugee Women's Resource Project, June 2008) [text]

Iraq Displacement and Return - 2008 Mid-Year Review (IOM, June 2008) [text]

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings: Checklist for Field Use (IASC, June 2008) [access via ReliefWeb]

Outsourcing abuse: The use and misuse of state-sanctioned force during the detention and removal of asylum seekers (Birnberg Peirce & Partners, Medical Justice and NCADC, July 2008) [text]

Refugee Law Project: Special Bulletin on Urban IDPs (July 2008) [text]

Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in the Gulf of Aden, May 19-20, 2008 in Sana'a, Yemen (UNHCR, docs. posted July 2008) [access]

Posted in Publications.

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.