AU Meetings on Forced Displacement in Africa

The African Union recently held several meetings on the challenge of forced displacement in Africa. A group of experts met from 5-7 November 2008 while a ministerial conference convened 10-11 November 2008. For meeting agendas and programmes, visit the November 2008 event archive on the African Union site. See also a conference paper for an overview and a background paper that examined the "Evolution and Current Situation of Forced Displacement in Africa"

Information about the April 2009 Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa was also made available.

Posted in Publications and Events.

Publications: Disabled Refugees, Donors, Humanitarian Assistance/Yemen, Refugees/Egypt & Israel, Security/Somalia, UN Human Rights

Fatal Insecurity: Attacks on Aid Workers and Rights Defenders in Somalia (Amnesty International, Nov. 2008) [text]
- Available in English and French.

Humanitarian Response Index 2008 (Development Assistance Research Associates, Nov. 2008) [access]
- Overview and summaries available.

Invisible Civilians: The Challenge of Humanitarian Access in Yemen’s Forgotten War (HRW, Nov. 2008) [text]

Sinai Perils: Risks to Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers in Egypt and Israel (HRW, Nov. 2008) [text]

Supporting disabled refugees and asylum seekers: opportunities for new approaches (ICAR & Refugee Support, Nov. 2008) [text]

The United Nations Human Rights System: How to Make It Work for You (NGLS & OHCHR, 2008) [access via UN Pulse]
- Available in English and French.

Posted in Publications.

More on Kakuma, Relations with Turkana

I was forwarded the first reference below after my last post on Kakuma refugee camp research (thanks, Jeff!). The article focuses more particularly on the relationship that has developed over time between the refugees of Kakuma camp and the Turkana, the host community. I was able to find several additional references to related resources on this issue, and I've listed the titles below.

"The Mobiliser: The demise of a refugee camp might be no tragedy, but what about the death of a town?" Inside Story (22 Oct. 2008) [text]

Kakuma - Turkana, Dueling Struggles: Africa's Forgotten Peoples (Pangaea 2002) [details]

“'It Is Better to Be a Refugee Than a Turkana in Kakuma': Revisiting the Relationship between
Hosts and Refugees in Kenya," Refuge, vol. 21, no. 3 (2003) [text]

"Multiple Socio-Economic Relationships Improvised between the Turkana and Refugees in Kakuma Area, Northwestern Kenya," Chapter 9 in Displacement Risks in Africa: Refugees, Resettlers and Their Host Population (Trans Pacific Press, 2005) [preview in Google Books]

Understanding the inter-dependencies between the Turkana and Kakuma refugees: prospective impact of repatriation (Cornell University, 2007) [details]

In the course of looking for items relating specifically to Kakuma/Turkana relations, I came across these two additional references to Kakuma refugees generally:

"Kakuma," Chapter 2 in The Longest Journey: Resettling Refugees from Africa (UNSW Press, 2006) [preview in Google Books]

"Rights and Refuge in Kakuma: An Inquiry into the Management of Humanitarian Assistance in Protracted Refugee Situations in Africa," Chapter 1 in Refugee Crisis and International Response: Towards Permanent Solutions? (Leon Koźmiński Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management, 2005) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Afrika Spec., CSD, Dis. Prev. & Mgmt., Gender, Tech, & Dev., HRQ, JEMS, Refugee Rts.

Afrika Spectrum, vol. 43, no. (2008) [contents]
- Special issue on the Horn of Africa; includes articles on the "productivity of refugee camps" and "international aid to refugee camps."

Conflict, Security and Development, vol. 8, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on "displaced children" and one on "remittance sending practices amongst Somalis in Norway."

Disaster Prevention and Management, vol. 17, no. 5 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Gender, Technology and Development, vol. 12, no. 1 (March 2008) [contents]
- Theme issue that focuses on "human trafficking."

Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 4 (Nov. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, vol. 35, no. 1 (2009) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Refugee Rights News, vol. 4, no. 6 (Oct. 2008) [full-text]

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: Burundian Refugees/Tanzania, Burma Youth/Thailand, Detention, Governance/Africa, HIV, State of World Population, Urban IDPs/Kenya

DG ECHO HIV Guidelines (Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid, ECHO, Oct. 2008) [text]

Global Detention Survey: Summary of Findings (International Detention Coalition, Oct. 2008) [access]
- Select "IDCGlobalSurveyFindings.doc" to open the Word document.

Going Home or Staying Home? Ending Displacement for Burundian Refugees in Tanzania, Citizenship and Forced Migration in the Great Lakes Region Working Paper, no. 1 (Centre for the Study of Forced Migration, International Refugee Rights Initiative & Social Science Research Council, Nov. 2008) [text]

Ibrahim Index of African Governance (Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Oct. 2008) [access]

Living in Limbo: Burma's Youth in Thailand (Women's Commission, Oct. 2008) [text]

Special Bulletin on Urban IDPs (Refugee Law Project, Oct. 2008) [text]

State of World Population 2008 - Reaching Common Ground: Culture, Gender and Human Rights (UNFPA, 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

November Events

Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights, Kuala Lumpur, 20-21 November 2008 [access]
- Organized by Forum Asia.

Beyond Humanitarianism in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Washington, DC, 19 November 2008 [access]
- Public event organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Causes of Forced Migration and Systemic Responses: Human Rights of the Displaced in Ethical, Religious, and Political Perspectives, Boston College, 20-22 November 2008 [access]
- Conference organized by the Center for Human Rights & International Justice in collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee Service and Catholic Relief Services.

Palestinian Refugees and International Law, Oxford, 29–30 November 2008 [access]
- Two-day weekend workshop organized by the Refugee Studies Centre.

UNU Panel Discussion: Protracted Refugee Situations, New York, 25 November 2008 [access]
- Findings of recent book on this issue will be discussed.

Posted in Events & Opportunities.

Spotlight on Protracted Displacement Situations

Refugees who have been confined to refugee camps for extended periods are referred to as being "warehoused" or trapped in "protracted refugee situations." Millions of refugees' lives and livelihoods have been left hanging in limbo as a result. The challenge of finding a solution has resulted in a flurry of research and publication, and the convening of high-level meetings.

Two edited volumes have been published this month alone on protracted situations. The first is entitled Protracted Refugee Situations: Political, Human Rights and Security Implications, and is edited by Gil Loescher, James Milner, Edward Newman and Gary Troeller, with contributions from both scholars and practitioners. The book "explore(s) the sources, nature and consequences of these situations and the record of the international community’s attempts to find durable solutions." Its findings will be discussed at a UNU panel in New York, November 25th.

Gil Loescher and James Milner are Co-Directors of the PRS Project: Towards Solutions to Protracted Refugee Situations, based at the Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford. Prof. Loescher, Edward Newman and Gary Troeller also took part in a United Nations University project called "The Politics, Human Rights and Security Implications of Protracted Refugee Situations," which resulted in this policy brief.

The second book, Protracted Displacement in Asia: No Place to Call Home, "reviews the situation and results of research and policies that have left refugees as a forgotten group in protracted situations." The editor, Howard Adelman, and several of the contributors have been involved in the research project, A Place to Call Home, which is a joint partnership between the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice & Governance, Griffith University and AUSTCARE.

The second meeting of the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges will also take up these issues in December, with working groups that focus on such questions as solutions to protracted situations, how to ensure sustainable returns, and providing protection and assistance in protracted situations. A concept paper outlining key discussion points will be available shortly. A diverse collection of UNHCR documents on protracted refugee situations compiled by the Policy Development and Evaluation Section (PDES) is available here.

Finally, an African Union Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa will convene in April 2009 to address "the challenge of forced displacement in Africa" generally. The problem of protracted displacement will be among the issues discussed.

Building on the momentum from all of these activities, the Forced Migration Review (FMR) plans to devote a forthcoming issue to "protracted displacement situations." Interested contributors must submit articles by 19 January 2009.

Many thanks to Jeff Crisp for providing information for this post!

Posted in Events & Opportunities and Publications.

International Emergency Medicine Current Awareness

In order to promote more timely access to important research, the Emergency Medicine Residents Association (EMRA) recently began producing a quarterly review. This review serves as an update to EMRA's annual survey of research undertaken in the field of international emergency medicine, which was initiated to facilitate access to a scattered literature base.

The three annual literature reviews that have been produced to date have all been published in the journal, Academic Emergency Medicine. References to these can be accessed in my forced migration research guide via the index term "emergency medical care." And this post in my other blog provides a strategy for accessing the actual texts of the literature reviews.

Posted in Publications.

Kakuma Refugee Camp Research

Since it has been over a year since my last post on Kakuma refugee camp, I thought I'd take a look to see 1) what other information resources have become available in the interim, and 2) what I might have missed the last go-round.

Eidelson, Roy J. & Rebecca Horn. 2008. "Who Wants to Return Home? A Survey of Sudanese Refugees in Kakuma, Kenya." Refuge, vol. 25, no. 1.

Feyissa, Abebe & Rebecca Horn. 2008. "Traveling Souls: Life in a refugee camp, where hearts wander as minds deteriorate." UTNE Reader (Sept.-Oct.). [An earlier version of the article, with photos and related links, was published in the Boston College Magazine. And a chapter by the same author on his experiences as an Ethiopian refugee in Kakuma is included in the book, Refugee Rights: Ethics, Advocacy, and Africa, Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, April 2008; preview the book here.]

Horn, Rebecca. 2006. "Kenya: When Resettlement is the Only Long-term Option." Servir, no. 38 (Sept.) : 6-7.

Jansen, Bram J. 2008. "Between vulnerability and assertiveness: Negotiating resettlement in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya." African Affairs, vol. 107, no. 429 (Oct.) : 569-87.
- This abstract notes that the article is based on fieldwork undertaken for a project entitled "Creating space in a 'naked city': violence and identity in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya."

Kamau, Michael, et al. 2004. "Psychiatric Disorders in an African Refugee Camp." Intervention, vol. 2, no. 2.

Mburu, Evans. 2004. "English Language Instruction in Kakuma Camp, Kenya." Refugee Reports, vol. 25, no. 4.

My earlier post on Kakuma elicited a reference to the following thesis:

Schechter, James Alan. 2004. Governing "lost boys": Sudanese refugees in a UNHCR camp. PhD, University of Colorado at Boulder.

Here are a few other theses that have included fieldwork in or case studies on Kakuma:

Kelly, Michele. 2007. The Experiences of Refugee Youth from the Conflicts in the Sudan: A Collective Case Study. PhD, Louisiana State University.

Mutua, Alfred Nganga. 2002. Media for development and democracy: a new paradigm for development incorporating culture and communication. PhD, Univ. of Western Sydney.

Mwangi, Annabel Namik. 2006. Refugees and the state in Kenya : the politics of identity, rights and displacement. D.Phil, Univ. of Oxford.
- No abstract, but a copy is available in the RSC library collection.

Posted in Publications.

Audiovisual Library of International Law

For reference, I posted a note on my other blog, Researching Refugees, about the UN's recent release of the Audiovisual Library of International Law. It may be of interest to readers here.

Posted in Web Sites & Tools.

International Migration and Human Rights

The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) will be commemorated one month from today on December 10th. The Global Migration Group has released a report in advance of the anniversary, entitled International Migration and Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities on the Threshold of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which "considers the human rights framework governing migration,
arguing that migrants are not simply agents of development, but human beings with rights which States, exercising their sovereign right to determine who enters and remains in their territory, have an obligation to protect" (p. 6). It provides definitions, reviews the legal framework, considers the human rights challenges migrants face, looks at globalization and development issues, discusses migration data, and concludes with key messages.

Posted in Publications.

Research Papers: Environmentally-induced Migration, IDP Women/Sierra Leone, Subsidiary Protection, Sudanese Migrants/Egypt

Internally Displaced Woman: The Gendered Economy of Return Migration in Sierra Leone, Paper prepared for Development Studies Association Annual Conference, London, 8 Nov. 2008 [access]

Pandemic Preparedness among Sudanese Migrants in Greater Cairo (AUC Center for Migration and Refugee Studies & IOM, Oct. 2008) [text]

Preliminary Findings from the EACH-FOR Project on Environmentally Induced Migration (EACH-FOR Project Consortium, Oct. 2008) [text]

Salah Sheekh is a refugee: New insights into primary and subsidiary forms of protection, Working Paper no. 49 (RSC, Oct. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

RSQ Bibliographies

Once upon a time, the Refugee Survey Quarterly published bibliographies that related to the special themes highlighted in each issue. Unfortunately, these were discontinued as of volume 27 (2008). However, since the bibliographies represent topical finding aids and as such, are useful for research purposes, I created an index to them in the forced migration wiki I recently compiled.

You will still need to access the journal in order to review the texts of the bibliographies. You can do this by following the Worldcat and journal publisher links in the individual records that describe each bibliography.

Posted in Web Sites & Tools.

Publications: Disaster-displaced, Human Security, Human Trafficking, North Korea, Private Security Providers

Congress and U.S. Policy on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees: Recent Legislation and Implementation (U.S. Congressional Research Service, Oct. 2008) [text via Human Security Gateway]

Data and Research on Human Trafficking: Bibliography of Research-Based Literature (Institute for the Study of International Migration, Oct. 2008) [text]

miniAtlas of Human Security (Human Security Report Project, Simon Fraser University & World Bank, Oct. 2008) [access]
- Also available in French and Spanish.

"A Tale of Two Disasters: The plight of migrants caught up in Hurricane Katrina and the Asian Tsunami," Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (Nov. 2008) [text]

The use of private security providers and services in humanitarian operations, HPG Report 27 (ODI & Center on International Cooperation, Sept. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Arthur Helton Fellowship

The Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program was established by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) in memory of Mr. Helton, who died in the Baghdad bombing of the UN Mission in August 2003. Applications are now being accepted and may continue to be submitted until 13 February 2009. More information and an online application are available on the ASIL web site.

Mr. Helton's last book was The Price of Indifference: Refugees and Humanitarian Action in the New Century (OUP 2002).

Posted in Events & Opportunities.

Publications: Asylum/Sexual Orientation, Integration, Iraqi Refugees, Peacekeeping, Statistics, UNHCR Report

(updated)

2007 Yearbook on Immigration Statistics (U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, Nov. 2008) [access via beSpacific]

The Difficulties of US Asylum Claims Based on Sexual Orientation (Migration Information Source, Oct. 2008) [text]

Does Deployment Matter? Examining the Conditions under which Peacekeeping Missions Effectively Protect Displaced Persons and Refugees (Ford Institute for Human Security, 2008) [text]

ECRE Recommendations to the 2008 Ministerial Conference on Integration (ECRE, Nov. 2008) [text]

Iraqi Refugees: Plan for Ongoing Support in an Unstable Region (Refugees International, Oct. 2008) [text]

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Doc. no. A/63/12 (UNGA, 2008) [text via UN Pulse]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Child Health Care/Emergencies, EXCOM Report, Hum. Action & Older Persons, Migrant Women/Jordan, OECD Factbook

Humanitarian Action and Older Persons: An Essential Brief for Humanitarian Actors (IASC, Oct. 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Isolated, Exploited, Abused: Jordan's women migrant domestic workers (Amnesty International, Oct. 2008) [access]

Manual for the Health Care of Children in Humanitarian Emergencies(WHO, Oct. 2008) [text]

OECD Factbook 2008: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics [access]

Report of the fifty-ninth session of the Executive Committee, 6-10 October 2008, Doc. no. A/AC.96/1063 (UNGA, 22 Oct. 2008) [text]
- Includes the General Conclusion on International Protection.

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of Conflict & Health, ICRC Rev., JHA, JPR, Women's Asylum News

Conflict and Health (23 Oct. 2008) [open access full-text]
- New article on reproductive health for refugees in Guinea.

International Review of the Red Cross, vol. 90, no. 870 (June 2008) [full-text]
- Focus is on "Sanctions."

Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (25 Oct. 2008) [open access full-text]
- New article entitled "Humanitarian Action on the Battlefields of the Global War on Terror."

Journal of Peace Research, vol. 45, no. 6 (Nov. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Women's Asylum News, no. 78 (Oct./Nov. 2008) [full-text via Refworld]
- Mix of articles.

Posted in Periodicals.

Publications: EU & Intl. Protection, Impact Assessment, Internal Displacement/Burma, Shelter, Statelessness, West Africa Conf.

Asylum Seekers and Refugees: Accessing Accommodation and Housing Support (Shelter, Oct. 2008) [text]

Futures Denied: Statelessness among Infants, Children and Youth (Refugees International, Oct. 2008) [text]

Impact Assessment of Humanitarian Response: A Review of the Literature (Feinstein International Center, Oct. 2008) [text]

Impact of the EU Qualification Directive on International Protection (ECRE, Oct. 2008) [access]

Internal Displacement and International Law in Eastern Burma (Thailand Burma Border Constortium, Oct. 2008) [text]

Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration in West Africa, Dakar, Senegal, 13-14 November 2008: Concept Note (UNHCR, Oct. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

UN Day

October 24th is United Nations Day. It marks the day when the UN Charter went into force in 1945. The following UN information resources have recently been made available:

Yearbook of the United Nations [access]
- The complete collection of yearbooks, from 1946-2005, are now online in full-text. The yearbook reports on the organization's activities in the areas of international peace and security, human rights, economic and social questions (including refugees, displacement and humanitarian assistance), and international law. Select a year to view the text; you can also search within individual editions. Interestingly, the search across all yearbooks is only accessible once you've selected a given yearbook.

United Nations Treaty Collection [access]
- This site provides access to all multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General and the UN Treaty Series. As Intute notes, "It can be used to download full text treaties and check for the latest information on whether certain treaties are in force. "

Other UN resources include:

Official Document System of the United Nations [access]
- Find and download official UN documents and resolutions in multiple languages.

United Nations Office at Geneva Library [access]
- The UNHCR library moved its collection over to the UNOG library earlier this year. Search the catalogue for relevant titles.

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

New Accessions Lists

The Refugee Studies Centre library and the UEL Refugee Council Archives have both circulated accessions lists for the July-September 2008 period. View them here and here.

Posted in Publications.

Workshop: Environmental Change and Migration

The Refugee Studies Centre (RSC) and the International Migration Institute (IMI) are convening a workshop on "Environmental Change and Migration: Evidence and Developing Norms for Response." It will be held 8-9 January 2009 in Oxford; presentation abstracts can be submitted for consideration through 31 October 1008.

This blog has highlighted a number of publications and resources relating to the issue of environmentally-induced displacement. To review these in preparation for this workshop, just click on the label "climate" and scroll down through the various postings.

Posted in Events.

New Issues of Conflict & Health, Conflict Trends, EJML, Hum. Exchange, RSQ

Conflict and Health, vol. 2 (Oct. 2008) [full-text]
- Three new articles posted on reproductive services for refugees in Guinea and conflict in the Indian Kashmir (2 parts).

Conflict Trends, no. 3 (2008) [full-text]
- Theme is peacekeeping in Africa.

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 10, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Includes articles on non-refoulement and refugee protection in Europe.

Humanitarian Exchange, no. 40 (Oct. 2008) [full-text]
- Special feature on Somalia.

Refugee Survey Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3 (2008) [contents]
- Focuses on "Asylum and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

Posted in Periodicals.

Recent Toolkits: Disseminating Research, Education, Healthy Living, Human Trafficking, Vocational Training

(updated)

Healthy Living Toolkit (USCRI, 2008) [access]

Interactive INEE Minimum Standards Toolkit (Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies & IASC Education Cluster, 2008) [access]

Market Assessment Toolkit for Vocational Training Providers and Youth: Linking Vocational Training Programs to Market Opportunities in Northern Uganda (Women's Commission & Columbia Univ., Sept. 2008) [text]

Toolkit: Disseminating Research Online (Global Development Network, 2008) [access]

Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons (UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Oct. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Burmese Women/Malaysia, Disaster Displaced, DRC Displaced, Human Trafficking, Protection/IDPs, Reinteg./Sudan, Unacc. Minors/Spain

Desperate Lives: Burmese Refugee Women Struggle to Make a Living in Malaysia (Women's Commission, Oct. 2008) [text]

An Introduction to Human Trafficking: Vulnerability, Impact and Action (UN Office on Drugs and Crime, 2008) [text]

The long road home: Opportunities and obstacles to the reintegration of IDPs and refugees returning to Southern Sudan and the Three Areas. Report of Phase II: Conflict, urbanisation and land (HPG, Sept. 2008) [text]

Moving Beyond Rhetoric: Consultation and Participation with Populations Displaced by Conflict or Natural Disasters (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Oct. 2008) [text]

Out of Site: Building better responses to displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by helping host families (Oxfam, Sept. 2008) [text]

Protecting Internally Displaced Persons: A Manual for Law and Policymakers (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Oct. 2008) [text]

Returns at Any Cost: Spain’s Push to Repatriate Unaccompanied Children in the Absence of Safeguards (Human Rights Watch, Oct. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Latest UNHCR Publications from EXCOM, PDES, Public Health

Documents/Reports from the 59th Executive Committee Meeting:

- List of documents

- Refugee Realities: Meeting the needs of refugees and other people of concern globally. Global Needs Assessment, Pilot Report (Oct. 2008) [report launched during EXCOM; related web page; press release]

Evaluation Reports from the Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES):

- Evaluation of UNHCR’s efforts to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in
situations of forced displacement, PDES/2008/08 (Oct. 2008) [text]

- Evaluation of UNHCR's returnee reintegration programme in Southern Sudan, PDES/2008/05 (Sept. 2008) [text]

- Lessons learned from UNHCR's emergency operation for internally displaced persons in Kenya, PDES/2008/06 (Sept. 2008) [text]

- Review of UNHCR's efforts to prevent and respond to human trafficking, PDES/2008/07 (Sept. 2008) [text]

- The use of cash grants in UNHCR voluntary repatriation operations: Report of a "lessons learned" workshop, PDES/2008/09 (Sept. 2008) [text]

New Issues in Refugee Research Papers:

- Circular repatriation: the unsuccessful return and reintegration of Iraqis with refugee status in Denmark, no. 165 (Oct. 2008) [text]

- State failure and extra-legal justice: vigilante groups, civil militias and the rule of law in West Africa, no. 166 (Oct. 2008) [text]

Public Health & HIV Section:

- Global Annual Public Health Report 2007 (2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Research/Policy Papers: Displacement/DRC, IDPs/Sri Lanka, International Migration, Local Integration

Globalization, poverty and mobility: an introduction to the developmental dimensions of international migration, New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper, no. 164 (UNHCR, Sept. 2008) [text]

National Legal Framework for IDPs in Sri Lanka: A Critical Analysis, IPCS Research Papers (Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Sept. 2008) [text via Human Security Gateway]

Negotiating Rights: The Politics of Local Integration, Migration Studies Working Paper Series #41 (Forced Migration Studies Programme, Sept. 2008) [text]

Out of Site: Building better responses to displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by helping host families, Oxfam Research Report (Sept. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

New Issues of AWR, Conflict & Health, FMR, IMR, Refuge, REMI

AWR Bulletin, vol. 45, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles with one looking at asylum and immigration in Austria and Hungary.

Conflict and Health, 2:9 (30 Sept. 2008) [access]
- Includes article entitled "Users' guides to the medical literature: how to use an article about mortality in a humanitarian emergency."

Forced Migration Review, no. 31 (Sept. 2008) [full-text]
- The theme of this issue is "Climate Change and Displacement."

International Migration Review, vol. 42, no.3 (Sept. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol. 24, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- This issue focuses on "Les migrants caribéens."

Refuge: Canada's Periodical on Refugees, vol. 25, no. 1 (2008) [full-text]
- This issue focuses on the "Psychosocial Dimensions of the Refugee Experience." Note: Refuge issues are made available online 12 months after they are published.

Posted in Periodicals.

Free Access to Sage Journals

Sage Journals Online is offering free access to 500+ journals through the end of October 2008. Interested researchers are asked to register and create a login/password. Sage publishes a number of journal titles in the social sciences. A quick search just on "refugees" in article titles produces 389 results.

Posted in Web Sites/Tools.

Cross-posted on Researching Refugees.

Publications: Climate, Employment, EU Asylum Policy, Human Trafficking, Literature Review, Local Integration, Sri Lankan Refugees

Climate Wrongs and Human Rights: Putting people at the heart of climate-change policy (Oxfam, Aug. 2008) [text]

Employment Issues for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK (ICAR, Sept. 2008) [text]

FMO Research Guide: Local Integration (FMO, Aug. 2008) [text]

The French Presidency’s European Pact on Immigration and Asylum: Intergovernmentalism vs Europeanisation? Security vs Rights? (Centre for European Policy Studies, Sept. 2008) [access]

Globalisation, Transnationalism and Diaspora: A policy and literature review prepared as part of ICAR’s Refugee Rights and Responsibilities project (ICAR, Aug. 2008) [text]

"Millions Uprooted: Saving Refugees and the Displaced," Foreign Affairs, Sept./Oct. 2008 [preview]

Trafficking in women and girls: report of the Secretary-General, A/63/215 (Aug. 2008) [text via Refworld]

Travails of Sri Lankan Refugees (South Asia Analysis Group, Sept. 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Climate Change Resources, New...and Less New

The Refugee Studies Centre (RSC) has just released the following trio of resources that discuss the nexus between climate change and displacement.

Forced Migration Review no. 31 (Sept. 2008) [access]
- Articles provide definitions, case studies, possible solutions, and research agendas.

FMO Research Guide (Sept. 2008) [access]
- Provides an introduction to the issues.

FMO Resource Summary (Sept. 2008) [access]
- Provides lengthy list of links to relevant resources, both in FMO and elsewhere

For several additional resources not listed in the aforementioned summary, see:

- Development Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation & Poverty, "Migration and Climate Change Resource Guide" [access]

- Eldis Resource Guide, "Climate Change" [access]

- Human Security, Climate Change and Environmentally Induced Migration (UNU, Institute for Environment and Human Security, June 2008) [text]

- International Crisis Group, "Climate Change and Conflict" [access]

- Preparing for a Warmer World: Towards a Global Governance System to Protect Climate Refugees, Global Governance Working Paper, no. 33 (Global Governance Project, Nov. 2007) [text]

Posted in Periodicals, Publications and Web Sites.

New Issues of AJEM, Citizenship Stud., Dis. Prev. & Mgmt., JIRS, Reprod. Health

Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 23, no. 3 (August 2008) [full-text]
- Mix of articles with several focusing on communication during emergencies.

Citizenship Studies, vol. 12, no. 5 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Disaster Prevention and Management, vol. 17, no. 4 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, vol. 6, no. 1 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles including one on human trafficking in the U.S.

Reproductive Health Matters, vol. 16, no. 31 (May 2008) [contents]
- Special issue on reproductive health in crisis situations.

Posted in Periodicals.

Annual Reports: Country Reports, Failed States, Human Rights/South Asia, Humanitarian Accountability, Religious Freedom

The 2007 Humanitarian Accountability Report (HAP International, August 2008) [text]

2008 Report on International Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of State, Sept. 2008) [text]

Country reports 2007: Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine (ECRE, July 2008) [text]

Failed States Index 2008 (Foreign Policy & Fund for Peace, July/August 2008) [text]

South Asia Human Rights Index 2008 (Asian Centre for Human Rights, August 2008) [text]

Posted in Publications.

Publications: Asylum/EU, Displacement/Iraq & Great Lakes, Environmentally-induced Migration, Right to Return, UNHCR & NGOs

Great Lakes Pact and the Rights of Displaced People: A Guide for Civil Society (IDMC and IRRI, Sept. 2008) [English text] [French text]

Iraq's Refugee and IDP Crisis: Human Toll and Implications (Middle East Institute, August 2008) [text via Human Security Gateway]

"Persons displaced during conflicts have the right to return," Viewpoint of the Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights (Sept. 2008) [text]

Preliminary Findings from the EACH-FOR project on Environmentally Induced Migration (EACH-FOR Project Consortium, Sept. 2008) [text]

Reflecting on the French EU Presidency’s Pact on Immigration and Asylum (EurActiv, Sept. 2008) [text]

Report on UNHCR's Annual Consultations with Non-Governmental Organizations (25-27 June 2008, Geneva, Switzerland) (UNHCR, Sept. 2008) [text]
- See also link to Rapporteur's report.

Posted in Publications.

October Events

A number of conferences are taking place in October, including:

59th Session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme, 6-10 October 2008, Geneva [access]
- Organized by the UNHCR Secretariat.

"Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability," International Conference, 9-11 October 2008, Bonn [access]
- Organized by EACH-FOR and United Nations University's Institute for Environment and Human Security.

2008 Conference on Refugee Warehousing, 10-12 October 2008, Pittsburgh, USA [access]
- Organized by FORGEPitt (the Pittsburgh branch of the non-profit organization FORGE--Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment) and the Global Studies Department at the University of Pittsburgh.

"Ten Years of Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement," 16-17 October 2008, Oslo [access]
- Organized by the Norwegian MFA together with the Norwegian Refugee Council/IDMC and the Representative on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons/Brookings Institution.

13th International Metropolis Conference, "Mobility, Integration and Development in a Globalised World," 27-31 October 2008, Bonn [access]
- Hosted by the Ministry of Intergenerational Affairs, Family, Women and Integration of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia and its partners

While registration is closed for some of these meetings, the conference web sites offer a number of useful resources in advance of the sessions, such as background reports and related news. Moreover, a rapporteur's report is generally posted after the completion of the conference, often along with abstracts of presentations. Increasingly, conferences are also offering webcasts (video) or podcasts (audio) of the proceedings.

Posted in Events and Publications.

Publications: Climate Change, EXCOM Conclusions, Forced Evictions/Africa, IDPs, Peacebuilding, Protection/Europe, Returnees/Angola

Access to Protection at Airports in Europe (Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 2008) [text]

Evaluation of UNHCR’s returnee reintegration programme in Angola (UNHCR, August 2008) [text]

Forced Evictions and Disability Rights in Africa (GlobaLex, Sept. 2008) [text]

Humanitarian Implications of Climate Change: Mapping Emerging Trends and Risk Hotspots (CARE, August 2008) [text via ReliefWeb]

Listening to the Voices of the Displaced: Lessons Learned (Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, Sept. 2008) [text]

La protection subsidiaire en Europe: une mosaïque de droits (France Terre d'Asile, Sept. 2008) [exec. summary]

Refugees and the Regional Dynamics of Peacebuilding (Munk Centre for International Studies, 2008) [access via Human Security Gateway]

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

Posted in Publications.

More New Issues: Disasters, EJML

Disasters, vol. 32, no. 3 (Sept. 2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles.

European Journal of Migration and Law, vol. 10, no. 2 (2008) [contents]
- Mix of articles, including one on the detention of asylum-seekers.

Posted in Periodicals.

Conference: Building a Europe of Asylum

A conference was held in Paris on 8-9 September 2008 with the aim of preparing for the next phase of the Common European Asylum System. Called "Building a Europe of Asylum," participants included ministers from the 27 Member States of the European Union, the European
Commission, the European Parliament; representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration; and civil society advocates.

A brief report of the conference is now available, along with texts of speeches by the vice president of the European Commission, the High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Secretary-General of ECRE.

Posted in Events and Publications.

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.