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.