Forced Migration Current Awareness

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011

2012-05-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices today. Some 200 countries are surveyed in this year's edition. Several changes in the production and format are described as follows:

This year, we made the human rights reports easier to read online. Readers can jump directly to topics of interest with a new table of contents, share reports on social media, and research topics across countries with the Build a Report tool. Our goal is to allow readers to gather information quickly across regions on the issues that most interest them.
We have also attempted to make the reports more accessible to a broader spectrum of readers. Over the past 35 years, the length of the human rights reports had expanded... . This year, we have developed a streamlined format for each country report. As a result, we do not attempt to catalog every incidence, however egregious, of a particular type of human rights abuse in a country. Rather, we spotlight examples that typify and illuminate the types of problems frequently reported in 2011 in that country. The mention of fewer cases in a particular report should not be interpreted as a lessening of concern for the overall human rights situation in any particular country. Rather, our goal is to shed light on the nature, scope, and severity of the reported human rights abuses. For the first time, we have also added an executive summary at the top of each report.

Previous editions can be accessed via my wiki.

Tagged Publications.

Amnesty International Report 2012

2012-05-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

Amnesty International released its flagship annual report today, a survey of the state of human rights in 155 countries and territories. In addition to country profiles, the report provides a global update, regional overviews, and facts and figures. Full-text downloads in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish are available.

Previous editions of the report can be accessed via my wiki.

Tagged Publications.

Focus on Africa

2012-05-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

Crisis in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel: The Cost of Late Response to Early Warnings, Washington, DC, 22 May 2012 [info]
- Audio of event available.

'If You Come Back We Will Kill You': Sexual Violence and Other Abuses against Congolese Migrants during Expulsions from Angola (Human Rights Watch, May 2012) [text]

In the Shelter of Each Other: Notions of Home and Belonging amongst Somali Refugees in Nairobi, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 233 (UNHCR, May 2012) [text]

Kenya-Sudan-South Sudan: Back in Kakuma Camp Again (IRIN, May 2012) [text]

Little Comfort for Mali’s Refugees in Bleak Burkina Faso (Refugees International Blog, May 2012) [text]
- Includes photo report.

Migration: Trauma Travels Too (IRIN, May 2012) [text]
- Psycho-social needs in Africa.

Struggling to Find Solutions: Liberian Refugees in Ghana, New Issues in Refugee Research, no. 234 (UNHCR, May 2012) [text]

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

New Resource: Collection of Papers

2012-05-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

Asylum, Migration and Humanitarian Action:

A Collection of Papers on Refugee-related Issues

by Jeff Crisp

Head, Policy Development and Evaluation Service,

UNHCR

1. Policy challenges of the new diasporas: migrant networks and their impact on asylum flows and regimes, 1999

2. "Who has counted the refugees?" UNHCR and the politics of numbers, 1999

3. A state of insecurity: the political economy of violence in refugee-populated areas of Kenya, 1999

4. Africa’s refugees: patterns, problems and policy challenges, 2000

5. Mind the gap! UNHCR, humanitarian assistance and the development process, 2001

6. Refugee protection and migration management: the challenge for UNHCR, 2002 (with Damtew Dessalegne)

7. No solutions in sight: the problem of protracted refugee situations in Africa, 2003

8. A new asylum paradigm? Globalization, migration and the uncertain future of the international refugee regime, 2003

9. The local integration and local settlement of refugees: a conceptual and historical analysis, 2004

10. Forced displacement in Africa: dimensions, difficulties and policy directions, 2006

11. Beyond the nexus: UNHCR’s evolving perspective on refugee protection and international migration, 2008

12. Globalization, poverty and mobility: an introduction to the developmental dimensions of international migration, 2008

13. A surrogate state? The role of UNHCR in protracted refugee situations, 2009 (with Amy Slaughter)

14. In harms way: the irregular movement of migrants to Southern Africa from the Horn and Great Lakes regions, 2011 (with Katy Long)

Tagged Publications.

Migration-related Items

2012-05-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

Upcoming event:

Call for Papers: Reconfiguring Borders and Mobility in Times of Crisis, Copenhagen, 26-28 September 2012 [info]
- Submit an abstract by 28 May 2012.

Publications:

Developing a Road Map for Engaging Diasporas in Development: A Handbook for Policymakers and Practitioners in Home and Host Countries (IOM & Migration Policy Institute, April 2012) [access]

Handbook of Research Methods in Migration (Edward Elgar, March 2012) [info]
- "Covering both qualitative and quantitative topics, the expert contributors explore fundamental issues of scientific logic, methodology and methods to practical applications of different techniques and approaches in migration research."

"Migration and Development Buzz? Rethinking the Migration Development Nexus and Policies," Special issue of International Migration, vol. 50, no. 3 (June 2012) [contents]

The Migration Industry and Future Directions for Migration Policy (DIIS, April 2012) [text]

Migration Policy Practice (IOM & Eurasylum) [access]
- Bimonthly review for policymakers.

Moving to Safety: Migration Consequences of Complex Crises, Geneva, 24-25 April 2012 [access]
- "The key objectives of the workshop are to gain a better understanding of the variety of migratory patterns that can result from complex crises; to examine the usefulness of migration policy tools in addressing crises; and to raise awareness of the role of mobility in overcoming crises, specifically the predicament of 'trapped' populations, unable to move."

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Events & Opportunities: June 2012

2012-05-21T11:15:00.001-04:00

THP Global Hearing on Refugees and Migration, The Hague, 4-5 June 2012 [info]
- Aim is to "evaluate the trends, advances and challenges that have defined the field of refugees and migration in the last ten years. Representatives from the broad community of stakeholders will have the opportunity to collaborate in developing a new road map for the decade to come."

Summer School: European Law and Policy on Immigration and Asylum, Brussels, 2-13 July 2012 [info]
- Application deadline is 8 June 2012.

"Contested Spaces and Cartographic Challenges," IASFM14, Kolkata, India, 6-9 January 2013 [info]
- Note: The deadline for submitting papers has been extended to 15 June 2012.

Call for articles: "Preventing Displacement," Forced Migration Review [info]
- The deadline has been extended to 25 June 2012.

"Unsettling Resettlement," Center for Forced Migration Studies' Summer Institute, Evanston, IL, 8-14 July 2012 [info]
- Registration is open through 30 June 2012 for non-visa applicants.

Tagged Events & Opportunities.

Focus on Children

2012-05-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

The final report of a COMPAS project on undocumented migrant children in the UK has just been released: No Way Out, No Way In: Irregular Migrant Children and Families in the UK.

Other new resources that focus on children include:

"Children and Young People in Immigration Detention," Current Opinion in Psychiatry, Advance Access, 7 May 2012 [abstract]
- "This article reviews evidence about the impact of immigration detention and other restrictive immigration policies on the mental health of children, young people and the adults who care for them."

"Children and Young People who are Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons or Survivors or Perpetrators of War, Mass Violence and Terrorism," Current Opinion in Psychiatry, Advance Access, 7 May 2012 [abstract]
- "This article draws upon articles published since 2009 to identify research evidence about the psychosocial aspects of children and young people's responses to their exposure to war, collective violence and terrorism."

Innovation through Refugee Children’s Participation (Centre for Migration Policy Research, 2012) [info]
- New project funded by Humanitarian Innovation Fund small grant.

"Medical, Statistical, Ethical and Human Rights Considerations in the Assessment of Age in Children and Young People Subject to Immigration Control," British Medical Bulletin, Advance Access, 14 May 2012 [abstract]
- "The article reviews the existing evidence on the reliability of medical and non-medical techniques for the assessment of chronological age."

Navigating the System: Advice Provision for Young Refugees and Migrants (Children's Legal Centre, May 2012) [text]

Not a Minor Offence: Unaccompanied Children Locked Up as Part of the Asylum System (Refugee Council, May 2012) [text]

Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict: Advancing the Agenda of the Last 10 Years (UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, March 2012) [text via ReliefWeb]
- Conference report.

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.

Focus on Asia

2012-05-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

Burmese Refugee Women and the Gendered Politics of Exile, Reconstruction and Human Rights (Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, 2012) [text]

"Burmese Refugees Not Tempted by New Myanmar," Wall Street Journal, 16 May 2012 [text via Refugee Caselaw Blog]

India Needs an Asylum Policy (The Asylumist, May 2012) [text]

The Search: Protection Space in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines and Cambodia in Practice (JRS Asia Pacific, 2012) [info]

UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Members of Religious Minorities from Pakistan (UNHCR, May 2012) [text]

Tagged Publications.

Maps/Multimedia

2012-05-16T10:45:00.000-04:00

Asylum Seekers Mapped: Where Did They Come from Where Are They Going? (DataBlog, April 2012) [access]

Dublin's Trap: Another Side of the Greek Crisis (Vimeo, April 2012) [access]

Expert Q&As (Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement, May 2012)
- The Evolution of Internally Displaced Persons Policy [access]
- The Importance of International Support for the Internally Displaced [access]
- The Project on Internal Displacement [access]

Helsinki Refugee Film Festival [access]
- Check back for film schedules.

Migrant Boat Tragedy – Interactive (The Guardian, March 2012) [access]

The Plight of Internally Displaced Persons (Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement, April 2012) [access]

Tagged Web Sites/Tools.

Focus on Africa/Africans

2012-05-16T10:30:00.000-04:00

Internal Displacement in Africa: An Overview of Trends and Opportunities, Presentation at "African Refugee and Immigrant Lives: Conflict, Consequences, and Contributions," Arlington, VA, 2-4 May 2012 [text]

Ownership and Sense of Belonging for the Displaced: Integrating Somali Refugees into Wellington City, Thesis submitted to the School of Architecture (Victoria University of Wellington, April 2012) [text]

Rights Displaced: The Effects of Long-term Encampment on the Human Rights of Refugees, Working Paper, no. 4 (Refugee Law Initiative, May 2012) [text]

Rwandan Refugees Face no Choice but Repatriation (Open Democracy, May 2012) [text]

UNHCR Position on Returns to Mali (UNHCR, May 2012) [text]

Tagged Publications and Events & Opportunities.