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41. World Bank Financing to Support Refugees and Their Hosts: Recommendations for IDA19

Author:
Lauren Post, Cindy Huang, and Sarah Charles
Publication Date:
06-2019
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Center for Global Development (CGD)
Abstract:
In its 18th replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA18, covering 2017–2020), the World Bank made a game-changing decision to create a US$2 billion financing window to support low-income countries hosting large numbers of refugees.[1] This financing is significant for two key reasons. First, in its scale and scope, the Refugee Sub-Window (RSW) is responsive to both the programmatic and policy needs of protracted refugee crises. Second, in supporting both refugees and their host communities, the RSW aligns refugee responses with host countries’ national development plans.
Topic:
Development, World Bank, Refugees, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:
Global Focus

42. The Return of Internally Displaced Persons: Patterns, Possibilities and Gaps in Knowledge

Author:
Megan Bradley
Publication Date:
12-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University (ISID)
Abstract:
• An estimated 41.3 million people are internally displaced worldwide, constituting 60% of those displaced by conflict. Though low for both groups, rates of return are higher among IDPs than refugees, with an estimated 16% returning to their areas of origin in 2016. Return of IDPs largely occurs outside of official programs or with minimal support. The lack of available data makes it unclear whether return functions as a durable solution for IDPs. • In national laws and policies, return is often presented as the “preferred” approach to resolving displacement, although IDPs have the right to choose alternate durable solutions such as local integration. Important normative developments help clarify when return represents a durable solution for IDPs. Debates are ongoing on what respect for the right of return requires in cases of internal displacement. • More attention is needed to returns in the context of ongoing conflict, the relationship between refugee repatriation and internal displacement, and the risk that returning refugees may become IDPs. Greater international support should be devoted to return movements, taking into account returnees’ own strategies and perspectives.
Topic:
Migration, Refugees, and Internal Displacement
Political Geography:
Global Focus

43. The Return of Internally Displaced Persons: Patterns, Possibilities and Gaps in Knowledge

Author:
Megan Bradley
Publication Date:
12-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University (ISID)
Abstract:
• An estimated 41.3 million people are internally displaced worldwide, constituting 60% of those displaced by conflict. Though low for both groups, rates of return are higher among IDPs than refugees, with an estimated 16% returning to their areas of origin in 2016. Return of IDPs largely occurs outside of official programs or with minimal support. The lack of available data makes it unclear whether return functions as a durable solution for IDPs. • In national laws and policies, return is often presented as the “preferred” approach to resolving displacement, although IDPs have the right to choose alternate durable solutions such as local integration. Important normative developments help clarify when return represents a durable solution for IDPs. Debates are ongoing on what respect for the right of return requires in cases of internal displacement. • More attention is needed to returns in the context of ongoing conflict, the relationship between refugee repatriation and internal displacement, and the risk that returning refugees may become IDPs. Greater international support should be devoted to return movements, taking into account returnees’ own strategies and perspectives.
Topic:
Migration, Refugees, and Internal Displacement
Political Geography:
Global Focus

44. Mitigating the Effects of Trauma among Young Children of Immigrants and Refugees: The Role of Early Childhood Programs

Author:
Maki Park and Caitlin Katsiaficas
Publication Date:
04-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
A child’s early years are a time of exceptional growth, and ones that can be profoundly affected by traumatic experiences. Research has firmly disproven the idea that infants and toddlers are “too young” to be affected by such experiences, leading to an increased awareness of the need for trauma-informed services for children. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs have the potential to play a central role in identifying and addressing the effects of trauma, with lifelong benefits. Discussions of how to build a trauma-informed approach into ECEC programs, however, generally do not take into account the unique experiences of children of refugees and other immigrants. For example, children who are themselves refugees may have experienced persecution and flight, while U.S.-born children with refugee parents may be affected by such experiences secondhand. Other postmigration stressors, such as chronic exposure to discrimination or, among families with unauthorized immigrant members, fear of deportation can also affect young children’s socioemotional and cognitive development. This issue brief explores the types of trauma that may affect young children in immigrant families, what the effects of those experiences may be, and what can be done to protect children against them. Among these opportunities: promoting the systematic use of mental health screening tools that are appropriate both for young children and for use across cultures, and boosting collaboration between ECEC providers, health services, and organizations that work with immigrants to ensure that young children and their families are referred to needed services in a timely fashion.
Topic:
Education, Children, Refugees, Immigrants, and Trauma
Political Geography:
Global Focus

45. Migration, Development, and Global Governance: From Crisis toward Consolidation

Author:
Kathleen Newland
Publication Date:
06-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
International migration is inherently an issue that links countries together. But divergent goals and concerns among the world’s origin, transit, and destination countries have meant that until recently, there has been little agreement on what form international cooperation on migration should take. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, adopted by the vast majority of states in December 2018, marks what the author of this policy brief describes as “an important milestone in international cooperation on what has been the global issue most resistant to compromise.” This brief is the culmination of a collaborative project between the Migration Policy Institute and the German Development Cooperation Agency that has provided a development perspective on the Global Compact. It has tracked the compact’s negotiation and begun to look ahead to its implementation, exploring some of the most important and complex questions at the heart of this process, such as: What is the relationship between migration and development? How does labor mobility affect development in migrants’ countries of origin? How has the governance of international migration changed in recent years, and how is it likely to change going forward? The brief draws together key findings on these and other timely topics—including migrant returns and reintegration, and how development assistance could help refugee-hosting countries build effective humanitarian protection systems.
Topic:
Development, Migration, Immigration, Governance, and Refugees
Political Geography:
Global Focus

46. Refugee Sponsorship Programs: A Global State of Play and Opportunities for Investment

Author:
Susan Fratzke, Lena Kainz, Hanne Beirens, Emma Dorst, and Jessica Bolter
Publication Date:
12-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Abstract:
A pair of contradictory trends is challenging humanitarian protection systems around the world: the number of refugees in need of protection has climbed to an all-time high, while at the same time, many countries have reduced their commitments to refugee resettlement. With protection needs high and generosity low, it has become more important to find new ways for refugees to reach safety and to rebuild public consensus around the value of offering protection to those in need. To meet these challenges, governments and civil-society groups in a growing number of countries have begun to explore refugee sponsorship (also called community or private sponsorship), either as a complement or alternative to traditional protection pathways. This MPI Europe policy brief takes stock of sponsorship programs worldwide—from the well-established Canadian private sponsorship program, to much newer and smaller-scale initiatives in countries such as Argentina, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Although government investment and support for such programs are essential, this study also lays out a variety of ways private philanthropic actors can support these programs. Among them: funding the development of informational materials and hotlines for sponsors; investing in program infrastrucrture, such as staff positions within civil-society organizations; and monitoring and evaluation by civil society and/or government. Crucially, the authors note that while much effort in recent years has gone into developing and launching new initiatives, existing programs also face important capacity and funding gaps. “To ensure the capacity of refugee protection systems at a global level,” they write, “strengthening these programs should be viewed as a priority equal in importance to setting up new schemes.”
Topic:
Immigration, Law, Refugees, Investment, and Asylum
Political Geography:
Global Focus

47. Literature Review: Drivers of Migration

Author:
Jana Kuhnt
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:
Why do people leave their homes? This seemingly easy question requires a more complex answer. What ultimately prompts a person to leave if it is impossible to find a job due to a conflict that has destroyed all economic opportunities? Evidence suggests that the migration decision is a complex process that is dependent on a multitude of factors, such as migration governance regimes, migration and smuggler networks, access to technology, or individual characteristics such as age, gender and educational background. I use a theoretical framework to present the variety of determinants that have been put forward as influencing migration decisions at the macro-, meso-, and micro-level. This structured overview discusses their importance for different forms of migration and subsequently helps to identify gaps for further research.
Topic:
Migration, Immigration, Refugees, and Economic Development
Political Geography:
Germany and Global Focus

48. From Global Refugee Norms to Local Realities: Implementing the Global Compact on Refugees in Kenya

Author:
Eva Dick and Markus Rudolf
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Abstract:
Adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in December 2018, the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and its Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) point to a paradigm shift in international refugee policy. The social and economic independence of refugees in destination countries and communities in particular is to be increased. In return, the international community commits to engage in burden- and responsibility-sharing by supporting hosting countries and communities with knowledge and resources. With this new deal, the UN announced its intention to break existing vicious cycles of displacement and dependence on aid in order to ensure that refugees and host communities benefit equally from the measures. The East African nation of Kenya is one of 15 pilot countries working to promote the implementation of the CRRF. The Kenyan Government pledged at the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016 to integrate refugees more effectively and involve them in national and local development planning processes. It underscored its commitments in March 2017 in the context of the regional Nairobi Declaration and Action Plan (NAP). While the national operational plan announced at the time has not yet been adopted, individual commitments are already being implemented. These also include the (further) development of the integrated refugee settlement of Kalobeyei in Turkana Country in the far north-west of the country, a project supported by the international community as part of the CRRF, but originally initiated at local level. The example of Kenya and Turkana County shows that the (capacity for) implementation of global agreements depends not least on the specific interests of sub-national actors. Requirements of the CRRF, such as better infrastructure for refugees and host communities, are compatible with the local government’s economic development priorities. The capacity of Kenyan counties to take action has also been improved as a result of the decentralisation process in 2010. To a certain degree at least, counties can challenge the national security-related narratives which restrict the opportunities of refugees to participate in society to this day. In neighbouring Tanzania, implementation of the CRRF failed due in no small part to the fact that barely any consideration was given to the concerns of local actors in the nation’s centralised political system. Based on our analysis, we make the following recommendations for German development policy: Local state and non-governmental actors should be involved in drafting global norms and dialogue between municipalities should be promoted, Partner governments should be made aware of the benefits of integrating refugees and political and administrative implementation should be supported, Local stakeholders should be actively involved and supported in the planning and prioritisation of refugee integration strategies.
Topic:
United Nations, Refugees, International Community, and Norms
Political Geography:
Kenya, Africa, and Global Focus

49. Refugees Without Refuge: Turning Refugees Into Terrorists

Author:
Anjum Gupta, Elizabeth Foydel, and Dorothy Harbeck
Publication Date:
04-2019
Content Type:
Video
Institution:
Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR), Rutgers University School of Law
Abstract:
This panel was part of the "Casting Terror: Intersection of Race and Security Law in a Post 9-11 World" symposium focusing on the intersection of islamophobia and refugee and national security law.
Topic:
National Security, Race, Terrorism, Law, Refugees, Islamophobia, and Asylum
Political Geography:
North America, Global Focus, and United States of America

50. Assessment of the #IBelong Campaign Mid-Point and the High-Level Segment on Statelessness

Author:
Carol Batchelor
Publication Date:
12-2019
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Statelessness & Citizenship Review
Institution:
Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness, Melbourne Law School
Abstract:
7 October 2019 marked a critical moment in the #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness.1 This decade long undertaking, launched in 2014 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (‘UNHCR’), reached its mid-point this year. As part of the annual Executive Committee meeting, UNHCR held a High Level Segment on Statelessness to assess the status of the Campaign: achievements and successes in the first five years from 2014–19, and remaining areas to be addressed in the last half of the Campaign from 2019–24.2 In order to concretise efforts to fill any identified gaps, and thereby end statelessness by 2024, participants including states, international and regional organisations, and non-governmental organisations (‘NGOs’) were invited to make concrete, timebound and measurable pledges for action. In a watershed moment for the Campaign, it received over 350 pledges from a scope of actors to take steps that will play a role in ending statelessness by 2024.3Statelessness is a surreal problem for those afflicted by it. Without a nationality in any country, stateless persons are often relegated to the fringes of society. Many stateless people are not able to undertake daily functions necessary for survival, such as having a legitimate job or doing things that require identification and legal status such as marrying, going to school, getting medical treatment, owning property or traveling. Even leaving the house to shop for groceries can result in detention when an individual cannot show who they are, where they come from, or where they belong in legal terms. In a world composed of states, statelessness is a condition of exclusion, fear and a lack of attachment or belonging
Topic:
United Nations, Refugees, Humanitarian Crisis, and Stateless Population
Political Geography:
Global Focus