Dear Deeply Readers,
Welcome to the archives of Refugees Deeply. While we paused regular publication of the site on April 1, 2019, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on refugees and migration. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors and contributors.
We continue to produce events and special projects while we explore where the on-site journalism goes next. If you’d like to reach us with feedback or ideas for collaboration you can do so at [email protected].
Exploring the laws and policies that govern how refugees are treated by nations and by the international community.
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Amid nascent efforts to introduce labor protections for migrant domestic workers in the Gulf, women who returned to Ethiopia describe why working in the Middle East entails both great dangers and opportunities, and how the experience changed their lives in complex ways.
Amid nascent efforts to introduce labor protections for migrant domestic workers in the Gulf, women who returned to Ethiopia describe why working in the Middle East entails both great dangers and opportunities, and how the experience changed their lives in complex ways.
Mark Yarnell Senior Advocate, Refugees International
More than one in 10 internally displaced people are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Mark Yarnell of Refugees International describes millions of IDPs falling between the cracks of a humanitarian system in urgent need of reform.
Debora Del Pistoia Freelance Journalist
The campaign to detain, harass and deport thousands of African migrants is about politics, not past agreements with Niger. Debora Del Pistoia looks past the excuses at the reality of a xenophobic crackdown.
Fabian Wagner Former Co-Spokesperson, Federation of Young European Greens
Bribing West African states with E.U. aid money does nothing to compensate for their loss of remittances, writes activist Fabian Wagner. He condemns the bullying of Mali to get it to readmit migrants.
Michael Dempsey National Intelligence Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Policymakers should take note of the latest U.N. global displacement figures for reasons both moral and arising from shared interests, says former U.S. acting director of national intelligence Michael Dempsey. He recommends three policy actions in response.
Marta Foresti
Public outcry over U.S. and European policies towards migrants is not enough, nor are idealistic solutions; instead we need politically viable policy alternatives, argues Marta Foresti of the Overseas Development Institute.
Jeremy Konyndyk Former Director, OFDA
The U.S. pick for IOM chief should clarify his views and repudiate the White House’s migration demagoguery, otherwise member-states should reject him in this week’s vote, Jeremy Konyndyk from the Center For Global Development writes for IRIN.
Lena Riemer Deputy Managing Director, Graduate School Human Rights under Pressure
Alleged corruption in Germany’s asylum system has been used recklessly to advance a hardline agenda, says researcher Lena Riemer, describing an agency under huge strain, not a hotbed of corruption.
The Gesher Clinic in Jaffa is down to opening nine hours a week despite the overwhelming need for mental healthcare. Its patients, many of whom survived Sinai torture camps, face an uncertain future.
In the latest Deeply Talk, we discussed the findings of our Niger investigation and whether they resonate with policymakers. Elizabeth Collett, head of the Migration Policy Institute Europe explained the view from Brussels, while Bram Frouws from the Mixed Migration Center talked about how smugglers and routes are adapting.
Local authorities are often responsible for supporting refugees, but excluded from resources and policymaking. We talk to Frederic Vallier, secretary-general of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, about why cities should have a seat at the table.
Nicholas Maple PhD Student, The Refugee Law Initiative
Bucking global trends, Zambia has adopted more refugee-friendly policies amid a rising number of arrivals. Based on his research in Zambia, Nicholas Maple explains the authoritarian politics behind the progressive shift and the implications for advocates.
As part of our series, “When Refugees Lead,” we speak with Fatemeh Khavari, the 18-year-old Afghan founder and spokesperson of Young in Sweden (Ung I Sverige), which campaigns against the deportation of unaccompanied refugee minors.
Mark Akkerman Researcher, Stop Wapenhandel & Transnational Institute (TNI)
In austerity-stricken Europe, increasing funds are flowing to arms and security firms positioning themselves as experts on border control. Researcher Mark Akkerman documents the companies profiting from E.U. border externalization and the industry’s lobbying power.
Jessica Brandt FELLOW, BROOKINGS
Will two years of work on the Global Compact on Refugees produce more than a piece of paper? Jessica Brandt of the Brookings Institution argues that the involvement of mayors and other urban leaders is critical to the Compact’s success.
How the EU’s migration obsession turned world’s 2nd poorest country into a laboratory for short-term policies.
Gonzalo Fanjul Head of Research, porCausa Foundation
Spain’s migration control policies in North Africa dating back over a decade are now replicated across the E.U. Gonzalo Fanjul outlines PorCausa’s investigation into Spain’s migration control industry and its warning signs for the rest of Europe.
Meet the Italians driven by a sense of history and humanity to identify the refugees and migrants who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean.
Kate Hooper Associate Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute’s International Program
Europe’s proposal to consolidate migration spending will draw from development aid funds to help curb migration, even though the evidence shows that migration can bring development benefits, writes Kate Hooper of the Migration Policy Institute.
A controversial Swiss decision to review the status of 3,200 Eritrean asylum seekers may have dangerous consequences in Israel, where it has been cited as a precedent for returning Eritreans to Eritrea, says researcher Shani Bar-Tuvia.
Tanzania has a long history of welcoming refugees, but the government’s attitude is hardening at a time when worsening tensions in Burundi threaten a fresh exodus, Charlie Ensor reports for IRIN News.
Maja Janmyr Professor of International Migration Law, University of Oslo
As Lebanon holds elections, key politicians have stepped up tough talk on returning Syrian refugees. Maja Janmyr unpacks the political and legal basis of Lebanese opposition to refugee integration and to the international demand that returns must be voluntary.
Yotam Gidron Associate with the International Refugee Rights Initiative
Israel’s plan to send African asylum seekers to Uganda and Rwanda put years-long secret deals up for public and legal scrutiny. Yotam Gidron of the International Refugee Rights Initiative explains how Israel’s African deals over refugee transfers fell apart.
As part of our series ‘When Refugees Lead,’ we speak with Kathy Tran, a refugee from Vietnam who became the first Vietnamese-American elected to Virginia’s state legislature last year.
Tristan Harley PhD Candidate, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at the University of New South Wales in Sydney
The Global Compact on Refugees is an opportunity to build a fairer global refugee system through more effective and equitable sharing of responsibility for refugees. The Kaldor Center’s Tristan Harley examines various unresolved issues.
Uganda has lifted a ban on its citizens going to Saudi Arabia and Jordan as domestic workers. But human rights groups say abuse is still rife.
Judith Sunderland Associate Europe Director, Human Rights Watch, Milan
Italian judge’s releases rescue ship but upholds legal fiction of Libyan search and rescue zone. Judith Sunderland from Human Rights Watch explains why the contradiction matters.
Felix Bender Doctoral Candidate, Central European University in Budapest
Despite the concern over Hungary’s slide into authoritarianism the E.U. is silent over human rights violations against refugees. Budapest-based researcher Felix Bender explains why.
Since 2011, Forced Migration Review has chosen to avoid showing close-up images or faces. In the latest from our series on Picturing Refugees, editors Marion Couldrey and Jenny Peebles tell Refugees Deeply why.
In our latest Deeply Talks, we spoke with IOM’s Leonard Doyle and transnational crime expert Tuesday Reitano about how companies like Facebook should respond to the use of their platforms by people smugglers.
At least 11 Congolese refugees were killed at a protest outside a U.N. refugee agency office in Rwanda in February. We examine why refugees were protesting, how the U.N. and Rwandan authorities responded and the refugees’ quest for accountability.
Belsy Garcia Manrique, a 27-year-old medical student in Chicago, came to America from Guatemala as a child and is protected under DACA. But her 51-year-old father Felix is set for deportation after 23 years in the U.S. Manrique told her story to Tania Karas.
Louise Arbour Special Representative for International Migration, United Nations
It takes a great political leader to make the case for smart policy on migration - drawing on evidence and rational argument while addressing real vulnerabilities and fears, says U.N. Special Representative for International Migration Louise Arbour.
Giulia Lagana Leads the Open Society European Policy Institute’s Analysis and Advocacy on E.U. Policies on Migration and Asylum
In response to a recent proposal on how Italy can combine effective migration control with human rights, policy expert Giulia Lagana argues that the plan lacks the very political realism that it accuses the human rights community of neglecting.
Matteo de Bellis Researcher on Asylum and Migration, Amnesty International
Italy’s seizure of an NGO rescue ship has refocused attention on how Europe outsourced control of the central Mediterranean to the Libyan Coast Guard. Amnesty International’s Matteo de Bellis examines the legal and humanitarian issues at stake.
Since democracy returned to The Gambia last year, many Gambians are coming home, including from Libya with E.U. aid. Some returnees are warning others against the journey, but many are frustrated that returns and deterrence took precedence over reintegration and jobs.
Dr. Melissa Phillips Formerly Worked for the Danish Refugee Council in Libya and the Middle East
Lucy Hovil Senior Research Associate, International Refugee Rights Initiative
While the legal distinction between refugees and migrants is vital, these categories often overlap in reality – a fact poorly reflected in aid programs. Lucy Hovil and Melissa Phillips argue that an integrated approach is possible without diluting protection.
On the second anniversary of the E.U.-Turkey deal that curbed refugee boats to Greece, experts from Turkey, Greece and Germany weigh in on the agreement’s impact on refugees and on Europe.
Gerald Knaus Founding Director, European Stability Initiative
John Dalhuisen ESI Senior Fellow and Former Director for Europe at Amnesty International
Speeding up asylum decisions and stepping up returns offer Italy’s politicians an effective and decent answer to public anger over migration. John Dalhuisen and Gerald Knaus say that the human rights lobby must recognize the alternative is far worse.
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