5 February-16 March 2020 (E07220) | Canceled
Instructor: Frank Elbers
Forced migration is one of today’s major international challenges and lies at the heart of the fundamental concepts of humanity and equality. War, conflict, environmental and human catastrophes, as well as the effects of globalisation and economic polarisation, compels individuals to move in search of safety and stability. This e-learning course introduces participants to the international and regional systems and standards of refugee protection from historical, legal, theoretical and practical perspectives. It also analyses special protection mechanisms such as complementary or temporary protection. The mounting challenges to refugee protection resulting from a growth in mixed migration, and rising xenophobia will also be examined. The linkages between human rights law, humanitarian law and refugee law are analysed in views of states’ compliance with legal and ethical obligations. Special attention is given to the three durable solutions for refugees (repatriation, local integration and resettlement) and reflects on some of the key challenges presented by each of them.
The particular challenges presented by complex emergencies and mass influxes are discussed as are the responses developed by the international community to effective humanitarian aid delivery, such as the “cluster approach”. The critical importance of approaching refugee populations as heterogeneous groups with differing needs and resources is explained, and approaches to the identification of and response to special protection needs of vulnerable individuals within the community discussed.