Corri Zoli, Ph.D.Director of Research/

Assistant Research ProfessorInstitute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT)

College of Law/Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

LAW831:INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE&ASYLUM LAW &POLICY

INTRODUCTION: Geopolitical Trends

Understanding the Current Landscape

Aug 21, 2017: Week 1

CONTENTS:

1. Inquiry: Why study the international legal dimensions to the movement of peoples today?

2. Why are people on the move today & how significant is the problem?

3. Do we know its causes? Solutions?4. What role can law and policy play?5. Interdisciplinary approach of the course…

Q2. DATA & CONTEXT:Why are people moving today & how big is the problem?

v Unprecedented 65+Mpeoplegloballyareforciblydisplacedfromhomes—surpassedthe50Mforciblydisplaced(2013)duringWWII,theerathatbroughtustheRefugeeConventionof1951.

v Amongthese,22Marerefugees—morethan50%under18:childrenareremarkablyvulnerableinthisnewera.

v 10Mstatelesspeople deniednationalityandaccesstobasicrightsofeducation,healthcare,employmentandfreedomofmovement—globalizationanditschallengesareerodingestablishedpoliticalcategoriesofbelonging.

vTrendlines&totalsv Historyv Source&HostNations

UNHCR2015data

UNHCR2015data

UNHCR2016data

Totalnumbersbycategoryofperson,2010-2016

History:ForcedMigration

2016

Q3. CAUSES? IMPLIED SOLUTIONS?

vConflict & postconflict transitionvPersecution, OppressionvEconomicsvClimate change?vGovernance & repressionvLack of rule of law

Globalsecuritythreatsanddesignations

Top 10 EU countries receiving asylum applications, Jan-Sept 2015

EU TERRORISTATTACKS

2015-2017Paris2015(130KIA):9ISIS,mostBelgian-FrenchofArabdescent;2Iraqis;exploitedimmigrationcrisis,Syrianpassports,flows,bordersNice2016(86KIA):ISISTunisianBouhlel;5accomplices,mostFrench-Tunisian;smuggledmoneytofamilyinTunisia(criminal-terrorismnexus)Brussels2016airport&metro:(32KIA)ISIS5attackers,4Belgian-Moroccan,1SwedishSyrian,leader(Abaaoud operatedinSyria)Manchesterattacks2017:SalmanAbedi,Libyan-Brit,traveledtoLibya,knowntoMI5

Multi-Source Data Trends: Religion• Christians&Muslims,world’s

largestgroups,mostwidelyharassedfaiths:102and99states,respectively.

• Religiouspersecution&hostility(discrimination,violence)ontheriseglobally—withsomestandoutvictims(minorities)

• Anti-Semitismincrease:“therehasbeenamarkedincreaseinthenumberofcountrieswhereJewswereharassed,”to77,apeak.Theproblemismoresocialthangovernment,andisevidentin34of45European nations.

Religion=“FirstFreedom”(i.e.FirstAmendment)enablingothercivilliberties;hence,religiousdiscriminationisgatewayindicator ofrisingstate/socialoppression.

Q4: ROLE OF LAW?What role can law and policy play? Interdisciplinary approach of the course…• PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW:Lawbetweensovereignnationstatesincontextsofwar,peace,security,andprotectionofterritories.• INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION LAW:Internationallawthatgovernsthemovementofpeoplebetweenstates.• INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE &ASYLUM LAW:Lawcoveringforcedmigrationanddisplacement

Public International Law

1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of

Refugees

International humanitarian lawInternational human rights law

International criminal law

Other instruments (Torture, Smuggling)

Regional Law

Domestic Law

Soft Law; UNHCR

PrivateInternationalLaw

Conflictoflaws

Legal Definition of RefugeeArt. 1 of the Convention as amended by 1967 Protocol:

“A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”

Q4: COMPARATIVE LAW? GLOBAL LEGALISM

International rule of law, built global systems of laws and institutions, effective even in the absence of legitimate institutions of governance.

SOME SUCCESS STORIES…

A NOTE ON DATA(UNHCR)

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also known as the UN Refugee Agency,