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Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The tragic earthquake in Sumatra, the tsunami in Samoa and the typhoon that hit the Philippines are just the latest in an increasing number of natural disasters. Last year alone natural disasters affected over 200 million people, killing 16,000 and displacing close to 50 million. Elizabeth Ferris evaluates the international capacity to respond to major disasters and argues that more should be done to reduce their impact.
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Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Central America is a region constantly exposed to risks from natural disasters. It is important for governments to develop a human rights based approach to disaster response in order to decrease the likelihood of human rights violations of the victims of natural disasters. In order to promote the development of such strategies as well as strengthen the cooperation of humanitarian and human rights agencies in the field, CONRED, CEPREDENAC, and the Brookings-Bern Project, with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland, convened a workshop on disaster response and protection in situations of natural disaster in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
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Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
People affected by natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes, and other calamities often face urgent protection needs that may not be immediately visible to humanitarian actors caught up in trying to provide water, food, shelter, medical care and other lifesaving assistance. In this paper, Elizabeth Ferris and Diane Paul provide an overview of protection challenges confronting those affected by natural disasters.
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Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The effects of rapid climate change have led to an increase in natural disasters. The international system is seeking to strengthen and expand its approaches in responding to natural disasters, reflecting a sense of urgency and fresh perspectives. A more coordinated, adaptable and rights-based approach to sustainable development may offer vulnerable populations the ability to protect themselves from natural disasters.
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Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In most societies, citizens have more interaction with municipal authorities than with national government officials. The same is true in Colombia. However, policies that address displacement are often developed by the national government and left to the municipal authorities to implement. In this report, the Brookings-Bern Project presents the issues discussed at a workshop for municipal authorities in how to better respond to the needs of Colombia's IDPs.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Displacement is one of the tragic consequences of conflict. Elizabeth Ferris argues that once a conflict ends, resolving displacement and preventing future displacement is inextricably linked with achieving a lasting peace.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On May 16, 2009, the Sri Lankan government announced that it had overrun the last insurgent stronghold and that 26 years of civil conflict had finally come to an end. Despite the end of the war, the humanitarian emergency continues. And, as Elizabeth Ferris argues, the underlying causes of the Tamils' demands—whether for autonomy or simply greater respect for their human rights—have yet to be addressed.
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Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Recently discussion has turned to the prospects for the large-scale return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Iraq. More than 4 million Iraqis have been displaced, either internally or externally. And while the Iraqi and US governments, policymakers in the region, and humanitarian actors assume that most will return to Iraq in the near future, Elizabeth Ferris points out that experience with other displacement crises indicates that return will be neither automatic nor straightforward.
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Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
South Asia is a "theater for disaster." In the past decade alone floods, cyclones, earthquakes, droughts, and a devastating tsunami destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives and livelihoods and left millions more homeless. In each disaster, humanitarian responders rushed to the scene to preserve human life and reduce immediate suffering. However, many times, human rights protection has been a secondary concern. This new report, based on a regional meeting in Chennai, India, discusses the challenges in incorporating human rights into disaster response in South Asia.
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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
To date, over twenty countries, including Turkey, have already adopted policies or legislation specifically addressing internal displacement—many of which are based on the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement—and other countries are in the process of doing so. In this statement, Elizabeth Ferris puts the issue of law and policy development into the broader framework of national responsibility and gives an overview of the ways in which governments have addressed internal displacement in their laws and policies, including in the search for durable solutions.
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Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Once again the newspaper headlines report a massive displacement crisis. This time the displaced are fleeing counter-insurgency campaigns in Pakistan. Though the situation of displacement in Pakistan will have its own unique circumstances, Ferris points out that there are some lessons learned from other displacement situations that may be applicable to planning an appropriate response.
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Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Pakistan's aggressive military campaign against the Taliban's growing threat has resulted in almost a million Pakistanis being displaced in the past two weeks—in addition to the 500,000 who were displaced last fall by fighting. Despite the turmoil, Beth Ferris says there is an opportunity to strengthen civilian government, build strong civil society organizations and support internally displaced people in a way that builds confidence in their government.
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Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
All humanitarian work is, or should be, grounded in international human rights law.
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Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The advances in laws related to IDPs have not addressed the relationship between internal displacement and peacebuilding in Colombia. Elizabeth Ferris explores the issue.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Colombia has one of the world’s largest populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs), estimated between 2.6 and 4.3 million people. Although Colombia’s government has implemented political reconciliation and socioeconomic stabilization measures in recent years, long-term solutions for millions of displaced Colombians continue to be elusive.
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Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Iraq and Afghanistan face displacement crises of massive proportions. According to best estimates, the number approaches two million refugees and 2.8 million IDPs. Although the pace of displacement has slowed since mid-2007, few IDPs and refugees have been able to return, their resources are running out, and international assistance has been inadequate. The longer displacement lasts, the more complicated it will be to resolve.
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Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Throughout the Muslim world, millions of people have been forced to flee their homes and communities for many reasons, including both conflicts and natural disasters. This massive displacement of people affects both national development plans and individual human development, affecting relationships between countries, UN Security Council discussions, and peace processes. In short, as Hady Amr and Elizabeth Ferris argue, understanding—and resolving—displacement is central to development, peace, and security.
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Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the world commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Elizabeth Ferris writes that it is timely to focus on international efforts to uphold the rights of those who have been forced to leave their homes and communities.
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Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The Guiding Prinicples' objectives were clear but, ten years on, how can we assess their impact? The late Sérgio Vieira de Mello identified four ways the Principles might benefit IDPs: raising awareness of their needs; mobilizing support within the humanitarian community; helping field staff find solutions; and assisting governments to provide for IDPs' security and well-being. In this article, Elizabeth Ferris examines the impact of the Guiding Principles by examining their progress made on Vieira de Mello's points.
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Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
It is no coincidence that many internally displaced persons and refugees are members of minority groups. In every region of the world, minorities have been repressed, killed and displaced by governments and other armed actors seeking to take over their territory, command their loyalty, and control their actions. In this paper, Elizabeth Ferris & Kimberly Stoltz examine the relationship between minorities and displacement, with a particular emphasis on Iraq's smaller minorities.
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Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
As violent incidents decrease in Iraq and as US combat troops prepare to withdraw, expectations will grow that Iraqis will return to their communities in growing numbers. In fact, UN Officials and political leaders in Iraq, the region, and the US have always expected that return will be the durable solution for Iraqi IDPs and refugees without giving serious consideration to other options. For returns to be successful, the government of Iraq and the international community need to learn from the lessons of other mass returns of displaced populations and refugees.
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Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
There is a close relationship between finding solutions for displaced persons and peacebuilding as peacebuilding involves: re-establishing security and law and order, reconstruction and economic rehabilitation, reconciliation and social rehabilitation, and political transition to creating more accountable governance structures and institutions. If IDP concerns in these areas are not taken seriously, it may jeopardize the sustainability of peace in the country.
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Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Though there are important similarities in the impact of prolonged displacement on the lives of IDPs and refugees, there are also significant differences in their situations -- particularly when it comes to solutions. While return is often the desired solution for both IDPs and political actors, Alex Mundt and Elizabeth Ferris argue that local integration and return should not be seen as mutually exclusive alternatives, as they can encourage IDPs to build new lives elsewhere without having to give up the possibility of an eventual return.
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Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Most people who are displaced by natural disasters remain within the borders of their country, making them internally displaced persons (IDPs) as defined by the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the national government to provide protection and assistance to them and to facilitate durable solutions for their displacement. In disaster response, Elizabeth Ferris argues, it is necessary to develop a rights-based approach to guarantee that the rights of those who've been displaced by the disaster are protected.
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Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In the course of the past year, over 400 natural disasters took 16,000 lives, affected close to 250 million people and displaced many millions. But many humanitarian actors continue to see natural disasters and those displaced by them as marginal to the central thrust of humanitarian action: responding to those affected by conflict.
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Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The future of Iraq hinges on its young, but far too many of them have been driven into exile.
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Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The importance of engaging directly with populations affected by poverty, conflict and disaster is a common theme in the literature on humanitarian aid, development and peacebuilding. However, despite the many documented benefits, consultation with and participation by affected populations -- including IDPs -- remains limited.
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Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Provincial elections are an important step toward national reconciliation in Iraq, but steps must be taken to ensure that the displaced— both refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)— are able to participate. Despite the passage of the provincial elections law, there are no provisions for Iraqis living outside the country to vote, meaning that close to 10% of Iraq's populatioin will be disenfranchised, with serious consequences for the legitimacy of the elections.
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Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
At first glance, the reaction of humanitarian actors on the ground in Darfur to potential indictments of the Sudanese president Omar Bashir seems pretty obvious. Darfur's 2.5 million internally displaced people, the 4.2 million in need of food assistnace and the 17,000 or so humanitarian workers would make easy targets for an angry Sudanese government. But like everything in Darfur, Elizabeth Ferris explains, the situation is more complicated than it seems at first glance.
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Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Most of those writing about future scenarios for Iraq rarely mention the fate of the five million displaced Iraqis, but when they do, they seem to assume that once security and political progress in Iraq are achieved, the refugees and interanlly displaced persons (IDPs) will return to their communities and life will go on. Unfortunately, even in the best of political scenarios, it is unlikely to be so straightforward.
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Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Iraq has improved dramatically across almost all fronts in the last year, but largely still unaddressed is the plight of those displaced by violence. Current estimates say that more than 2 million Iraqis are refugees abroad and almost 2.8 million are displaced internally. Elizbeth Ferris and Michael O'Hanlon say that people who think that Iraq is nearly stable need to remember that the return of these 4.8 million people carries huge risks for that stability.
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Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In this speech, Elizabeth Ferris says that when people are forced to leave their places of residence due to violence or human rights abuses, there is obviously a high human cost. But, internal displacement also has significant economic costs, both short and long-term. Such costs, including the loss of homes and property, the loss of livelihoods, the loss of educational opportunities, and the increased burden on host communities can have serious consequences for the stability and development of a country.
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Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Lost in discussions of the military surge, the pace of troop drawdowns, and political benchmarks are millions of displaced Iraqis. Their plight is both a humanitarian tragedy and a strategic crisis that is not being addressed.
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Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
As the scope of tropical cyclone Nargis becomes clearer, Elizabeth Ferris and Lex Rieffel recall that the 2004 tsunami, which struck Aceh provice in Indonesia among other places, was both a human tragedy and a political blessing. They argue that this experience is not likely to be replicated in Myanmar because the regime will continue to refuse much of the assistance offered by foreign governments and international NGOs.
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Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Images from the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China have dominated the news for the past week. But, as Beth Ferris observes, these victims of natural disasters are just a small portion of the over 200 million people each year who are affected by natural disasters. Although most of these disasters never make it onto the nightly news in America, their effects are felt by victims long after the TV cameras have moved on.
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Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Darfur has been on the international agenda for the past four years despite the advocacy campaigns, the growing public awareness, the large and expensive relief operations, and (eventual) Security Council action. Despite these efforts, as Elizabeth Ferris points out, the war is far from over.
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Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
There are unprecedented challenges for humanitarian actors today, demonstrated by the fine line between promoting humanitarian principles and advocacy. In this statement to the Global Communications Forum of the International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent, Brookings expert Elizabeth Ferris examines these challenges and discusses ways to address them while maintaining key humanitarian principles.
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Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Though few civil society organizations explicitly characterize their work with IDPs as peacebuilding, their efforts often influence whether IDPs are able to achieve lasting solutions and contribute to sustainable peace.
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Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
While much has been made of the impact of the surge on Iraq, very little has been discussed about the humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq. Even in the best of cases there will still be almost 5 million Iraqi refugees and IDPs who will need help to find durable solutions. If they are unable to find such solutions, the ramifications will be widespread—for Iraq, for the region, and for America.
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Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Often described as the next "powder keg" in Iraq, the issue of Kirkuk's status has gripped the nation, its neighbors, and the international community. This referendum is significant because it is linked both to Iraq's past and the future of the "new" Iraq. As Brookings expert Elizabeth Ferris and Kimberly Stoltz argue, failing to reconcile the competing interests and property claims in, not only Kirkuk but also other disputed territories, could lead to further destruction and chaos in Iraq.
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Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The next American president will face the challenge of a humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq. Even in the best of cases there will be almost five million Iraqi refugees and IDPs who will need help to find solutions. Brookings expert Elizabeth Ferris reminds the candidates that if solutions are not found—if the displaced remain homeless, jobless, destitute and vulnerable to abuse and exploitation—the ramifications will be widespread for Iraq and the entire region.
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Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement serve as an international standard to guide governments as well as international humanitarian and development agencies in providing assistance and protection to IDPs. As Brookings expert Elizabeth Ferris argues, the Guiding Principles clearly apply to the people displaced inside Iraq.
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Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement stress that displacement should end as soon as possible, but there are many cases where it isn't clear when durable solutions have, in fact, been found.
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Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Predictions have been made that millions of people will be displaced because of climate change in the coming years. However, despite the frequent mention of this statistic, as Brookings expert Elizabeth Ferris discusses, the terminology of those displaced by climate change has yet to catch up. And while many in the humanitarian field are aware of the distinctions between the various types of forced migrants, those in the environmental field are not as aware of the nuances.
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Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The dire situation of the internally displaced in Iraq has been creating humanitarian and security problems for some time now. And while the situation has yet to markedly improve, the real challenge for Iraq lies in the future with the eventual return of not only IDPs, but the millions of refugees who have fled the conflict.
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Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
While often confused with the larger humanitarian reform process, the Global Humanitarian Platform is a stand-alone initiative which seeks to strengthen relationships between the major humanitarian actors, as the challenges facing humanitarian actors are too great for a single agency to face alone.
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Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
On the 8 and 9th of March, 2007, academic researchers working on issues releated to internally displaced persons met in Cairo, Egpyt to identify methodological problems in both data collection and field research and to discuss the future research agenda for internal displacement.
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Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The nature of the conflict in Iraq has created a displacement crisis marked by situations of urban displacement, making humanitarian assistance more difficult.
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Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
After conflicts end, the expectation is that development actors will play the leading role in addressing the needs of the affected population, but, as Elizabeth Ferris argues, this just doesn’t seem to happen naturally.
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Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a vital defense against climate change and displacement, particularly in the current context of increasing numbers of disaster-affected persons. This is a report on a seminar to raise awareness and encourage organizations to begin or to renew their efforts to reduce the human impact of natural disasters.
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Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris on the responsibility to protect (September 2007)
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Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Elizabeth Ferris discusses a gap in humanitarian reform: addressing the needs of internally displaced persons living in protracted situations. Much has been written in recent years about protracted refugee situations, but virtually nothing has been published about long-term internal displacement.
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Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The Global Humanitarian Platform is an initiative to bring together the three main families of humanitarian actors on an equal footing – non-governmental organizations, the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement, and UN and other intergovernmental agencies – in order to increase the effectiveness of humanitarian response. In this statement, Elizabeth Ferris discusses the way forward in promoting NGO cooperation under the new Global Humanitarian Platform.
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Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Humanitarian diplomacy is often based on compromise and yet compromising on basic humanitarian principles can weaken them.
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Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Paper by Elizabeth Ferris (8/27/07)
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Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
A few weeks ago, the President of Côte d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbabgo, declared that the country's five year civil war "is over." However, on the ground the peace is fragile and the security situation is volatile. Elizabeth Ferris discusses the need for the international community's involvement to prevent a return to civil war and maintain the peace.
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Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion Piece by Elizabeth Ferris (8/13/07)
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Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement provides periodic updates on humanitarian issues in Iraq, with a particular focus on the factors behind the growing displacement crisis. The Project has recently completed a large field-based study of Iraqi displacement patterns to Syria, and many of its finding are presented here.
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Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris, New Routes (6/29/07)
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Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The near-blind eye the United States has turned to the humanitarian crisis now unfolding from the Iraq war threatens to undermine any hope for real peace and security in that region for years and perhaps decades to come. The displacement of 4 million Iraqis to date -- one in seven of the country's citizens -- is the largest the Middle East has known since 1948.
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Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Statement by Elizabeth Ferris at International Visitor Leadership Program (5/18/07)
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Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris in the Horn of Africa Bulletin (April 2007)
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Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Web-Ed by Elizabeth Ferris (4/13/07)
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Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris, Signs Journal of Women in Culture and Society (Spring 2007)
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Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Statement by Elizabeth Ferris at The Brookings Institution (2/14/07)
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Sat, 30 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris, Forced Migration Review (Winter 2006)
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Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Elizabeth Ferris, ICVA's Talk Back (12/8/06)