RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Andrew Solomon, October 23, 2009, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
Decades of armed conflict, natural disasters and climate change, have given rise to sizable populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) throughout Africa. On October 23, African heads of state and government signed a legally binding convention on internal displacement, which as Andrew Solomon notes, demonstrates their commitment to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of IDPs, to facilitate durable solutions and to ensure that millions of people are no longer excluded from society as a whole. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Walter Kälin, August 03, 2009, United Nations General Assembly
Internal displacement continues to be one of the world's major humanitarian and human rights challenges and many internally displaced persons (IDPs) experience serious violations of their human rights. In his annual report to the UN General Assembly, Walter Kälin argues that it is important to translate the increasing recognition of the human rights dimension of internal displacement at the international and regional levels into effective action at the national and local levels of government. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen and Francis M. Deng, June 08, 2009, International Security, Armaments and Disarmament in 2008, SIPRI Yearbook 2009
Massive displacement of people within and across borders has become a defining feature of the post-cold war world. It is also a major feature of human insecurity in which genocide, terrorism, egregious human rights violations and appalling human degradation wreak havoc on civilians. Though there has been a critical shift in thinking at the international level with regards to forced displacement, Cohen and Deng argue that concepts of sovereignty as responsibility and the responsibility to protect remain far ahead of international willingness and capacity to enforce them. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jacqueline Geis and Alex Mundt, April 20, 2009, World Congress of Humanitarian Studies
Since 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has issued four criminal indictments, carefully navigating turbulent national and international political waters. In each case, the timing of the indictments has elicited much controversy, particularly regarding their potential impact on peace agreements or ongoing negotiations. According to Jacqueline Geis and Alex Mundt, at issue is a fundamental debate over whether peace and justice can be pursued simultaneously. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Hady Amr and Elizabeth Ferris, February 16, 2009, Human Development Task Force, U.S.-Islamic World Forum
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. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, September 26, 2008
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
On September 26, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement will host a discussion of the effect of the possible indictment on peace and justice, and potential impact on humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Darfur and on the ICC itself. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris, September 26, 2008, Searching for Peace and Justice in Sudan: The Role of the International Criminal Court
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen, September 16, 2008, The Brookings Institution
When those working with IDPs develop programs and policies without taking the time to listen to those most affected — the IDPs themselves — plans often go wrong. In order to ensure their needs not only are met but also that lasting solutions are found for their displacement, Roberta Cohen explains that it is critical to listen to the voices of IDPs. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, June 27, 2008
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
On June 27, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement hosted a discussion with representatives from the Sudanese government; Lynn Fredriksson, Africa advocacy director for Amnesty International USA; and Pamela Fierst, a member of the Sudan policy group at the State Department, to examine Sudan’s 2005 peace agreement and to explore the ways in which it has been successfully implemented and the areas in which challenges still exist. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris, May 07, 2008, National Conference of the Ethiopian Community Development Council
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen and Stephanie Hanson, February 06, 2008, Council on Foreign Relations
Despite the UN resolution creating an international peacekeeping force for Darfur with 26,000 troops, the force has been unable to fully deploy into the region. Brookings expert Roberta Cohen discusses the difficulties surrounding the deployment with Stephanie Hanson of the Council on Foreign Relations. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Washington, DC
Gonzalo Vargas-Llosa, a senior policy adviser from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, participated in a discussion on the current realities in Darfur. He was joined by experts Colin Thomas-Jensen, a policy adviser with the ENOUGH Project, and Paul Miller, Africa adviser with Catholic Relief Services. Elizabeth Ferris, senior fellow and co-director of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement, moderated the discussion. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Khalid Koser, December 14, 2007, Addressing Internally Displaced Persons in a Peace Process, United States Institute of Peace
Because IDPs have needs that are different from both refugees and other war-affected civilian populations, they require special attention in peace processes. As Brookings expert Khalid Koser argues, resolving these displacement issues is crucial to achieving a sustainable peace. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen, December 01, 2007, Forced Migration Review
Debates within the human rights and humanitarian communities have centered on the numbers who have died in Darfur, the use of the term genocide, the efficacy of military versus political solutions and the extent to which human rights advocacy can undermine humanitarian programs on the ground. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Susan E. Rice, October 24, 2007, Opportunity 08
Genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan has lasted over four years and claimed as many as 450,000 lives. Over this period, as the situation has steadily worsened, the United States has done little to halt the killing. U.S. policy has coupled generous humanitarian assistance with unfulfilled threats and feckless diplomacy. Susan Rice argues that candidates for President should demand forceful and effective action to stop the killing. Read More