UPCOMING EVENT
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Washington, DC
On February 17, Brookings will host a discussion on the future of Haiti, focusing on critical issues of governance and independence. Following last month's historic earthquake, Haiti remains in a state of physical and political devastation. With Haiti's government and infrastructure in a severely weakened state, many in the international community are debating how best to support the Haitian government and people at this time.
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UPCOMING EVENT
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Washington, DC
Due to inclement weather this event had been canceled. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, January 29, 2010
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
The earthquake in Haiti has left Port-au-Prince in ruins, displacing an estimated two million people and injuring or killing tens of thousands. Getting assistance to people affected by the earthquake has been a daunting challenge for the Haitians and for humanitarian organizations. On January 29, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement hosted a panel discussion on the ongoing relief efforts. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Walter Kälin, January 27, 2010, United Nations Human Rights Council Special Session on Haiti, 27-28 January 2010
In an address to a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Walter Kälin, Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, argues that we must be attentive to the multiple human rights challenges facing victims of natural disasters, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Diane Paul, January 21, 2010, Reuters
As the world rushes to Haiti’s aid, Diane Paul writes that effective humanitarian efforts must build on the lessons learned from previous disasters, including the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Paul emphasizes the importance of providing relevant, targeted aid to children, women, the elderly and other vulnerable groups. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Walter Kälin, Rhodri C. Williams, Khalid Koser and Andrew Solomon, January 19, 2010, The American Society of International Law and the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
The Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of IDPs has urged governments to adopt laws or policies to address internal displacement, as they hold the primary responsibility for protecting the rights of the displaced. The studies in this book analyze the key issues and challenges to developing laws and policies on internal displacement. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris, January 14, 2010, AOL's Sphere
Once again, Haiti is faced with a calamity of massive proportions. And once again, the international relief machinery is gearing up for action. As the earthquake story unfolds over the coming weeks, Elizabeth Ferris points to three aspects to the response that probably won't make the front pages, but that will be vital in determining the effectiveness of the response. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris, January 13, 2010, The Daily Beast
The flow of international aid to Haiti after its recent earthquake has been heartening. Elizabeth Ferris warns, however, that with the Haitian government in shambles, the international community needs to step up its efforts in order to protect human rights and stave off "the disaster after the disaster." Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
Due to host of internal and transnational challenges, humanitarian assistance to Somalia has been decreasing, despite a deteriorating situation on the ground. On January 12, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement held a panel discussion on the changing security context in Somalia and its implications for humanitarian action. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, December 17, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Washington, DC
The modern history of Afghanistan has been marked by continuous conflict. Displacement in Afghanistan remains an everyday part of life for the majority of Afghan citizens. On December 17, the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement released the findings of a new study on displacement in southern Afghanistan conducted with the Liaison Office, an Afghan non-governmental organization that aims to improve local governance, stability and security in the southeast and south of Afghanistan. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
The displacement caused by the fighting and violence in Iraq has had a serious impact on the lives of all Iraqis—those who fled and those who stayed. Iraqi refugees, internally displaced persons and non-displaced Iraqis face a lack of access to health care in their communities—both inside and outside of Iraq. On December 15, Brookings hosted a discussion about new field research on the state of health in Iraq. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Andrew Solomon, December 01, 2009, Annual Course on Forced Migration, Mahanirban Calcutta Research Group
The forcible displacement of persons is a complex phenomenon with dimensions that go beyond the humanitarian, particularly as the duration of displacement increases. Andrew Solomon argues that comprehensive responses to displacement and the protection of displaced persons also involve and require efforts to promote peace, reconciliation, and justice. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Andrew Solomon, November 30, 2009, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
Guaranteeing the right to vote and to participate in public and political affairs for all citizens is an important responsibility. Given the precarious position of IDPs and considering the extent to which they may need to rely on national authorities, Andrew Solomon argues that IDPs have a legitimate and heightened interest in participating in elections. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Rodolfo Arango Rivadeneira, Editor, November 30, 2009, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
Colombia is not only a country with one of the largest populations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) worldwide but also the state with the most important contributions by the judiciary to the protection of such persons. This new book, published by the Brookings-Bern Project and edited by Rodolfo Arango Rivadeneira, provides the first comprehensive analysis of the role of the Colombian Constitutional Court in addressing the situation of internal displacement in Colombia and the protection of one of the world's largest populations of IDPs. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
On November 18, the Brookings Doha Center hosted a conference on Iraq’s internally displaced persons and refugees. Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement Project Co-Director Elizabeth Ferris spoke, along with key players who are working to address this ongoing crisis, including Samantha Power, White House coordinator for Iraqi refugees and displaced persons and Abdel Khaliq Mohammad Rasheed Zangana, chairman of the Committee for the Relocated, Displaced and Migrants, Council of Representatives of Iraq. Read More