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Countering Climate Extremes Really Does Take a Village
May 11, 2012 Alice Thomas Climate Displacement, Americas, Asia

Newtok is a small Native American village on the northwestern coast of Alaska. Indigenous populations have inhabited Newtok for at least 2,000 years. But over the past two decades, unprecedented changes have taken place that threaten Newtok’s very existence.

Accelerated coastal erosion – exacerbated by thawing permafrost, declining sea ice protection, and warmer temperatures  – along with increased storm surges and salt water inundation of fresh water supplies, are making life here untenable. So the Newtok community has decided to move.

Burma: Look to the Locals
April 16, 2012 Michael Boyce Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton unveiled the next steps America would take in its tit-for-tat rapprochement with Burma. Her announcement followed the (by most accounts) successful Burmese by-elections, in which Aung San Suu Kyi's once-banned political party won 43 of the 45 open seats.

Burma: For a Moment, Let's Just Be Happy
April 02, 2012 Michael Boyce Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia, Protection & Security, Statelessness

Advocacy groups like RI are in the business of trying to make things better. One knock-on effect of that mission is that even when good things happen, we can't relax or rest on our laurels. Instead, we have to go back to work the next day and start pressing for something even better.

But I must confess that even though I work in advocacy, I get irritated by this tendency at times. Every so often, I wish that we could just stop for a moment and take pleasure in the fact that something has gotten better.

Afghanistan: Time to Get Serious About IDPs and Protection
February 24, 2012 Matt Pennington Afghanistan, Asia, Protection & Security

It’s been quite a month for those of us following the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. On February 3, the New York Times exposed one of the terrible tragedies of this year’s abnormally harsh winter: the deaths of at least 24 children in Kabul’s IDP settlements. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, Michael Keating, was quoted as saying, “I just don’t think the humanitarian story is sufficiently understood here.
“More Than Opportunistic”: Rape as a Tool of War in Burma
February 01, 2012 Kristen Cordell Burma, Asia, Women & Children

News reports coming out of Burma and the border areas of Thailand detail increases in the number and severity of sexual assaults. We were in the country in late November, and the report we issued called attention to ongoing sexual and gender-based violence – and the complete lack of meaningful action by the Burmese government on this issue.
Amazingly, a Dysfunctional Congress Delivers
January 18, 2012 Marc Hanson Africa, Burma, Colombia, Congress, DR Congo, South Sudan, Americas, Asia, Middle East, Protection & Security

This week, the Washington Post published a poll showing that the U.S. Congress has set a new record for disapproval. A whopping 84 percent of Americans do not approve of the way Congress is doing its job. Media coverage of the House and Senate highlights the brinksmanship and polarized politicking that seems to surround every piece of legislation – and now, even routine nominations and confirmations.

Burma: Unraveling the Paradox
January 11, 2012 Lynn Yoshikawa Burma, Asia

This blog post originally appeared on The Hill's Congress Blog.

Traveling in Burma last month, it wasn’t hard to see that things really are changing in this beautiful but troubled country.

Building on the Success of 2011
January 03, 2012 Michael Boyce Afghanistan, Africa, Colombia, DR Congo, Iraq, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Americas, Asia, Middle East, About RI

Happy New Year, from all of us at Refugees International! Before we start tackling the challenges of 2012 – and there will be many – we bring you a brief wrap-up of all things RI from the year gone by.

First, "RI in 2011: By the Numbers":

Why Education Could Keep Burma's Reforms on Track
December 22, 2011 Kristen Cordell Burma, Asia

“….and that building, that was Yangon University,” our host said, pointing to a massive, empty, and abandoned building. He went on to tell us that following the country’s 1988 coup, Burma’s military rulers began to see universities and their students as the major source of political unrest. As a result, they introduced a “distance learning” system to keep students from congregating, protesting…and in the end, learning. This approach has been devastating for the country’s growth and development.

16 Days: To End Violence Against Women, Enlist the Men
December 09, 2011 Michel Gabaudan Afghanistan, Africa, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Americas, Asia, Middle East, Women & Children

For the last two weeks, my colleagues have reflected on global efforts to combat violence against women and girls, as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. Today, I want to examine a vital and practical solution to the problem of gender violence: the engagement of men and boys. 

16 Days: Hope and Fear in a New Burma
December 07, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Burma, Asia, Women & Children

As I write this in the Burmese capital of Yangon, the city is still buzzing from last week’s historic visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Despite the hope and excitement her trip brought to this isolated country, fear and impunity persists in Burma’s conflict zones. The latest region to erupt into conflict is the northern border state of Kachin, where my colleague and I traveled last week.

16 Days: A Dangerous Climate for Women
December 02, 2011 Alice Thomas Africa, Climate Displacement, Pakistan, Somalia, Asia, Women & Children

This week, events are taking place across the globe to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, a campaign to end violence against women, which, according to the UN, 70 percent of women will experience in their lifetime.

UNHCR in Afghanistan: After Grief, Tough Questions
November 01, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Afghanistan, Asia

Monday’s early morning attack on the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) came as a shock to the humanitarian community – shock quickly followed by concerns UNHCR might be forced to halt its important work assisting displaced Afghans.

The initial car bomb destroyed a shared wall between UNHCR’s guesthouse and the compound of International Relief and Development (IRD), a nonprofit aid provider. The attackers then entered UNHCR’s compound and killed three of its guards. While Afghan National Police (ANP) eventually responded, hours went by before the attackers were killed.

Bringing Stateless "Out of the Shadows"
October 25, 2011 Michael Boyce Africa, Bangladesh, Burma, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Kuwait, Libya, Nepal, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Americas, Asia, Middle East, Statelessness

Today, leaders from government, civil society, and the UN gathered at the US Institute of Peace to explore statelessness and its impact on women worldwide. The Institute's sparkling new headquarters played host to an insightful and inspiring discussion - a fitting kick-off for a week full of stateless advocacy here at RI.

Burma: Adding a Third Dimension
October 05, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Burma, Humanitarian Response, Asia, Neglected Crises

The International Crisis Group’s (ICG) recent report, “Myanmar: Major Reform Underway,” has re-ignited the intense debate between the Burma policy community’s pro-engagement and pro-isolation camps.

Pakistan: New Floods Mean Higher Stakes
September 21, 2011 Alice Thomas Climate Displacement, Pakistan, Humanitarian Response, Asia
It’s flooding again in Pakistan.  While not as severe as last year’s unprecedented deluge – which affected 20 million people – this year’s floods are nonetheless severe, and likely to grow worse.  Since the onset of the monsoons in August, 5.4 million people have been affected and more than 800,000 displaced to shelters and informal camps.
Partial Justice for Asylum Seekers in Australia
September 01, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Malaysia, Asia
On Wednesday, the High Court of Australia ruled that the government’s proposed deal to swap its asylum seekers with refugees in Malaysia was illegal. The court, which expedited the case after the deal went into effect in July, declared that Australia could not legally send asylum seekers to any country that lacked a legal framework for refugees and asylum seekers.
A Dangerous Trend: Violating the Asylum Principle
July 28, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Burma, Malaysia, Humanitarian Response, Asia
Htun Kham, a Burmese refugee I met in Malaysia, told us he was arrested and sentenced to eight months in prison and two brutal cane lashes last year. He fell ill in the detention center but was denied medical assistance. Just after his release was secured by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), he suffered a massive brain hemorrhage, which he attributes to the stress and regular abuses he faced in detention.

This could very well be the fate of some of the 800 asylum seekers Australia is forcibly removing to Malaysia.
Pakistan: One year after the floods
July 26, 2011 Alice Thomas Climate Displacement, Pakistan, Humanitarian Response, Asia

This post originally appeared on The Hill's Congress blog.

Afghanistan: An uncertain future
June 28, 2011 Lynn Yoshikawa Afghanistan, U.S. Administration, Humanitarian Response, Asia
Listening to President Obama’s speech last week, I thought of the Afghan people my colleagues and I interviewed during our mission there last month. As the president was speaking, it was early morning in Afghanistan. Since so few have electricity – let alone a television – it is unlikely that many would have been watching the speech.