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  • Burma: An Opportunity to Expand Humanitarian Space 01/11/2012

    After nearly 50 years of brutal military rule, Burma is embarking upon a landmark transition to civilian administration. The country has seen some promising political reforms. But the world’s longest civil war, coupled with natural disasters within the country, has created serious humanitarian needs which still persist. Recently, the Burmese government has demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with humanitarian agencies.
  • South Sudan: Displacement Plagues World's Newest Nation 12/14/2011

  • Horn of Africa: Not the Time to Look Away 12/12/2011
    When famine was declared in Somalia in July, the world turned its attention to the crisis in the Horn of Africa. Since then, public and media attention has waned, despite the fact that the crisis is far from over. Food production in Somalia will not return to normal levels until the end of 2012 at the earliest. Rising insecurity inside Somalia and Kenya is impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid while greater numbers of Somalis are forced to flee violence and hunger.
  • Libya: Protect Vulnerable Minorities & Assist Civilians Harmed 11/08/2011

    A joint report with

    RI Advocate Matt Pennington and CIVIC Director of Field Operations
    Kristele Younes conducted a joint mission to Libya in September and
    October of 2011 to assess key civilian protection gaps and challenges.
  • Kuwait: Gender Discrimination Creates Statelessness and Endangers Families 10/17/2011
    Gender discrimination in Kuwait’s nationality laws increases the incidence of statelessness by rendering children of Kuwaiti women and bidoun men stateless. Statelessness exposes women to heightened risks of abuse and exploitation. It also endangers family life. Some women are forced to divorce to try to pass nationality to their children, some are forced into marriages to try to acquire nationality, and others never marry in order to avoid statelessness for future generations.
  • Pakistan: Flood Survivors Still Struggling to Recover 08/31/2011

    One year after massive floods submerged much of Pakistan, millions of flood survivors are still without permanent shelter and struggling to access food. The disaster exposed Pakistan’s vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change. While some members of Congress are reluctant to extend additional aid to Pakistan, supporting programs that provide shelter and food security to the most vulnerable sectors of Pakistani society would demonstrate America’s commitment to Pakistan’s longer-term interests while helping people rebuild their lives. Therefore, it is critical that the U.S.
  • DR Congo: Too Soon To Walk Away 07/28/2011

    International interest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is waning at a time when hundreds of thousands of Congolese continue to be displaced by ongoing violence. This shift risks squandering the substantial investments made towards peace and stability in the DRC and leaves internally displaced people vulnerable to further violence and suffering. Continued political and financial support by the U.S. and other donor governments is still essential to address both the root causes of the problem and emergency needs – all the more so in the context of November’s elections.

  • RD Congo: Trop tôt pour s’en aller 07/28/2011

    L’intérêt de la communauté internationale à l’égard la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) diminue. Pourtant, des centaines de milliers de Congolais sont toujours déplacés en raison de la violence actuelle. Ce changement d’attitude risque de gâcher les efforts considérables investis afin d’amener paix et stabilité en RDC, et cela expose les déplacés internes à davantage de violence et souffrances.
  • Afghanistan: Responsible U.S. Transition Must Address Displacement Crisis 06/27/2011

    Afghan civilians are caught in the middle of an intensifying military campaign against a fractured armed insurgency. Despite the U.S. military’s claims of progress, insurgent attacks are up by 50% over last year, and more than 250,000 people have fled their villages in the past two years. U.S. funded and trained militias are only exacerbating this explosive situation. As the U.S.
  • DR Congo: Support Community-Based Tools for MONUSCO 05/02/2011
    In recent years the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has faced tremendous pressure to improve civilian protection in the volatile and violent eastern provinces of the country.  The mission has seen its share of high-profile protection failures – including the mass rape of over 200 women, men and children in August of 2010.  But MONUSCO is at the forefront of innovative tactics to protect civilians.
  • Malaysia: Invest in Solutions for Refugees 04/18/2011
    Introduction
  • Bangladesh: The Silent Crisis 04/18/2011
    Introduction
  • Libya: Protecting Civilians in a Drawn-Out Conflict 04/13/2011
    As the conflict in Libya evolves into a drawn-out stalemate, affected civilian populations remain largely inaccessible to humanitarian agencies. The UN Security Council rightly took action to prevent an all-out slaughter in Benghazi. But to fully protect civilians now, the UN must better identify the needs of people inside Libya and ensure they can access assistance. Furthermore, the U.S. and other governments in the region should commit to resettling the growing number of refugees on Libya’s borders and continue funding the evacuation of third-country nationals.
  • Thailand: No Safe Refuge 03/24/2011
    The eruption of conflict between the Burmese military and an ethnic rebel faction in eastern Burma has forced over 30,000 people to flee to Thailand since November 2010. Skirmishes are ongoing and both parties have planted landmines in people’s villages and farmlands. While the Thai government has a long-standing policy of providing refuge for “those fleeing fighting,” the Thai army is pressuring Burmese to return prematurely and restricting aid agencies.
  • Sudan: Overcoming Obstacles to Peace 03/15/2011
    Before the excitement around the emergence of the world’s newest nation fades, outstanding issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement must be resolved. Hundreds of thousands of people are returning south and desperately require support to rebuild their lives and communities. The rights of minority groups on either side of the border need to be guaranteed. Ultimately, in order to secure a lasting peace in all of Sudan, the humanitarian community must take action to avert a humanitarian crisis before the formal establishment of an independent Southern Sudan in July.
  • Iraq's Displaced: A Stable Region Requires Stable Assistance 02/16/2011

    The next two years will be defining ones for the future of Iraq and the United States' legacy in the region. It would be a grave mistake for the U.S. Government to diminish efforts to protect and assist Iraq's displaced. A reduction of funding and diplomacy on the issue could undermine stated U.S. foreign policy goals and lead to the creation of a second large-scale protracted displacement crisis in the Middle East. Current programs are creating unity in Iraq by helping people return home to their villages and by providing assistance to the most vulnerable.
  • Latvia: The Perilous State of Nationality Rights 01/31/2011

    Two decades after Latvia reasserted its independence during the breakup of the former Soviet Union, references to its traumatic past still surface in the media and during political debates. Often the Russian-speaking minority is blamed for the crimes of the Soviet regime. Divisive rhetoric of us and them reflects social schisms based on ethno-centric power-grabbing and vilification of “the other.” In the mid 1990s, the Latvian government created a category of “non-citizens”, which continues to impede hundreds of thousands of people from enjoying their right to a nationality.
  • Sudan: The 30-Day Countdown 12/10/2010
    As the January 9 referenda in south Sudan and Abyei approach, so does the possibility for violence and humanitarian crises. The United Nations has mapped out potential flashpoints for conflict and drawn up detailed contingency plans, but many critical challenges remain unresolved. With less than a month remaining until the referenda, agencies lack sufficient staffing, humanitarian access has become a growing issue, a coordinated response to gender-based violence has yet to be developed, and a systematic plan to protect minority communities and returnees has not been finalized.
  • Afghanistan: In a Time of Conflict 12/01/2010
    One year after President Obama’s announcement of the Afghanistan strategy, the country continues to slide into crisis. The U.S.-led military surge in the south is driving insecurity north, causing thousands to flee. Internal displacement has increased by 50 percent and natural disasters and chronic food shortages continue to erode Afghans’ ability to survive, leading to rapid urbanization and the rise of slums. Aid used as a tool in the counterinsurgency strategy continues to endanger aid workers and undermine sustainable development.
  • Age, Gender, Diversity Mainstreaming Initiative Key to Urban Protection 11/30/2010
    The UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) approach to urban refugee protection in Nairobi, Kenya should serve as a model and best practice for programs worldwide.  By embracing the Age, Gender, and Diversity Mainstreaming Initiative, UNHCR has significantly improved their relationships with the refugee community and has drawn upon resources within that community to strengthen protection.  UNHCR has forged new partnerships with NGOs and local officials as well as senior management of schools and health clinics.  With minimal resources, UNHCR Nairobi was able to achieve these positive results mostly throu