In this podcast, Guild explains important principles of international human rights law, and how states seem to be breaking their obligations to the UN Refugee Convention in their handling of refugees and migrants during the worldwide Corona lockdown.
News & blogs
Detention of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants under Corona lockdown risks becoming arbitrary
As the Covid-19 pandemic has tightened its grip on many western states, many refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants continue to be detained in reception and detention centres, without any prospect of release. With asylum processing at a standstill and returns to countries of origin on hold, detention of these individuals risks becoming arbitrary, if not inhumane.
As the Corona pandemic worsens, EU borders shut down: “A new low point for the EU’s respect for refu
Human rights in international law and the EU Charter are not dispensable in times of pandemics. They are essential characteristics and integral to promoting the European Way of Life which “is founded on the values of the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for the human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.”
How is the Corona pandemic affecting the lives of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Greece a...
In this blog post Dr. Theofanis Exadaktylos from University of Surrey, UK and Professor Francesca Longo from University of Catania, Italy address the situation for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers in Greece and Italy.
How is the Corona pandemic affecting the lives of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in South Af...
This is one of two blog posts where Protect researchers reflect upon how the Corona pandemic is affecting people on the move across the world. In this post, Professor Jo Vearey from Wits University and Professor Idil Atak from Ryerson University share their insights from South Africa and Canada.
How do pandemics and shut borders affect the lives of people on the move? Two Protect researchers sh...
In this blog post, two Protect researchers share their reflections on border control and pandemics. Professor Elspeth Guild reflects upon how shutting Europe’s internal and external borders amidst the Covid19-outbreak might pose a threat to human rights. Professor Frank Caestecker looks at how pandemics throughout history have led to stricter border control and xenophobia. Do Europe’s shut borders pose a threat to human […]
PROTECT successfully launched in Brussels
A number of high-profile representatives from the academic community, civil society organizations, and international organizations were present for PROTECT’s kick-off conference in Brussels on 9 March 2020. The conference allowed both academics and stakeholders to become more familiar with PROTECT’s research objectives, Work Packages, and involved partners. Key speakers from the United Nation’s Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) also stressed the urgency of […]
PROTECT represented at the first Global Refugee Forum
In December 2019, the project leader of PROTECT Hakan G. Sicakkan participated in a first gathering in Geneva for the UN High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) Global Academic Network. The gathering took place as part of the UN’s Global Refugee Forum and coincided with the first year anniversary of the two UN Global Compacts on […]
Kick-Off Conference Program
When: 9 March, 2020Where: Rubens Auditorium, Palace of the Academies, Brussels, metro station: Troon > Watch: Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full conference THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE GLOBAL REFUGEE COMPACT FOR THE RIGHT TO INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION 13.00 Welcome session. Session Moderator: PROTECT Communications Coordinator, Mari Lund Eide, University of Bergen Frank Caestecker, Leader […]
PROTECT team invited to workshop on Science Diplomacy
Text: Sverre-Ole DrønenPhotos: Eivind Senneseth Three Horizon 2020 projects were presented at the workshop Science Diplomacy in the Age of the SDGs during the SDG Conference Bergen. Four leading international researchers presented their visions for improving science advice to decision-makers. PROTECT’s project leader Hakan Sicakkan shared experiences from his two previous EU-projects. In his presentation […]