At the end of 2022, 108.4 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events seriously disturbing public order (UNHCR, 2023). This means that, currently, almost 1 in 80 people are forcibly displaced. The total number includes 35.3 million refugees, 62.5 million internally displaced people, 5.4 million asylum-seekers and 5.2 million people in need of international protection.
In theory, although several international treaties and conventions (e.g. UN Declaration of Human Rights, Global Refugee Compact etc.) mention the rights and well-being of refugees and forcibly displaced people, the reality is most often, refugees are living a substandard life in congested makeshift camps and other poor quality accommodation. This is particularly the case as Low- and middle-income countries hosted 76 percent of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection. The Least Developed Countries provided asylum to 20 percent of the total (ibid). Even in high-income countries (EU, UK and the US), refugees often lead a precarious existence because of increasingly restrictive asylum policies.
At the 7th Humanitarian Studies Conference, IHSA intends to organise panel discussions or workshops that bring forward the voices of displaced people and refugees. Most often, their voices are ignored or not heard in policies, practices and potential solutions that are aimed at mitigating the issues of forcibly displaced people (including refugees, asylum seekers, and people who need international protection). In this context, IHSA invites expressions of interest (EoI) from individuals (or groups) identifying as refugees, asylum seekers, or forcibly displaced. It is hoped that their lived experience will offer important yet little-known or unknown perspectives on forced displacement and being refugees.
IHSA invites EOI on the following themes (non-exhaustive list):
Refugee and crisis-affected people can organise this session for free and also attend three other panels at no cost.
Feel free to send in your proposals by the 30th of Sept via conference@ihsa.info
Humanitarian organizations play crucial roles in various types of humanitarian crises arising from types of displacements, migration, refugee crises, gender issues, and social and economic development. Particularly conflict, climate change, migration and refugee issues have become a challenge for many countries in the Global South. Support from humanitarian organizations ranges from basic need support to primary health care, education, income generation activities, awareness building and other assorted issues. At a time of need, such support can be lifesaving for many vulnerable people. Bangladesh, for example, is known for the significant roles of humanitarian actors across the country. The experience shared through participating in conferences by the humanitarian actors would effectively engage academics, researchers and policymakers and will bring wider attention.
At the 7th Humanitarian Studies Conference, IHSA intends to organise panel discussions or workshops that bring forward the views, opinions, and best practices of humanitarian professionals and organisations. In this context, IHSA invites expressions of interest (EoI) from national and international humanitarian professional individuals or organisations, social movements, activists and others to shed light on the following themes (non-exhaustive list)
Feel free to send in your proposals by the 30th of Sept via conference@ihsa.info