AUGUST NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8, 2020
CRN11_Newsletter_Vol2Iss8_August2020_Final
WELCOME: FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS
Dear Colleagues:
Welcome to the CRN 11 August 2020 Newsletter: volume 2 Issue 8.
While we are still grappling with the soaring infection and death rates of the COVID-19 global pandemic, many are becoming homeless, even as winter slowly approaches in colder regions around the world.
Today, an estimated 150 million people are homeless and 1.6 billion of the world’s population lack adequate housing. Homelessness is an ever growing problem with large urban areas in the developed world topping the list of people with no access to housing.
The public health implications for people experiencing homelessness cannot be overemphasized as their condition makes them uniquely vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. To be clear, lack of housing contributes to poor physical and mental health outcomes.
Back in April this year, the United High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a COVID-19 Guidance Note, wherein it prohibited evictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as “Housing has become the frontline defense against the coronavirus.” Most recently, United Nations experts urge states to “ban evictions during COVID-19 pandemic”. Yet, millions are at risk of being forcibly evicted in the United States alone.
Public health experts recommend that service providers can mitigate and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by reducing overcrowding, practicing social distancing, and redistributing clients to new shelter facilities. Notwithstanding, the real-life situation of homelessness is far more complex than implementing the above measure.
Veronica Fynn Bruey and Steven Bender
DISPLACED PEOPLES’ RIGHTS AND PROTECTION
On 10 September 2020, Statement by the President of the United Nations Security Council demanded a halt to attacks on schools, together with students and teachers in conflict zones around the world, in a presidential statement coinciding with the first International Day to Protect Education from Attack.More information available here.
The United Nations Secretary-General is concerned by the ongoing violence in the Irumu territory, notably in the border areas of Ituri and North Kivu provinces, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recent attacks have once again led to the killing of many civilians. The area continues to experience intercommunity violence, but also remains under threat by members of the Allied Democratic Forces. More information available here.
On 11 September 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund conducted the safe transfer of 406 unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children from Lesvos Island to the Greek mainland, following this week’s fire at the Moria Reception and Identification Centre, which is a welcome and long-sought move. More information available here.
The Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jose Franciso Cali Tzay, reported that land-grabbing in Asia displaces indigenous peoples and destroys the environment. At a regional consultation organised by his predecessor in Bangkok, he said, “Large-scale development projects including dams, mining, monocrop plantations and logging are increasing in the region and causing serious human rights violations as indigenous peoples lose their traditional lands and resources.” More information available here.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund press release Rohingya children are bearing the brunt of COVID disruptions in Bangladesh refugee camps as education facilities remain closed. Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia stated that “Rohingya refugee children and families have shown extraordinary resilience while living in exile in Bangladesh, despite unimaginably difficult circumstances – exacerbated by monsoon rains and the global pandemic – these families continue to teach us each day what strength, courage and perseverance are.” More information available here.
GENERAL CALLS: CRN 11 EVENTS
Call For Members: Research and Development Committee
CRN 11 is currently recruiting members to join Magdalena Krystyna Butrymowicz who leads the Research and Development Committee. Those interested, please email Magdalena: magdalena.butrymowicz@upjp2.edu.pl. Deadline: Open
Call For Volunteers: Newsletter Editor
CRN 11 is currently recruiting volunteers to lead the Advertisement and Promotion Committee. Those interested, please send a cover letter and CV to veronica.fynnbruey@tuki-tumarankeh.org. Deadline: Open
Interested in making the best use of your time during COVID-19 lockdown? Apply for the CRN11 newsletter editor position. Submit a cover letter and CV to veronica.fynnbruey@tuki-tumarankeh.org and benders@seattleu.edu. Deadline: Open
Become a CRN 11 Research Collaborator
Interested in being a bona fide research collaborator with CRN 11? Email veronica.fynnbruey@tuki-tumarankeh.org for details on how to apply. Deadline: Open
Invitation to be a Guest Blogger for CRN 11
Do you have an interesting story to tell about internal and international migration and displacement? CRN 11 is eager to share your piece as a guest blogger for our monthly newsletter. Please submit your stories to veronica.fynnbruey@tuki-tumarankeh.org and benders@seattleu.edu. Deadline: Open
RESEARCH, AWARDS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS…
American University in Cairo, Graduate School of Education Fellowships 2020 – 2021. Deadline: 03 November 2020.
University of British Columbia, Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2020 – 2021. Deadline: 13 November 2020.
UQIDAR joint-PhD Program 2020, Australia and India, University of Queensland. Deadline: 31 December 2020.
La Trobe University, International Scholarships 2021. Deadline: 31 December 2020.
Near East University, Scholarship Programs 2020-2021. Deadline: 31 December 2020.
Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Scholarships Program 2020-2021. Deadline: 31 December 2020.
Trinity University, International Student Financial Aid 2020. Deadline: 15 February 2021.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
The 6th International Conference on Conflict, Violence and Development
Due to the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VI International Conference “Conflict, Violence and Development”, organized by the Institute of Social and Economic Studies (IESE) will take place on 15th and 16th September 2020, in Maputo, Mozambique.
The University of Toledo’s International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference
UNITING the global community to learn, connect and collaborate to COMBAT human trafficking and PROMOTE social justice. The University of Toledo presents the International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Virtual Conference 2020, 23-25 September 2020.
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre 2020 Internal Displacement Conference
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre is calling for contributions to its 2020 Internal Displacement conference and 2021 Global Report on Internal Displacement. The conference explores the relationship between Climate Change and Displacement. The third annual conference will take place on 1 October 2020 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Utrecht University, The Netherlands: Connecting Europe Project
Utrecht University, The Netherlands and Connecting Europe Project Conference, Migrant Belongings: Digital Practices and the Everyday, 4-6 November 2020, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
German Historical Institute
Annual Academic and Policy Symposium, Contested Meanings of Migration Facilitation: Emigration Agents, Coyotes, Rescuers, and Human Traffickers, 16-17 November 2020, Washington, DC.
Colloque international de l’APAD 2020 (Postponed)
Colloque international de l’APAD 2020, Circulations in the Global South: Ethnographic Explorations of Globalized Exchanges (Les Circulations Dans le Sud Global: Ethnographies des échanges Mondialisés), 08-11 December 2020, l’ Université of Lomé, Togo. For more information contact: colloque@apad-association.org.
The Centre for History of the University of Lisbon
The Centre for History of the University of Lisbon, 11th Iberian African Studies, African Transits in the Global World: History and Memories, Heritage and Innovation, 21-23 January 2021, Lisbon, Portugal.
Freedom Network USA Human Trafficking Conference
The 2021 Freedom Network USA Human Trafficking Conference, 25-26 March 2021, Washington DC, USA.
Second Research Conference on Forced Displacement
The Joint Data Center’s 2nd Research Conference on Forced Displacement will be held on May 28-29, 2021 in Bogotá, Colombia, in partnership with the School of Economics at Universidad de los Andes.
Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration, and Development
Visit the Maastricht Centre for Citizenship, Migration and Development, Maastricht University, The Netherlands for a list of events on Migration.
VACANCY
Call for Consultant
The Migration Research Division at the International Organization for Migration is seeking a consultant to produce an analytical paper on misinformation, COVID-19 and migration. All parties interested should submit CVs or portfolios, a proposal including a quote and a cover letter explaining your interest in the project by 25 September 2020. These can all be emailed to research@iom.int. Find out more here.
PUBLICATIONS
Kirstie Petrou, If everyone returned, the Island would sink: Urbanisation and Migration in Vanuatu (17 September 2020).
ICES, COVID-19 in Immigrants, Refugees and other newcomers in Ontario: Characteristics of those tested and those confirmed positive, as of June 13, 2020 (09 September 2020).
Institute for Economics and Peace, Ecological Threat Register (09 September 2020).
David Vine, Cala Coffman, Katalina Khoury, et al., Creating Refugees: Displacement Caused by the Unites States’ Post 9/11 Wars (08 September 2020).
International Organization for Migration, COVID-19 – Impact on IDPs Weekly Update (28 August 2020).
Dan Jezreel A. Orendain and Riyanti Djalante, Ignored and invisible: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the face of COVID-19 pandemic (o6 August 2020).
Civil Society Report on Human Rights in Kosovo in 2019 (June 2020).
IN THE NEWS
NPR, What happened to the 1 million displaced persons after WWII? (10 September 2020).
BBC News, Moria migrants: Greece calls for European action after fire at camp (10 September 2020).
The Canadian Press, Immigrants, refugees nearly half of Ontario’s COVID-19 cases but only a quarter of the population: Study (09 September 2020).
Institute for Economics and Peace, Over one billion people at threat of being displaced by 2050 due to environmental change, conflict and civil unrest (09 September 2020).
Trenton Straube, National African Immigrant and refugee HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis Awareness Day 2020 (09 September 2020).
Taylor Fussman, Nonprofit plans ‘barefoot’ walk to raise funds to end human trafficking (09 September 2020).
Alexander Myers, Local organizations assist refugees through COVID-19 pandemic (08 September 2020).
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR condemns deadly attack on internally displaced people in north Cameroon (02 September 2020).
Edward McAllister, Locked out by COVID, refugees’ lives on hold (30 August 2020).
Gabriela Mesones Rojo, Venezuelan government stigmatizes and blames returned migrants for COVID-19 spread (27 August 2020).
Bertil Lintner, Rohingya refugees becoming Palestinians of Asia (26 August 2020).
SM Najmus Sakib, Over 100,000 Rohingya children born in refugee camps (26 August 2020).
Ann Deslandes, Homeless at home: Inside Mexico’s neglected displacement crisis (25 August 2020).
Juliana Hack, In Brazil “Pana” Initiative supports over 300 Venezuelan refugees and migrants amid COVID-19 (21 August 2020).
Korinna Horta, Paying the price for development (20 August 2020).
Norwegian Refugee Council, A record one million displaced by violence in Burkina Faso amid COVID-19 (18 August 2020).
Daniel Henryk Rasolt, Deforestation in Colombia (17 August 2020).
Andrea Landry, Here’s what happening on Wet’suwet’en Territory now (17 August 2020).
International Organization for Migration, Mediterranean migrant arrivals reach 36,221 in 2020; deaths reach 444 (14 August 2020).
Human Rights Watch, Yemen: Houthis kill, expel Ethiopian migrants – Saudis fire on survivors, detain hundreds in appalling conditions (13 August 2020).
Freedom United, Lift the ban: Give survivors the right to work and live in dignity (2 August 2020).
Sammy Westfall, Forced abortions, collective punishment: Here’s what happens to women who try to escape North Korea (29 July 2020).
SEND US YOUR NEWS AND EVENTS
Displaced Peoples (CRN11) newsletter is published monthly. The newsletter is a venue for sharing information regarding displaced peoples, broadly defined. Your contribution to the monthly newsletter is crucial to its sustenance, success and quality. To contribute to the newsletter, please contact Veronica Fynn Bruey and Steven Bender: veronica.fynnbruey@tuki-tumarankeh.org and benders@seattleu.edu. To subscribe or unsubscribe visit CRN 11 Displaced Peoples.