Photo by Julien Harneis

When violence or distress becomes intolerable, people can be faced with the hard decision to flee their homes in search of refuge.  Often escaping with no more than the clothes they are wearing, and whatever they can carry, the lucky ones manage to keep family units intact.  Others are not so lucky.  What can be done to assist?


The cross-fertilization of international humanitarian law and international refugee law

Stephane Jaquemet, International Review of the Red Cross, 2001

While much has been written about the interface between refugee law and human rights law, a great deal remains to be said about the relationship between humanitarian law and refugee law. This article discusses several examples, such as: international humanitarian law and refugee law come into contact quite naturally when refugees are caught up in an armed conflict; or, international humanitarian law and refugee law, instead of applying concurrently, can apply successively.


Protecting Refugees, The Role of UNHCR

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2008

This publication answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about refugees themselves and how the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees attempts to help them.


Forced Migration Review: Ten Years of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
Special Issue, December 2008

This special issue of FMR reflects discussions at international conference on the Ten Years of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (‘GP10’) – held in Oslo, 16-17 October 2008. It contains shortened versions of some of the conference presentations, and also includes a selection of other articles, most of which present case studies on the application of the Guiding Principles in different countries.


Internally Displaced Persons, Questions and Answers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2007

Who is an Internally Displaced Person? Are refugees and IDPs treated differently? What is the international community’s role? This paper seeks to answer questions relating to the world’s largest group of vulnerable people.


Displacement Caused by the Effects of Climate Change: Who Will Be Affected and What Are the Gaps in the Normative Framework for Their Protection?

Walter Kälin, Representative of the Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and Co-Director, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement

This background paper analyzes the nexus between climate change and displacement and identifies normative gaps in the protection framework for those displaced by the effects of climate change.


Video: Somali Refugees: Ethiopian Camps

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Ethiopias fortunes are closely linked with those of its troubled neighbour, Somalia. It has served as a refuge for tens of thousands of Somalis over the years, but recently the increasing numbers are straining the resources of the UN refugee agency.


Video: Dialogue on Migration and Asylum

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In this video, delegates at a meeting in Geneva discuss the complex issue of how to better protect asylum seekers making dangerous journeys over land and sea.


University of Hawaii at Manoa; Center of Excellence in DMHA; ICRC


Contact Information

Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
2424 Maile Way, Saunders Hall 118
Honolulu, HI 96822