The Syrian displacement crisis is one of the world’s largest refugee crises. The situation escalated during the Syrian Civil War (2011-2024), when millions were displaced internally and abroad due to war, repression, and economic collapse under Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Assad’s regime deliberately used displacement as a weapon through sieges, chemical attacks, and the deliberate targeting […]
Category: Policy Briefs
When the Law is Not Enough: The Persecution of LGBTQ+ Colombians
June is Pride Month in commemoration of the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, an uprising against the state-sponsored persecution of queer-and-trans people. Today, more than fifty years later, queer-and-trans people remain persecuted. On paper, Colombia has some of the strongest protections in the Americas for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LBGTQ+) individuals. But it […]
Supporting Relationships: Refugees and Host Communities
Cover Image Source: SuSanA Secretariat A refugee camp is a temporary settlement for the protection and aid of displaced populations. For refugees, a refugee camp can be an immediate safe haven. Host countries and international organizations establish refugee camps for a number of reasons. Refugee camps can be a politically expedient method of influx management, a […]
Toward a Shared Future: Advancing Refugee Integration in Kenya
In March 2025, Kenya took a bold step toward transforming the future of refugees and host communities by launching the Shirika Plan—a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering the socioeconomic inclusion of refugees and shifting from a model of aid dependency to one rooted in long-term development. The Shirika Plan for Refugees and Host Communities marks […]
At Risk Twice Over: Displacement and Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is experiencing one of the most complex intersections of displacement and human trafficking globally. Political upheaval, armed conflict, human rights abuses, economic instability, and environmental degradation have uprooted millions across the region. Many displaced people live without legal status or adequate protections, making them highly susceptible to exploitation and trafficking. According to the […]
Refugee Litigation – Where Things Stand
Litigation is ongoing, and this brief will not be updated to reflect future events and updates. The facts and events of this brief are current, as of 8:50 AM EDT on April 2, 2025. On January 20, 2025, the Administration put an indefinite pause on refugee admissions and processing through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program […]
Children in Migration Need Protection, Not Barriers
The international community once held a strong consensus that children are inherently entitled to protection, with the belief that their needs and rights should be prioritized above all else. No matter their country of origin, their religion, their identity, their legal or migratory status—they are children, first and foremost. This principle was enshrined in various […]
‘Justice for Our Daughters’: Murder and Disappearance of Women in Mexico
In 1993, the women of Ciudad Juárez started to disappear. Alma Chavira Farel was the first: at fourteen years old, she was found strangled to death. From there, the count of the missing and the dead rose. Bones surfaced in the desert expanse surrounding the city, fragments handed to mothers who wondered what happened to […]
Today’s Refugees: In Crisis Without Hope
Today, over 122 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of persecution, conflict, and violence. Of those, over 43 million people are refugees, individuals who have fled their country due to fear of persecution on account of political opinion, religion, race, nationality, or membership of a particular social group. More than half […]
The Other Side of the Door: The U.S. Suspension of Refugee Resettlement
The United States is slamming its door shut. On the other side are refugees. On January 20, the Administration announced an indefinite suspension of the United States Refugee Admissions Program. The Executive Order, Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program, will bring refugee resettlement to a halt on January 27, 2025. The action marks a […]
