Human trafficking is a widespread public health issue that impacts regions, countries, communities, families, and individuals. While the public has become more aware of human trafficking over the past 25 years, the true magnitude of this crime remains unknown. Global estimates of individuals in human trafficking situations range from 27 to 50 million. The discrepancy […]
Category: Policy Briefs
Ecocide as a Call to Urgency: The Need to Address Climate Displacement
Cover Photo: Michael Adams In early September, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa filed a formal request to recognize ecocide—purposeful and severe environmental destruction—as a crime in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). If the request is approved, ecocide would be recognized as a gross violation of international law akin to war crimes and […]
Mpox Outbreak: How International Indifference Is Threatening Refugees
THE PROBLEM A new viral outbreak threatens the health and safety of 42 million forcibly displaced people in Africa. A new strain of mpox, a virus that caused a worldwide outbreak in 2022, currently threatens refugee and displaced populations in Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is at the epicenter. In the […]
Severed Lifelines: The Obstruction of Humanitarian Aid in Sudan
The people of Sudan are living a nightmare. For over 500 days, the ravages of war have torn communities apart and left thousands of civilians starving, sick, injured, and killed. The ongoing war that began on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has trapped civilians in […]
Immigration Bills to Track in Congress
The public should be aware of bills in Congress because these proposed laws have the potential to impact everyday life significantly. By staying informed, citizens can understand how legislation might affect their communities, businesses, and personal lives. Tracking bills also empowers the public to hold their elected representatives accountable, ensuring that actions align with the […]
Las Mariposas de la Frontera: One Asylum Seeker’s Search for Safety
Over the past two years, the current administration has made considerable changes to asylum and migrant processing at the southern U.S. border. Most recently, on June 4, the President issued a Proclamation on “Securing the Border,” which built upon previous regulations to effectively close the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers and other migrants. Along with […]
Not Invisible: Strengthening Protection for Children with Disabilities in Migration and Displacement
When air raid sirens sound, a deaf child cannot hear them. When a family migrates through the Darién Gap’s jungle terrain, a blind child cannot see the way. When war erupts and a family must flee, a child in a wheelchair is left behind. When a non-verbal child arrives in a refugee camp’s reception center, […]
Refugee-Led Organizations: Support and Challenges in the Uganda Response
Refugee-led organizations, civil society groups formed and managed by refugees themselves, are a growing actor in displacement responses across the world. Ranging from large, professional networks to handfuls of volunteers, these groups channel their talent and past trauma into providing services, promoting livelihoods, and giving other essential support to their neighbors. But these groups face […]
One Year After the Asylum Ban: More Barriers to Asylum Access
By the end of World War II, between 50-80 million people had been killed. An estimated 60 million more had been displaced, many of whom were attempting to seek refuge in other countries. To ensure that the consequences of World War II would never repeat, the United Nations (UN) drafted the Universal Declaration of Human […]
The Refugee Response in Uganda
Uganda is Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country with more than 1.5 million refugees residing within its borders. The East African nation deploys one of the most progressive policy responses to cross-border displacement on the continent. But this response faces headwinds—from declines in international support to the rise of climate-related displacement. This brief provides an overview of […]