Suchergebnisse

Due to prolonged conflict, millions of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have fled their homes to seek refuge elsewhere, especially in the east of the country. The majority of these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) flee to cities and other local communities rather than to displacement camps. Bukavu, the capital of the South-Kivu province, is a case in point. In recent years, Bukavu grew rapidly due to the influx of IDPs and other migrants – mostly from the nearby districts. Yet, in the city, IDPs largely fend for themselves, and many experience socio-economic precarity. Connectivity is one of the ways in which IDPs can improve their situation. The first and most important connection that IDPs mobilise upon arrival are familial ties. It is from here that they start a 'chain of connectivity' on the road towards local integra- tion. Our research in Bukavu shows that many people depend on others in being or becoming self-reliant: They get access to employment, housing or basic services through their networks. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 4

Gleichzeitig in verschiedenen Ländern zu leben, ist keine Ausnahme, sondern die Regel im Alltag von Geflüchteten. Dies zeigte sich deutlich in unserer Forschung in Deutschland, die sich mit solchen transnationalen Verbindungen und Familienkonstellationen von hier lebenden Geflüchteten beschäftigte. Praxis und Politik sollten die grenzüberschreitenden (familiären) Netzwerke von Geflüchteten anerkennen und aktiv nutzen, um so auch den Flüchtlingsschutz zu verbessern. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 10

The Taliban's recent seizure of Kabul and overall control of the country has once again led many Afghans to flee their country. With more than 2.67 million Afghans registered as refugees worldwide (as of 2020), and possibly more to come, Afghans are the second-largest refugee population after Syrians. Their displacement began more than 40 years ago, many of whom have taken refuge in Pakistan, which has 1.4 million Afghans registered with UNHCR as refugees (UNHCR, 2020) and more than 800,000 registered with the government of Pakistan. Close to one million Afghans remain undocumented in Pakistan. Based on substantive empirical research with Afghan refugees and experts in Pakistan (see TRAFIG working paper 7), the authors argue that ending the protracted displacement of Afghans in Pakistan requires a change in Pakistani policies. The Pakistani Government should issue a national refugee law that provides future certainty for registered Afghans, or transform Pakistan's current protection system into a generous visa regulation system for Afghans Whichever course of action is taken, the following outcomes are crucial: Afghans with protection needs should have the option to undergo UNHCR-administered Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures and be able to apply for asylum in Pakistan. All Afghans should have the right to mobility, not only throughout Pakistan but also across the border to keep up relationships in Afghanistan and beyond. Afghans residing in Pakistan for more than 10 years and those who were born in Pakistan to Afghan parents should be eligible for Pakistani citizenship. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 7

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest city with a population of around 6.7 million people. Amongst them are approximately ten thousand vulnerable migrants who find themselves in refugee-like situations. Most of these vulnerable migrants are forced to live 'underground' because they do not have a government-issued permit to live outside of refugee camps. They nevertheless take their chances to build a productive life in the city, even if they must live covertly. In these situations, local connections are crucial: Without local connections and/or legal status, these urban refugees have to hide their identity in the city and risk living their lives in a perpetual state of marginalisation, displacement and not belonging. As TRAFIG Practice Note No. 8 shows, local connections of vulnerable migrants in Dar es Salaam often rely on: Personal connections to "Good Samaritans", i.e. Tanzanians who support people in refugee-like situations and facilitate access to public services. Connections to local Tanzanian and faith-based organisations that help to keep people in refugee-like situations afloat. For vulnerable migrants living in the city, their lack of a legal status affects: Their ability to move freely and connect with public services and organisations offering support. Their ability to regularise their undocumented status because they cannot meet certain conditions resulting from their undocumented status. A vicious cycle ensues. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 8

Protracted displacement exists in the European Union. TRAFIG research shows that many forced migrants in Italy and Greece live on the margins of society without hope for or the prospect of change. Their only way out is to go on the move. Mobility is their strategy to connect to social networks and find livelihood opportunities elsewhere. The problem is that their mobility is often on the fringes of or entirely outside the law. It leads to what we call the 'mobility paradox' that, if left unresolved, limits migrants' survival strategies from serving as resources and solutions to protracted displacement. Based on the TRAFIG research in Italy and Greece - the results of which can be found in TRAFIG working paper no. 9 - the corresponding TRAFIG practice note no. 9 explains what generates the mobility paradox and presents ways in which it can be resolved. ; TRAFIG Practice Note No. 9

On 19 October 2017, BICC hosted its annual International Academic Conference on the topic of "'Dirty Peace?' The Political Economy of Peacebuilding" in Bonn. The conference brought together over 100 academics and practitioners from around the world to exchange concepts, empirical observations and lessons learned on the prerequisites, patterns and consequences of peace negotiations. In her welcome address, Beate Wieland, Head of Department for Research at the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North RhineWestphalia, underlined the importance of ensuring a lasting peace to prevent violent conflict in the future. She opined that a lasting peace comes from improving peoples' living conditions in conflict regions. The first panel examined some of the conditions for successful mediation in peacebuilding negotiations, while the second panel focussed on the consequences inclusivity or exclusivity have on the success of these negotiations. The third panel discussed lessons learned from practical experience and engagement in negotiations and peacebuilding processes in Afghanistan and South Sudan. A concluding roundtable highlighted several takeaways from the conference, including the added value of a political economy perspective, the critical need for capacity and local leadership of peacebuilding initiatives and the need to unpack the various agendas and interests that, left unexamined, make the peace process seem 'dirty' as opposed to what it really is: complex. The conference was generously funded by the Foundation for International Dialogue of the Savings Bank in Bonn and the US Consulate General in Düsseldorf.

On 3 November 2016, BICC hosted its annual International Academic Conference, focussing this year on the pressing global issue of internal displacement and refugee movements. Almost 65 million people are currently displaced worldwide, most of whom have been displaced for more than five years. Entitled "Fleeing Conflict - Trajectories of Displaced Persons", the conference brought together academics from around the world to present and discuss conceptual and empirical research on the causes, consequences of and solutions for forced migration in current conflicts and displacement settings. In his welcome address, Thomas Grünewald, State Secretary at the Ministry for Innovation, Science and Research of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia stressed the importance of innovative research on displacement and integration. Unlike some of the discourse in this field, the conference focussed on the issue of displacement from the perspective of the displaced themselves, highlighting their agency in the sometimes cyclical and often interrupted processes of departure, transit and arrival. Three consecutive panels were convened, beginning with scholarly presentations on the "Causes and Conditions of Displacement", "(Interrupted) Transit and Forced Immobility" and finally, "Durable Solutions for Protracted Displacement". A concluding panel summarized some of the key points of the day, including the need for more political solutions that target the root causes, and not only the consequences, of protracted displacement. The conference was generously funded by the Foundation for International Dialogue of the Savings Bank in Bonn and the US Consulate General in Düsseldorf.

On 28 October 2015, BICC hosted its annual international conference entitled "Networks of Organized Violence". This topic was chosen because of a perceived shift from the primacy of the state to the importance of networks in perpetrating organized violence. The aim the conference was to view networks of organized violence from different academic angles and to discuss various methodological approaches to understanding the role of networks. The first panel illustrated the relevance of exploring local dynamics of violent conflicts, including the behaviour of groups and the networks in which they are embedded. The second panel looked at the interconnectedness of structures, systems and people involved in the procurement and application of military technology, using a more classical understanding of networks. The final panel discussed the use of network analysis as a tool for understanding armed actor groups. The conference concluded that while understanding networks of organized violence is critical to limiting its destructive effects, networks should also be examined for their potential to build peace and reduce organized violence.