14 – 17 June, 2011
University of New South Wales
Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia
2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, a milestone in the recognition of the rights of people displaced by persecution and in the development of an international human rights framework. It is also the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
The UNSW Centre for Refugee Research, together with key refugee advocates and practitioners convened a Conference to mark this anniversary. The Conference provided a timely opportunity to reflect on the strengths and achievements of the Refugee Convention and refugee protection system, and to consider what further action is needed to secure the rights of refugees during flight, in countries of asylum and in resettlement.
Over 40 speakers plus 30 academics and practitioners from across Australia and the region participated in the Conference to provide a comprehensive platform for discussion. The Conference attracted over 550 delegates.
About the Conference
Key recommendations from the conference will be refined and targeted to the relevant audiences and stakeholders over the coming months.
Recommendations from the three conference streams, the Youth Forum and Women’s Dialogues are informing discussions at the current series of meetings at UNHCR Geneva. They are the UNHCR Standing Committee, The Annual NGO Consultations and the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement.
Youth Forum
Refugee and displaced youth have been identified by UNHCR as one of the groups who has fallen between the cracks. Recommendations from the young people who participated in the Youth Forum will provide welcome input to inform national and international policy and practice.
Women and Girls
The protection of women and girls in particular the prevention of and response to rape and sexual violence and the wellbeing of women and girls following resettlement are also key issues at a national and international level. The outcomes from the Women’s Dialogues will make an important contribution in all areas.
Conference Streams
Three conference streams explored good practices and challenges relating to Regional Refugee Protection, Durable Solutions, Resettlement and Settlement.
Key areas explored include:
- Improving the protection of refugees and refugee rights across the Asia Pacific region
- Alternatives to detention
- Ways to address the 17 million refugees and displaced people who languish, in protracted situations
- Strategies to improve the protection of refugees in urban areas who now form half the world’s refugee populations
- Good practices and challenges in the settlement of refugees to Australia and New Zealand.
An important report highlighting the social and economic contribution of refugees to Australia by Professor Graham Hugo was launched by the Minster for Immigration.
