Refugee Law Initiative

The next piece in our six part series on International Law and Refugee Rights in Northern Ireland has been authored by Amy Donnelly:

'The barriers to education for refugee children in Northern Ireland'

Avaialble to read here: https://rli.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2026/07/09/the-barriers-to-education-for-refugee-children-in-northern-ireland/

A new six part series on the .

Refugee rights in Northern Ireland

This piece, authored by Alannah O’Connor, is on:

'Is the Northern Ireland Executive respecting its International Human Rights Law obligations to provide social security to refugees?'

Available to read here: https://rli.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2026/07/08/is-the-northern-ireland-executive-respecting-its-international-human-rights-law-obligations-to-provide-social-security-to-refugees/

A new six part series on the .

Refugee rights in Northern Ireland

This piece has been authored by Luseka Mwanz:

'Integration From Day One: Northern Ireland’s Refugee Integration Strategy From an International and Comparative Perspective'

Available to read here: https://rli.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2026/07/03/integration-from-day-one-northern-irelands-refugee-integration-strategy-from-an-international-and-comparative-perspective/

A new six part series on the .

Refugee rights in Northern Ireland

The first piece in this four-part series is:

'Refugee Protection in the unique context of Northern Ireland: an introduction' authored by Julie Donnelly.

Available to read here: https://rli.blogs.sas.ac.uk/2026/07/02/refugee-protection-in-the-unique-context-of-northern-ireland-an-introduction/

Planning to apply for the MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies?

The Jean-François Durieux Scholarship is available to eligible students living in the Middle East or Latin America. To apply for the scholarship, you'll first need to be accepted onto the MA programme, so we recommend submitting your programme application by 15 July 2026.

Learn more about the scholarship here: https://www.london.ac.uk/study/fees-funding/funding-study/scholarships-bursaries/jean-francois-durieux-scholarship

Find out more about our MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies here: https://www.london.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/ma-refugee-protection-forced-migration-studies

Live Webinar happening tomorrow! 👇

Want to learn about the Refugee Law Initiative’s distance-learning MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies? Join our live webinar on Thursday 18 June 2026, 2–3pm (UK time).

We’ll cover:
➡️ What the MA involves and the modules you’ll take
➡️ How distance learning and part-time study fit around your life
➡️ Career opportunities the degree can unlock
➡️ Bursaries for staff at UNHCR, NRC, DRC and PHAP members

📣 There will be a live Q&A so you can ask questions directly. Register via the link or QR code: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2817799617416/WN_ZK4vZuDwTzGqNCbd5jgJ8g #/registration

This is a webinar not to miss!

School of Advanced Study - University of London

Today in Geneva, our Director David Cantor joined discussions at the launch of the CHH–Lancet Commission report, Health in a World of Crises and Impunity.

The report highlights urgent challenges facing humanitarian health systems in contexts of conflict and forced displacement, including the finding that in many crises, 70–90% of excess deaths result from disrupted health services rather than violence itself.

We are grateful to have contributed to these important conversations alongside partners and colleagues working across humanitarian health, displacement, and protection.

Read the report: healthconflictcommission.org/the-report

The is delighted to welcome Dr Angus Francis as our newest Research Fellow.

Dr Francis is a senior refugee law and human rights practitioner, researcher, and educator with over twenty-five years of experience. He holds a PhD in refugee law from the Australian National University.

His contribution as an educator includes the establishment of refugee law courses and legal clinics at Griffith Law School, QUT Faculty of Law, and Charles Darwin Law School.

He previously served as Executive Director and Principal Solicitor of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service, and Programme Director of the Human Rights and Governance Programme at the QUT Faculty of Law. He has also represented the Law Council of Australia at the UNHCR Annual NGO Consultations and the Human Rights Commission Nauru-Manus Roundtable.

Dr Francis has published two edited collections (Norms of Protection, UNU Press; Protection of Refugees and Displaced Persons in the Asia Pacific Region, Routledge), alongside numerous book chapters and journal articles. His research concentrates on the intersection of international refugee law and national institutions.

Currently based in Cambridge, UK, Dr Francis will undertake research at the RLI examining the historical development of asylum in the United Kingdom.

Read more here: https://rli.sas.ac.uk/news-events/news/dr-angus-francis-has-joined-rli-visiting-fellow

The Oxford University Press Handbook of Internal Displacement was officially launched last week, in partnership with ODI Global and the Humanitarian Policy Group.

The handbook, a major collaboration between 70 expert authors worldwide, addresses what internal displacement is, what drives it, the challenges it poses, and how researchers and practitioners are responding. At the launch, four authors reflected on why renewed attention to internal displacement is urgently needed in today’s shifting context.

The conversation explored how displacement shapes physical and mental health, how legal and policy frameworks work in practice, the challenges and opportunities for humanitarian actors amid funding cuts, and the role of displacement-affected communities in shaping responses.

We especially thank David James Cantor, Winifred Ekezie, Bayard Roberts, Yana Liubymova and Leen Fouad for their contributions on the panel.

This handbook is a thoughtful, timely resource for academics and practitioners working on protection, health, governance, localisation and long-term displacement.

You can purchase a copy of the handbook here 👉 https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-internal-displacement-9780198928775?cc=gb&lang=en&

You can watch the full launch event here 👉 https://odi.org/en/events/responding-to-internal-displacement-in-a-shifting-humanitarian-landscape-challenges-and-opportunities/

LAST DAY TO BOOK EARLY BIRD RATES!

Use your country expertise to help inform asylum decisions - Train as an expert witness for asylum cases

Register before 15 June for the next Expert Witness Training Day on 22 June 2026 held in-person at the University of London.

This one-day training covers all aspects of writing expert witness country reports in relation to asylum claims. It is a practical course that will be of great value to those who wish to use their research expertise to help inform these important decisions, while being remunerated for this work.

Learn more and register here: https://rli.sas.ac.uk/study-us/short-courses/expert-witness-training