Gil Loescher
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199246915
- eISBN:
- 9780191599781
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199246912.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
The 1960s brought fundamental changes to the UN system of refugee assistance and protection. The developing world replaced Europe as the central focus of the UNHCR's world. The expansion of the UNHCR ...
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The 1960s brought fundamental changes to the UN system of refugee assistance and protection. The developing world replaced Europe as the central focus of the UNHCR's world. The expansion of the UNHCR under the third High Commissioner, Felix Schnyder, coincided with the decolonization and the ensuing emergence of newly independent states in Africa and Asia. Using his ‘good offices’, Schnyder undertook a de facto expansion of the UNHCR's refugee definition and through the development of rural settlement schemes and ‘zonal’ development, progressively increased the range of the services UNHCR provided both to refugees and to host governments.Less
The 1960s brought fundamental changes to the UN system of refugee assistance and protection. The developing world replaced Europe as the central focus of the UNHCR's world. The expansion of the UNHCR under the third High Commissioner, Felix Schnyder, coincided with the decolonization and the ensuing emergence of newly independent states in Africa and Asia. Using his ‘good offices’, Schnyder undertook a de facto expansion of the UNHCR's refugee definition and through the development of rural settlement schemes and ‘zonal’ development, progressively increased the range of the services UNHCR provided both to refugees and to host governments.
Gil Loescher
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199246915
- eISBN:
- 9780191599781
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199246912.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
A key focus is the organizational culture and effectiveness of UNHCR as the principal protection agency for refugees. UNHCR functions with an imperfect mandate, under circumstances necessitating ...
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A key focus is the organizational culture and effectiveness of UNHCR as the principal protection agency for refugees. UNHCR functions with an imperfect mandate, under circumstances necessitating competition with other agencies for limited resources, and in political environments that are inhospitable to crisis management and refugee protection. Because of its financial vulnerability and dependence on donor governments and host states, the agency's actions are clearly shaped by the interests of governments. The UNHCR finds it difficult to learn from past mistakes and it lacks strong policy research and strategic thinking capacities. The author offers policy recommendations aimed at making UNHCR more effective and accountable in its central function of protecting refugees.Less
A key focus is the organizational culture and effectiveness of UNHCR as the principal protection agency for refugees. UNHCR functions with an imperfect mandate, under circumstances necessitating competition with other agencies for limited resources, and in political environments that are inhospitable to crisis management and refugee protection. Because of its financial vulnerability and dependence on donor governments and host states, the agency's actions are clearly shaped by the interests of governments. The UNHCR finds it difficult to learn from past mistakes and it lacks strong policy research and strategic thinking capacities. The author offers policy recommendations aimed at making UNHCR more effective and accountable in its central function of protecting refugees.
Claudena M. Skran
- Published in print:
- 1995
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198273929
- eISBN:
- 9780191684081
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273929.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter analyses the impact of the international refugee regime on the creation of policy concerning the security of the legal rights of the refugees. The customary legal framework proved to be ...
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This chapter analyses the impact of the international refugee regime on the creation of policy concerning the security of the legal rights of the refugees. The customary legal framework proved to be inadequate when the question arose about the safety of millions of refugees in the early 20th century. To correct this abnormality the principal makers of the regime embarked on a twofold strategy. First they sought to form a legal framework defining the status of refugees in international law. Secondly, the refugee agencies of the League of Nations tried to protect special groups of refugees with the intervention of consular services with the host governments. This twofold approach is discussed in detail throughout the chapter.Less
This chapter analyses the impact of the international refugee regime on the creation of policy concerning the security of the legal rights of the refugees. The customary legal framework proved to be inadequate when the question arose about the safety of millions of refugees in the early 20th century. To correct this abnormality the principal makers of the regime embarked on a twofold strategy. First they sought to form a legal framework defining the status of refugees in international law. Secondly, the refugee agencies of the League of Nations tried to protect special groups of refugees with the intervention of consular services with the host governments. This twofold approach is discussed in detail throughout the chapter.
Tony Addison and Alan Roe
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- November 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198817369
- eISBN:
- 9780191858871
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198817369.003.0033
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
The extractive industries have invariably occupied a somewhat uncomfortable position in development debate and practice. The very word ‘extraction’ conjures up images of forceful (and painful) ...
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The extractive industries have invariably occupied a somewhat uncomfortable position in development debate and practice. The very word ‘extraction’ conjures up images of forceful (and painful) removal. The media image is frequently one of despoiling nature, sometimes abusing and destroying the environment, including the resources (water, forests, soils etc.) essential to human life. Nor does mining infrastructure offer the same attractive photo opportunities for local politicians or for visiting ministers from aid-donor countries. In some cases there can be an imbalance of power between large extractives companies and host governments, and corruption and non-transparency are still to be found. This chapter lays out the framework of a book which certainly does not seek to present a rose-tinted view of the development benefits of extractives. Nor does it subscribe to the most negative manifestations of the resource curse thesis.Less
The extractive industries have invariably occupied a somewhat uncomfortable position in development debate and practice. The very word ‘extraction’ conjures up images of forceful (and painful) removal. The media image is frequently one of despoiling nature, sometimes abusing and destroying the environment, including the resources (water, forests, soils etc.) essential to human life. Nor does mining infrastructure offer the same attractive photo opportunities for local politicians or for visiting ministers from aid-donor countries. In some cases there can be an imbalance of power between large extractives companies and host governments, and corruption and non-transparency are still to be found. This chapter lays out the framework of a book which certainly does not seek to present a rose-tinted view of the development benefits of extractives. Nor does it subscribe to the most negative manifestations of the resource curse thesis.
