PANEL DEBATE: ‘Access to asylum in a global context of shrinking protection space: challenges and good practices’

The area of refugee protection has grown increasingly complex. While the Refugee Convention is still the overarching legal instrument under which refugee protection is recognized, it has been supplemented by protection statuses based in international, regional, and national human rights law.

In addition, some regions of the world favor alternative protection schemes for displaced persons focusing on shortening the duration of residence permits and limiting the access to associated rights. Other regions strategize around ‘outsourcing’ asylum processing and refugee protection all together or criminalizing refugees by imposing penalties for irregular entry or by other means deterring refugees from seeking and accessing protection.  

On the backdrop of a shrinking protection space and increasing securitization of mobility, the event will highlight challenges related to access to asylum procedures and protection services at borders and along displacement routes. And it will explore good practices on addressing gaps and barriers to legal protection for displaced people and showcase positive examples of how to support protection oriented legislative change.   

Time and place

The event will take place at Danish Refugee Council, Borgergade 10, 1300 Copenhagen K, on Wednesday 27 November 2024, 14:30-17:00 CET. Both in-person and online participation is possible. 

Speakers

Opening: Charlotte Slente, DRC Secretary General 

Keynote: Prof. David Cantor, Director, Refugee Law Initiative, London University

The keynote will be followed by two thematic panels that will capture key challenges and highlight good practices from across the world, including from Latin America, North Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

PANEL 1: Access to asylum procedures and protection services at borders and throughout the displacement route in the face of increasing securitization of mobility: 

• Massimo Frigo, Senior Policy Officer, UNHCR 

• Nur Banu Özkut Özgün, Chair, Board of Directors, Refugee Rights Turkey 

• Kavita Kapur, DRC Protection Coordinator, Mexico 

Meaningful participation of asylum seekers and refugees in the improvement of asylum governance 

• Nurhidayah Hassan, Partnership and Community Lead, New Women Connectors / Global Refugee-led Network 

PANEL 2: Addressing gaps and barriers for protection of displaced people and supporting protection oriented legislative change: 

• Thea Ribergaard Askhøj Nielsen, Team leader, Department for Migration, Peace and Stabilisation, Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs 

• Angeliki Karydi, DRC Protection Manager, North Africa 

• Joshua Ericsson, HOST International Foundation, Executive Director, Malaysia 

• Maria Elena Hernandez Dominguez, DRC Regional Protection Coordinator, Latin America 

The discussion will be moderated by Prof. Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen, Director of MOBILE - the Danish National Research Foundation's Center of Excellence on Global Mobility Law  

Register now