Register now for this conference on the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, organized in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This conference addresses the social and economic rights of refugees in regions of origin. We will reflect on the proliferation of European and international policy initiatives that aim to improve refugee reception in Africa and the Middle East. EU Trust Funds, EU Compacts, and international funds are increasingly employed to boost refugee reception in regions close to conflict areas. How should we assess these initiatives? Are they successfully increasing refugee rights, or are they merely a tool to exclude refugees from the European Union?  These questions will be discussed in a hybrid conference by three panels of academics, politicians, policymakers and representatives from international organizations.

Full programme: Conference Programme

Registration and lunch – 12:00 – 12:45

Opening by Ashley Terlouw, chair of the Meijers Committee – 12:45 – 13:00

Session 1 – Social and Economic Rights in the Refugee Convention – 13:00-14:00

• Marjoleine Zieck (University of Amsterdam – keynote)
• Lieneke Slingenberg (VU University Amsterdam – respondent)
• Cornelis Wouters (UNHCR – respondent)
• Maarten den Heijer (Meijers Committee – moderator)

Session 2 – Changing political contexts, shifting policy approaches – 14:10-15:10

• Alexander Betts (Oxford University – keynote)
• Tineke Strik (MEP – Greens – respondent)
• Gerald Knaus (European Stability Initiative – respondent)
• Janna Wessels (Meijers Committee – moderator)

Session 3 – Operationalizing law and policy in practice –  15:20-16:20

• Sajjad Malik (UNHCR – keynote)
• Xavier Devictor (World Bank – respondent)
• Kelsey P. Norman (Rice University – respondent)
• Jorrit Rijpma (Meijers Committee – moderator)

Closing remarks by Marriët Schuurman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 16:20-16:30

Location: Beeld & Geluid (Sound & Vision), Zeestraat 82, The Hague (The Netherlands)