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May has been an eventful month with considerable progress on a number of fronts. Our participation at AIDF in Washington, DC, was a particular highlight. I would like to thank all of the members who stopped by our booth to discuss current and future projects. Further thanks go out to those who took part in the stimulating discussion at our informal evening get-together in DC the same week.

Speaking of get-togethers, I look forward to the Jerusalem meet-up on Monday, 17 June, with 25 PHAP members already having confirmed their participation. If you are able to attend and have not yet confirmed, just write us an e-mail to let us know that you are coming. The meet-up will also be a good opportunity to meet several of the guest speakers and participants in next week’s training program in Jerusalem, among whom there are several new PHAP members.

Next month’s courses in New York also bring some exciting new features. Following the core training on humanitarian law and policy, the thematic workshop on counterterrorism policies and their impact on humanitarian action has an updated agenda, following changes in the field and the needs and interests that members have communicated to us. Now is a good time to register, if you haven’t already! Moreover, we will launch a new volunteer opportunity for an onsite training assistant in New York, which will allow current and recent university graduates to get an insight into event management and how we discuss international humanitarian law among experienced humanitarian practitioners.

I can now also confirm that we will be taking part in the joint Third World Conference on Humanitarian Studies and Third Istanbul Human Security Conference in Istanbul in October as panel organizers. Our panel proposals have been developed together with senior PHAP members and regular contributors to our training programs and are bound to be interesting opportunities for exchange on some of the issues that are shaping the future of the humanitarian sector. If you would like to take part in any of the panels, we would be happy to discuss your ideas for papers and provide editing support.

In our series of member-contributed articles, Diane Paul has put the focus on Syria this month with two articles: one a backgrounder on the current situation in the country, and another outlining the criteria for her suggested intervention – a humanitarian safe area for civilians. In addition, the thread started in a previous member article on slow-onset environmental change and migration has been taken up by Dario Carminati, who has written a piece on the legal challenges associated with recent changes.

Responding to the needs of our global membership, we have introduced five new call-in numbers for when you need to reach us in the Secretariat. You can now call us via local numbers in Bangkok, Brussels, Geneva, London, Nairobi, and New York.

Finally, I hope that you will take the time to answer this month’s poll regarding your interest in certain discounts as part of your membership benefits – your input is important for us to know where to focus our efforts.

 

 

 

Angharad Laing
Executive Director

The joint Third World Conference on Humanitarian Studies (WCHS) and Third Istanbul Human Security Conference will be held 24-27 October 2013 in Istanbul. This is an exciting opportunity for PHAP members and colleagues to take part in a community-wide discussion on the topic of human security. In collaboration with senior members and other regular contributors to its training programs, PHAP is preparing to organize several panels during the conference, in order to promote knowledge-sharing within the association and in the wider humanitarian community.
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As the global association for professionals in humanitarian assistance and protection, PHAP has members located all over the world. This brings with it great opportunities in terms of the diversity of experience and expertise and the value this brings to the member network. In order to better reflect the global nature of the association and respond to requests from members for improved communication channels, PHAP has set up five new call-in numbers in humanitarian hubs in different regions.
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PHAP’s advanced professional training on humanitarian law and policy is a well-established professional development program. It creates opportunities for experienced professionals in the humanitarian sector to deepen their knowledge of international humanitarian law with the help of expert trainers and facilitators. We are now giving current and recent university graduates an opportunity to get involved with these courses as volunteers, assisting with the logistics of the events.
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From 21-22 May, PHAP participated as a partner and exhibitor at the Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF) in Washington, DC. Held over two days under the broad theme of how to follow up on the Millennium Development Goals after 2015, the forum’s 25 workshop and conference sessions attracted over 1700 humanitarian and development professionals. All three ways that PHAP aimed to connect with members and the wider community at the event were a success: their booth in the exhibition, the Executive Director’s participation in the conference, and the separate PHAP members’ meet-up held in conjunction with the event.
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Twenty years ago, as we watched atrocities mount in Bosnia, governments dithered and a hundred thousand people died needlessly in a brutal war of ethnic cleansing. And now, Syria. While one might describe the international community’s approach to Syria as “the policy of waiting it out,” history is not on the side of bystanders. We cannot wish our obligations away. The paper highlights some of the debate concerning no-fly zones (NFZs) and safe areas, and sets out some specific criteria that might be considered in the development of such strategies. It also presents a critical response to both the inaction of the UN and the US and the course of action suggested by some US political leaders, in particular John McCain, that a “safe area” be set up, not for Syrian civilians, but for opposition rebel forces.
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The war in Syria rages on. The world watches in real time as the death toll in Syria is revised further and further upward. As a result of the brutality of the conflict and the targeting of civilians, the number of refugees and internally displaced have reached staggering numbers. Torture, rape, and disappearances are commonplace. This article first provides a brief overview of the current situation in Syria and the atrocities that are being committed. The response of the international community, or more accurately, its lack of response, will also be briefly commented on. This text serves as a background for Diane's other article, which calls for an open and frank discussion on no-fly zones and safe areas in Syria.
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Environmental issues have been part of the discourse on forcibly displaced people and migration for several decades. In the ‘90s, the international community was primarily concerned with the negative impact that refugees had on the environment of their host countries. It is only in the second decade of this century that the reverse causal relationship has been given more attention – that slow-onset environmental change may result in human displacement. With increased international attention and new cooperation initiatives, we are faced with the challenge of ensuring a holistic approach that addresses the interlinked nature of climate change, migration, human rights, humanitarian and protection needs, and co-development. This article will look at recent developments regarding the protection of environmentally displaced persons, focusing in particular on the legal challenges brought about by these changes.
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“We strive to be as international as possible, but working in the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] can be very challenging when active in a sector that has been criticized for its westernized approach.” Mario Stephan explains how building trust with all stakeholders remains a key focus for the often ‘Europe-centric’ humanitarian sector when developing activities in the area he is the coordinator for - the MENA region and Somalia/Somaliland...
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The Core Professional Training on Humanitarian Law and Policy will take place over three days (8-10 Jly) and is a unique opportunity to acquire and refinethe skills necessary to address contemporary humanitarian challenges. This will be immediately followed by the two-day Thematic Workshop on Counterterrorism Policies and Implications for Humanitarian Action(11-12 July), also in New York, designed to introduce humanitarian professionals to the range of debates and legal/practical challenges facing states, human rights advocates, courts, humanitarian agencies and military professionals in carrying out and regulating counterterrorism efforts around the world.

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• Core Professional Training on Humanitarian Law and Policy
• Thematic Workshop on Counterterrorism Policies and Implications for Humanitarian Action

In order to give members a chance to get to know each other better, PHAP will be hosting an informal evening get-together in Jerusalem in conjunction with the Core Professional Training on Humanitarian Law and Policy. All PHAP members are invited to the Ambassador Hotel, 7 p.m. on Monday, 17 June. Appetizers will be provided. If you are going to attend, we would appreciate it if you would let us know in advance.

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These were the results at the time of the newsletter. All past polls remain open for members to cast their vote.