21.06.2021
IGAM hosted Guy Goodwin-Gill, an Oxford professor who is considered one of the world's foremost experts in international refugee law, at an online conference organized for World Refugee Day. The following are highlights from Goodwin-Gill’s speech:
- Today, governments have begun to seek more temporary solutions for refugees. However, their exodus may very well last a lifetime. Temporary measures are futile in the context of such permanent change.”
- Today, although there are international boards on refugee law, and a legal framework has been formed, there are many instances where the legal framework is not abided by. According to International Refugee Law, a refugee seeking asylum should not be punished.
- Today, the practices we encounter at certain national borders are practices that the international community cannot accept. Pushbacks in countries such as Macedonia, Serbia, and Greece directly violate the Refugee Convention and the Human Rights Declaration.
- Greece reports that it complies with international law about refugees but the evidence is not so.
- Covid-19 has become a very good occasion for controlling the refugee population!
- There are many deficiencies in the international refugee regime, states take unilateral steps. In this context, there is a lack of political will, in fact, the root causes of refugees that need to be dealt with.
- In refugee law, laws are not enough to solve the situation, bureaucratic obstacles create problems in implementation. Challenging and confronting refugees does not work, this situation doesn’t work for the EU either. Deportations, visa difficulties do not give results. A collaborative and rights-oriented approach is required.
- The UNHCR should take a more active role in migration and refugees.
- EU should contribute more to Turkey for refugees in the future. Especially, there is a need for contribution to the education of refugees who will stay in Turkey.
- The World Bank and World Trade Organization should contribute more to refugees. There is a need for financial aid from The World Bank.
