Hafsar attended and presented at the 2026 Southeast Asian Women Ambassadors’ Forum on Peace in Metro Manila, organised by Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators. In a dedicated panel titled "Navigating Narratives of Identity, Legitimacy, and Inclusion," facilitated by Lilianne Fan (Co-Founder, SEAWPM), Hafsar addressed the critical role narratives play in conflict, displacement, and Myanmar’s democratic struggle. The panel emphasised that ASEAN must uphold and promote regional diplomacy that treats the Rohingya crisis as a core political test for Myanmar’s future and engage directly with inclusive democratic networks and women peacebuilders.

 

On 18th August, Klaus spoke at a webinar titled “Critical Conversation on the Impacts of Colonialism on Neoliberal Capitalism and Displacement” organised by the International Migrants Alliance.

 

On 24 August, Hafsar contributed to the “Rohingya Exodus: the challenges and future of this Protracted Crisis” hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) at the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in Cox's Bazar, addressing the importance of addressing the root causes of the issues, such as a ceasefire in Myanmar and inclusive dialogue with the government of Myanmar, while implementing smaller steps towards self-reliance of Rohingya refugees. 

 

On 26 August, Hafsar spoke alongside other voices from law, academia, human rights, humanitarian affairs, political advocacy, and the Rohingya community at the International Institute for Law and Politics (IILP) for the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Webinar 2026. The collective voices, knowledge, experience, and perspectives enriched this important conversation on the Rohingya genocide, its continuing consequences, and the pursuit of justice and accountability.

 

Hafsar also spoke at the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day Webinar organised by the Rohingya Association New Zealand (RANZ) on 26th of August. 

 

Hafsar and Klaus had a meeting with the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, an introductory meeting to explore future collaboration.  With Mr Jun Yamada, Chief of the International Organizations Division and Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to ESCAP.

 

 

Local leadership in a changing humanitarian architecture

Whose perspectives shape the conversations that influence humanitarian action?

Too often, those closest to crises are invited to contribute examples or validate existing debates, but rarely to define the agenda itself. Read the article in which APRRN and our partners, through a series of discussions, highlighted the central theme of this issue emerging from practice priorities and local leadership in a changing humanitarian architecture. 

 

APRRN called upon Malaysia government, ASEAN, and UNHCR Malaysia to uphold international law and protect Rohingya from detention and return to Myanmar in a joint statement co-issued with Nationality For All, Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, Global Movement Against Statelessness, and Statelessness and Dignified Citizenship Coalition Asia Pacific.

 

Member’s Spotlight! 

Protracted displacement remains one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges facing refugees in Indonesia. As a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Indonesia provides temporary protection but no pathway to permanent legal status, leaving refugees in prolonged uncertainty with restricted access to rights and limited prospects for durable solutions. For many Afghan refugee youth, this uncertainty has persisted for over a decade, profoundly shaping their mental well-being, resilience, and ability to participate meaningfully in society. Emplace Initiative, with support from the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), draws on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 25 participants, including Afghan refugee youth, refugee leaders, Indonesian stakeholders, and psychosocial practitioners, to examine the psychosocial impacts of prolonged displacement in Indonesia.  Read the Research Report Here

 

ACTIONS AND NEWS FROM MEMBERS AND PARTNERS

The Federal Government has proposed sweeping changes to the migration system that could have serious consequences for refugees, people seeking asylum, and migrant families. Write to your MP now and ask them to protect fairness in Australia’s migration and refugee protection system.

 

Following reports that the Home Affairs minister would announce sweeping changes to Australia’s immigration program, refugee advocates have called for a fair and efficient system and business leaders have advocated for the importance of skilled migrant labour. The Refugee Council of Australia said that ‘we can address delays and backlogs without removing people’s rights, forcing people into poverty or creating additional barriers for families trying to reunite’. Australian Industry Group boss Innes Willox said that ‘we are in a global war for talent, and we need to be as responsible but as welcoming as possible’. Former Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson argued the significant reduction in migrants planned by the Coalition and One Nation would damage an economy already weakened by budget deficits.

 

Blossom Future is a local organisation dedicated to documenting human rights violations and monitoring the impact of aerial attacks in Myanmar. Since 2023, their team of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) has been systematically gathering verified ground-level data to ensure accountability for affected communities. 

Please find attached our latest Monthly Brief and Aerial Attack Factsheet (July 2026), which includes:

• Incident mapping and frequency of aerial attacks
• Documented Human Rights violation impacts on civilians and infrastructure

 

Ahtaram Shin, an independent Journalist & Rights Advocate, researcher, and freelancer with a focus on human rights advocacy and documentation, and the deputy chair of the Creative Initiatives in Practice Working Group of APRRN, published the following articles in August about the Rohingya repatriation, hate speech, and the struggle to escape from camp:

• Is there any possibility for Rohingya repatriation? Repatriation is not merely a physical return. It means a safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return with citizenship, equality, security, freedom of movement, and full rights.
• Hate should never replace facts. Organized hate speech against an entire refugee community is unacceptable.
• Why Rohingya Are Fleeing the Refugee Camps and What They Actually Want. For nearly nine years, the Rohingya have lived in refugee camps in Bangladesh, waiting for a safe and dignified return to their homeland. Yet after all these years, there is still no meaningful assurance of rights, no clear pathway to citizenship, no sustainable livelihood, and no realistic prospect of repatriation.

 

Over the past five years, Myanmar has experienced rapidly changing political, social, humanitarian, and human rights conditions. Amid ongoing conflict, displacement, and increasing protection challenges, OIA has continued to adapt and expand its work in response to the evolving needs of vulnerable communities and human rights defenders. This Five-Year Impact Report highlights Overseas Irrawaddy Association (OIA)’s key achievements, impact, lessons learned, and future priorities across our major areas of work, including HRD Protection; Public Health & COVID-19 Response; Civilian Protection; Disaster Preparedness & Community Resilience; Human Rights Documentation, Evidence & Advocacy; and Livelihoods & Self-Reliance. The progress and impact reflected in this report would not have been possible through OIA’s efforts alone. They have been made possible through the trust, partnership, collaboration, and generous support of our partners, donors, communities, and colleagues who have stood alongside us throughout these challenging years.

Access the OIA Five-Year Impact Report (June 2021 – May 2026) through the link below: OIA_ Five - Year Impact Report ( June 2021-May 2026)

 

Twenty-five years ago this week, the MV Tampa rescued 438 people from a distressed vessel in the Indian Ocean. The events that followed reshaped Australia's asylum debate and continue to influence refugee protection law and policy today. You can find a curated selection of Kaldor Centre research, commentary and events exploring the significance of the Tampa on our new resource page, ‘The legacy of the MV Tampa’. UNSW hosted a free screening of a new documentary, Tampa: The Turning Point, at the Paddington Campus with journalist Lydia Feng, UNSW Professor Angela Nickerson, the Refugee Council of Australia’s Dr Graham Thom, lawyer and RACS ambassador  Tariq Kareemi and film producer Ili Baré.

 

Five years since the Taliban seized back control of Afghanistan, many Afghan people who supported Australia’s mission or fought alongside Australian troops remain in danger. Until 2023, the Australian government ran a resettlement program called the Afghan Locally Engaged Employee (LEE) Program for Afghans who worked for, or with, Australia. According to the latest government figures, only 1,208 Afghans (along with immediate family members) have reached Australia, out of the 2,059 people certified by the program. Zaki Haidari, a former Afghan refugee and Amnesty International advocate, said Australia’s obligation to the people of Afghanistan did not end with the military withdrawal.

 

AAM at BFM, Malaysia, is rolling out its own refugee registration system, the Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian (DPP), while asking the UNHCR to temporarily suspend new registrations. Joanne Chua, Executive Director of Asylum Access Malaysia, discusses what this means for refugees and asylum seekers, and what it means for their safety and wellbeing. “A registration system is not, on its own, a bad thing. Refugees have long asked for documentation that protects them from arrest and gives them an eligible status. But the details of who runs it, what data is collected, how it interacts with UNHCR's existing mandate, and what happens to people whose registration is delayed or denied — these are the details that decide whether this is protection or something else wearing its clothes.”

 

News from the region

Afghanistan:

Afghan refugees like Lina are being deported back to face the Taliban. Can Australia help? The Department of Home Affairs of Australia faces difficulties processing humanitarian visas for Afghan people residing in Pakistan due to Pakistan’s deportation laws and increased enforcement. Afghan nationals, including many people who supported Australia’s mission or women targeted for their activism, are hiding in Pakistan, waiting for the outcome of their visa applications to Australia. Pakistan has forcibly returned more than two million Afghans in the past few years. Amnesty International Australia campaigner Zaki Haidari told SBS News that there are ‘cases of people who have been deported to Afghanistan and been killed by the Taliban'. 

 

Fourteen million people in Afghanistan – a third of the population – face acute food insecurity, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced, adding that funding cuts have decimated the agency’s ability to provide treatment. WFP estimated that 3.7 million children and 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to experience acute malnutrition this year and said it needs $500 million before the country’s winter to address the crisis.

 

Five years on, international limitations weigh on Taliban-run Afghanistan as rights concerns persist
Aid workers say vulnerable Afghans are paying the price for declining Western assistance and limited engagement with the Islamic Emirate.

 

5 Years After Taliban Takeover, Women & Girls in Afghanistan Have Disappeared from Public Life. Afghan women are banned from attending schools and gyms, books written by women are removed from libraries, doctors and nurses are unable to practice, and child marriage rates have increased. Wives have been rendered legally subordinate to their husbands, and women are required to stay silent in public. "Women and girls of Afghanistan are suffering the darkest situation in the world," says Negina Yari, an Afghan women's rights activist living in exile in Germany, who discusses the impacts of what some advocacy groups are characterizing as "gender apartheid," as well as the effects of regional diplomatic normalization on the Taliban's political influence.

 

At least 161 Afghan women and children have died in preventable deaths linked to US aid cuts, according to Refugees International, directly challenging Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s claim that “no one has died because of USAID cuts”. The cuts have shuttered health and nutrition facilities, eliminated jobs for female health workers, and reduced access to maternal and emergency care, particularly in rural areas. For more on how the crisis is compounded by restrictions on women and US financial measures, including the freezing of billions of dollars of Central Bank reserves, read this analysis marking five years of Taliban rule.

 

US Court Orders State Department to Issue Afghan Refugee Family Travel Documents Within 15 Days. U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia found that the travel restrictions (in June 2025) do not apply to Afghan refugees already admitted to the United States or to eligible relatives whose family reunification cases had been approved before the restrictions took effect.

The lawsuit was brought by seven Afghan refugees after their relatives were prevented from traveling to the United States despite having completed visa processing and receiving travel authorization before the policy was implemented.

The judgment currently applies only to the plaintiffs involved in the case but could influence how U.S. authorities handle similar applications from Afghan refugee families affected by travel restrictions.
 

Australia: 

It’s been 25 years since Tampa. A documentary aims to show the story behind it isn’t ‘black and white’. A documentary series tracing the story of the Tampa crisis will premiere soon, 25 years after the diplomatic stand-off at sea occurred. The series interviews key individuals involved in the crisis, including former Prime Minister John Howard, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, the captain of the Norwegian freighter, and asylum seekers who were on board the Tampa.

 

Bangladesh: 

Australia announces $17.74M support for Rohingya, host communities in Bangladesh. New funding to support protection activities, skills development, disaster risk reduction measures in Rohingya camps.

 

Myanmar confirms nearly 309,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh, says security issues delaying repatriation. Myanmar has verified 308,797 displaced people in Bangladesh as former Rakhine residents ⁠out of 828,824 names submitted as of July 31, 2026, the foreign ministry said in a statement over the weekend. According to the United Nations, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 after a crackdown by Myanmar security forces, and many more are still leaving via uncertain sea and land journeys. Myanmar says it has identified 4,241 people on Bangladesh's repatriation ‌list that it alleged were involved in terrorist activities, while a further 113,507 could not be verified. Myanmar says repatriation will begin only when security conditions in Rakhine State become more stable.

 

Can Bangladesh Engage the Arakan Army Without Compromising Rohingya Rights? Engagement may be required, but appeasement is not.  

 

India:

Mizoram’s Chin Refugees From Myanmar – Analysis.

• Significant Refugee Influx: Mizoram currently hosts an estimated 40,000 Myanmar Chin refugees (plus about 1,000 from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts), representing roughly 3.75% of the state’s population (and sometimes up to 5%), driven by Myanmar’s post-2021 civil conflict and unrest in Bangladesh.
• Community-Led Humanitarian Response: Support is coordinated through a resilient informal partnership led by the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the state government, church organizations, and international donors; ethnic kinship, shared culture, language, and Christianity motivate Mizos to welcome the refugees as “cousins.”
• Emerging Tensions: Despite hospitality, challenges include rising drug trafficking and addiction linked to the Golden Triangle trade, limited legal livelihood options for refugees, remittance-driven land price increases, and regulatory measures such as the reimposed Protected Area Regime affecting mobility.

 

Indonesia:

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency reported that more than 110,000 people were displaced after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara province, leaving at least 83 people dead, nearly 1,000 people injured, and 36,163 houses and buildings damaged.

 

Malaysia:

4,010 refugees and asylum seekers registered since January. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Phase 1 of the programme primarily involved Myanmar detainees, particularly those from the Rohingya community, held at Immigration Detention Depots across Peninsular Malaysia. "Of the total, 4,008 are Myanmar nationals, while one each is a Sudanese and Syrian national. "The figures comprise 2,746 adult male detainees, 632 adult female detainees, 392 male children and 240 female children," he said in a written parliamentary reply published on the Parliament portal. Saifuddin said adult detainees involved in the programme would be gradually transferred to the Special Refugee and Asylum Seeker Detention Centre in Bidor, Perak, for Refugee Status Determination (RSD) processing. He said the facility has an operational capacity of 400 people at any one time. Phase 2 of the programme, involving UNHCR cardholders and individuals claiming refugee status outside detention centres, is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.

"The Home Ministry aims to complete the registration process for this group by Dec 31, 2029,".

 

As of 9^th July, Refugee status has been granted to 78 Rohingya, 25 of whom are now eligible for local employment under the Refugee Registration Document (DPP) programme, says the Home Ministry. All successful DPP applicants will be given a card that serves as their government-recognised identification for a temporary stay in Malaysia.

 

Malaysia says Myanmar refugee return will not go ahead if lives are at risk. Malaysia will not proceed with repatriating 5,000 Myanmar refugees if their lives are found to be at risk upon their return, a government spokesman said on Wednesday, as authorities continued to screen the refugees ahead ‌of the planned handover.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that the 5,000 to be repatriated were ethnic Rohingya refugees, and that the move was being carried out following rising tensions with local communities in Malaysia.

• In the unrest, Rohingya refugee schools across the country were shut down, with many Rohingya children reportedly facing harassment and ⁠threats.
• Some refugees were also evicted from their homes in the state of Penang and briefly detained by authorities after gathering outside the UNHCR building in Kuala Lumpur to seek assistance.
• The foreign and home ministries are currently reviewing the plan to identify the 5,000 refugees to be returned to Myanmar, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular press briefing.
• "Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not return the 5,000 Myanmar refugees if they would either be persecuted or their lives would be threatened," he said.
• "There are several matters that ‌will ⁠be studied and discussed with the Myanmar government before the government implements (the plan)," added Fahmi, who is also the government spokesperson.
• "The junta government in Myanmar is ready to receive them, but we will study what the criteria are, and if appropriate, we will implement it. The Prime ⁠Minister has taken note that we cannot send them back if their lives are threatened. So there are several matters currently being studied by the Foreign Ministry," he added.

 

Despite being prioritised, only 352 Malaysians have applied for 3D jobs so far on the MyFutureJobs portal. "When the jobs are offered on MyFutureJobs, and no Malaysians come forward to take them, only then would we open them up to foreign workers, refugees or others."

 

Johor Amanah sets up committee to monitor Rohingya issues. The committee would gather complaints and information from residents before referring matters requiring action to the relevant authorities … "This is about ensuring the safety, peace and wellbeing of Johoreans while ensuring refugee management is carried out firmly, systematically and humanely,"

 

Premature repatriation risks deepening the Rohingya crisis. "Repatriation without rights risks reproducing the very crisis it seeks to resolve,". Speaking at the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Manila, Bangladeshi Foreign Affairs Adviser Khalilur Rahman described the Rohingya as “stateless by design,” arguing that their plight is the product of deliberate political exclusion rather than simply a consequence of conflict. His observation captures the essence of the crisis. Statelessness is not merely a humanitarian condition to be managed. It is a political failure requiring a political solution. That solution must begin in Myanmar. Repatriation cannot succeed without meaningful guarantees of citizenship, equal rights, freedom of movement, security and accountability.

 

In Malaysia, a wave of hate speech threatens Rohingya refugees. Leading to the eviction of more than 100 people from their village and the temporary closure of schools attended by refugee children.

 

4,000 Myanmar nationals in immigration depots to undergo refugee screening. The Immigration Department and police have begun screening Myanmar nationals held at immigration depots to determine their refugee status, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He said authorities had identified about 4,000 Myanmar nationals currently held at immigration depots, stressing that this did not mean all had refugee status.

 

Myanmar:  

U.N. Member States: End Impunity for Rohingya Genocide, 70 Organizations Urge. Nine years after the height of the genocide in Myanmar, governments should increase support for Rohingya, advance international justice.

 

In Myanmar’s Sagaing region, some 10,000 people fled their homes due to operations by the state military, in which at least 10 villages were targeted by airstrikes and raided by ground forces, who detained a number of residents. 

 

Myanmar’s government has said it is willing to accept the return of 5,000 refugees, including Rohingyas, from Malaysia, according to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has verified 308,797 Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh as former residents of Rakhine state and will accept their return once security conditions improve. A further 113,507 refugees could not be verified, and 4,241 had been found to have been involved in what it described as terrorist activities, according to the Ministry. 

 

As atrocities in Myanmar intensify, investigative capacity shrinks. War crimes and crimes against humanity are escalating in frequency and intensity in Myanmar, according to the eighth and latest annual report from the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). The mechanism has identified military units and command structures linked to airstrikes on civilians, and is probing killings of detainees, torture, sexual violence, and “double-tap” attacks targeting rescuers. In Rakhine State, investigators are examining alleged crimes by both the military and the Arakan Army, including attacks on schools and hospitals, obstruction of aid, forced displacement, rape, executions, and the destruction of Rohingya mosques and neighbourhoods. The IIMM has collected more than 28 million items of evidence and shared thousands with the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and several national jurisdictions. However, severe UN funding cuts have shrunk the mechanism’s investigative capacity to protect witnesses, process open-source evidence, and investigate sexual violence and crimes against children. For more on the impact of funding cuts on the IIMM’s work, read this piece.

 

Symbolic Concessions, No Implementation: Myanmar’s Promises of Rohingya Repatriation. On July 29, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remarked that Myanmar had agreed to repatriate 300,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and 5,000 from Malaysia. Subsequently, Malaysian and Bangladeshi media outlets enthusiastically disseminated the news. However, the very next day, Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed stated that Myanmar had forwarded no such proposal to Bangladesh, and while the two sides maintain contact, the topic of the repatriation of 300,000 refugees has not been discussed. … The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) deemed Myanmar’s actions to be “ethnic cleansing,” while the United States recognized it as a “genocide.”

 

Symposium on Prosecuting Asia-Pacific Crimes: Examining the Utility of Universal Jurisdiction Efforts to Address Forced Displacement in Myanmar.

The UN Security Council’s only resolution on Myanmar, on 21 December 2022, underscored the need to address the root causes of the crisis in Rakhine state and to “create conditions necessary for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons.” However, no further action has been taken.

By contrast, in a case brought by The Gambia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Court, in its 2020 Provisional Measures, found that the Rohingya “appear to constitute a protected group” and Myanmar needed to prevent the commission of acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention.

 

2025 report by the IIMM found that: “Myanmar state authorities and associated actors destroyed and dispossessed Rohingya land and property […] the authorities reinforced the effects of the clearance operations and forced deportations, and created very serious impediments to the ability of Rohingya to ever reconstitute the communities where they had lived for generations”. 

 

UN efforts are being made in the Asia Pacific region. Criminal complaints have been brought by human rights groups to the Department of Justice in Manila in 2023, the Court of First Instance in Dili, Timor-Leste in January 2026, and the Attorney General’s office in Jakarta, Indonesia in January 2026.

 

How Myanmar’s war drives the Rohingya crisis. Since Myanmar's civil war escalated following a coup in 2021, more than 150,000 Rohingya have been purged from their homes and forced to seek asylum across Asia. Caught in the crossfire between the ruling military government and rebel fighters in Myanmar, some Rohingya refugees claim members of their families have been forcibly conscripted, subjected to targeted attacks, and even massacred. How decades of persecution displaced Myanmar’s Rohingya. The Rohingya of Myanmar have faced decades of discrimination and forced displacement, and a case alleging genocide now sits before the International Court of Justice.

 

Malaysia and Bangladesh want solutions. Is Myanmar ready for Rohingya return? The unanswered questions are fundamental. Will returnees regain citizenship and enjoy freedom of movement, access to education, health care and livelihood? Who will guarantee their protection from discrimination, arbitrary detention or renewed violence? The issue is not whether the Rohingya should eventually return to Myanmar. Safe, voluntary and dignified return remains the preferred long-term solution to any refugee crisis. The more pressing question is whether Myanmar has created the conditions that make such a return possible. The Rohingya crisis is fundamentally a crisis of citizenship.

 

US judges clear the way to end temporary protected status for South Sudan, Myanmar nationals. Two US federal judges have allowed the Trump administration to move ahead with ending Temporary Protected Status for nationals of South Sudan and Myanmar … ending the programme would affect … roughly 4,000 people from Myanmar.

 

Nauru and Manus Island:

There are more than 700 people who were previously sent to offshore detention in Nauru and Papua New Guinea who are living in Australia on temporary visas without a permanent settlement pathway. Mahsa Mazaheri and her mother are refugees from Iran who came to Australia by boat in 2013 and were sent to Naoero. They were subsequently evacuated to Australia in 2014 due to her mother’s deteriorating health. Ms Mazaheri is now married and has two children with an Iranian former refugee who arrived by boat a few days after her but was not transferred to Naoero. Her husband and children have now become Australian citizens. Human Rights Law Centre associate legal director Laura John said ‘it was time the government abandoned "cruel and senseless policies from the past" and let people stay with their families and communities’.

 

At a Federal Court hearing in the case of TCXM, an Iranian man who was deported to Naoero under the NZYQ deal, the government inadvertently tendered a document containing sensitive information about the deal. The barristers for the detainee said the document showed that the government retains an ongoing influence over how the cohort are treated after deportation, with additional funding for particular individuals who are removed. 

There are about 100 asylum seekers in Nauru awaiting the determination of their claims. Asylum seekers receive a stipend of approximately $18 per day, funded by the Australian government through the Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Nauru. In interviews with the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC), most asylum seekers reported that they could not buy enough food and were regularly skipping meals due to the cost of living in Nauru. A Home Affairs spokesperson said that the stipend was regularly reviewed and ‘designed to promote self-sufficiency’.
Nauru has passed further laws regarding the use of ‘reasonable force’ to restrain, search and monitor Australian transferees. These powers were originally endowed to community monitoring officers (CMOs) and have now been extended to any person on the island. As of 4 June 2026, 12 people have been deported to Nauru. The ABC reported that ‘a further 37 people have been re-detained and are currently awaiting deportation to Nauru’. Several legal challenges are pending at the federal court regarding deportations to Nauru. Sanmati Verma, legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, noted that the CMO regime is highly relevant to these cases, which argue that removal to Nauru is unconstitutional as it involves a form of punishment.

Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) advocates have drawn attention to the serious mental and physical ill health of asylum seekers and refugees in Papua New Guinea. There are reportedly 10-12 refugees who are suffering from ‘serious mental health’ conditions. Advocates are urging for their evacuation to Australia under the medevac legislation, which was passed and then repealed in 2019. The Australian government told RNZ Pacific last month that it 'does not have any role in the ongoing management for individuals remaining in PNG'.

Yesterday marked 13 years since the 19 July 2013 ruling that anyone arriving by boat would never settle in Australia. Greens Senator David Shoebridge, HRLC associate legal director Laura John, and refugee activist Sister Jane Keogh will speak in an online forum this week to mark the date.

• ‘Asylum seekers Australia sent to Nauru say they are going hungry’.
• ‘'Impossible': Nauru community detainees say Australian funds not enough to buy food with’.
• ‘Hungry for Freedom’.
• ‘Quiet change to Nauru's policing laws could impact NZYQ legal challenges’.
• 'Advocates urge Australia to save Iranian asylum seeker ‘left to suffer’ in PNG'.
• ‘Refugees: Out of Sight (but not) Out of Mind – Australia's Offshore 'Processing'’.

 

NEW ZEALAND:

Applications are now open for community organisations wishing to become Approved Sponsors under New Zealand's permanent Community Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme. If your organisation is interested in sponsoring refugees, contact HOST International Aotearoa New Zealand (HOST). The application documents are also on the website: Application Documents | Community Refugee Sponsorship NZ. 

 

Thailand:

Deportation rules face scrutiny. On July 14, the Anutin cabinet approved in principle a draft Prime Minister's Office regulation on deportation. Officials claim the regulation will reduce redundancy and speed up the deportation process for cases involving illegal immigration, unauthorised employment, document fraud and serious criminal activity. This intention appears sound. However, there is one important caveat. The regulation does not mention or provide any guidelines for officials and policymakers when dealing with asylum seekers, political activists or journalists who have fled repressive governments and sought refuge in Thailand.
 

Thailand Migration Reform Consortium, The Draft "Deportation" Regulation Risks Opening the Door to Foreign Interference.

 

A refugee rights network has petitioned a parliamentary committee to prevent Thailand from deporting three Chinese refugees to China, warning they would face a serious risk of torture and persecution if returned. The petition was submitted on Thursday to the House Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice and Human Rights, chaired by People's Party MP Rangsiman Rome, by Fortify Rights Executive Director Puttanee Kangkun and representatives of the Refugee Rights and Stateless Persons Network.

 

Transnational Repression, Organised Crime, and Conflict in Southeast Asia. Chinese dissident Zhang Xinyan was detained by authorities in Thailand last week while boarding her scheduled flight from Bangkok to Canada for resettlement, despite holding a refugee visa from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and all required approvals from Ottawa. Human rights groups immediately leapt to her defense, adding that there are three more Chinese dissidents – Bai Zhaodong, Tan Yixiang, and Zhou Junyi – currently being held in Thai detention centers who were at risk of being forcibly returned if local authorities bow to pressure from Beijing.

 

Other news:

The Spanish government said it will transfer 500 unaccompanied migrant girls from Ceuta to Spain, despite its previous statement that none of those who arrived during the recent mass migration would be transferred to the mainland. Spain’s announcement came after the EU Commission backed the repatriation of all irregular migrants remaining in Ceuta, saying that their returns are covered by EU law. Under Spanish law, which has not yet incorporated the recent EU pact on migration, the state has a duty of care to unaccompanied migrant children. Authorities have registered 1,342 minors out of 5,000-8,000 migrants remaining in Ceuta, although local officials and aid groups say the number may be higher.

 

Nepal court jails 2 former ministers, 14 others over refugee scam.

 

New high-resolution satellite imagery shows Thai forces razed at least 627 homes and other structures in three Cambodian villages along the disputed border after a December 2025 ceasefire, according to Cambodian rights group LICADHO. Destroying civilian property in occupied territory may violate international law, the group has said, while urging Thailand to halt further demolitions and Cambodia to ensure adequate housing for displaced villagers.  

 

Sweden followed Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Finland in announcing it will resume returns of asylum seekers to Italy, following the EU's recent Asylum and Migration Regulation (AMMR), which allows states to return asylum seekers to the country where they first entered the EU. The return of asylum seekers to Italy under the EU’s pre-existing Dublin agreements had been suspended since late 2022, after Georgia Meloni became Italy’s Prime Minister.  

 

Tajikistan: Joint Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Tajikistan has served as a refuge for several waves of refugees from Afghanistan–such as those fleeing the civil war of the 1990s and the U.S. invasion in the 2000s. Amid the Taliban’s rapid territorial advances in Afghanistan in 2021, and concerns about a potential influx of people fleeing the country, the Tajik government announced in July 2021 that it would accept up to 100,000 Afghan refugees. However, this commitment was never realised following the Taliban’s takeover in August. Instead, access to Tajik territory has remained severely restricted, and regular reports have documented Tajik authorities arresting, detaining, and forcibly returning Afghan refugees—including children.

 

Latvian border guards detained and returned 28 people who attempted to cross the border through an underground tunnel from Belarus. This was the second tunnel discovered in recent days; another 15 people, who attempted to enter Latvia through a separate tunnel from Belarus 10 days ago, were also returned.

 

More than 450 migrants reached Greece on small boats within 24 hours, according to authorities, including more than 400 from nine boats headed for Crete, and 54 from a boat which landed on Rhodes. 

 

Reports & Publications

WOMEN ON THE MOVE AND THE MOVEMENTS THEY BUILD BOOK LAUNCH. The Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) launched the book Women on the Move and the Movements They Build, of which APMM is a contributor. The book is a compilation of stories about organising, resistance, and movement-building written by and for women across borders.
 

HIAS staff, ‘Remigration: A Far-Right Idea Influencing U.S. Immigration Policy’, HIAS.

 

Unarmed Civilian Protection Strategies in Myanmar.

 

Khaoula El Khalil, ‘Ceuta’s border crisis is about geopolitics, not just migration’.
 

Shikha Malviya, ‘Leaving abusive relationships can be harder for migrant women. Here’s what they need to feel safe’.

 

David James Cantor, ‘Millions of Africans are displaced without crossing a border – and their needs are often overlooked’.
 

John Menadue, ‘Albanese inherited a migration mess. It is taking too long to fix it’.

 

Flora Alexander, ‘The public cares more about refugees than Westminster wants to believe’.
 

Duncan Fulton, ‘Understanding the court’s next major case on asylum seekers: Wassily v. Blanche’.
 

Soumyajit Bhar, ‘How climate crisis is redefining home and who counts as a refugee’.

 

Alan Gamlen and Peter McDonald, ‘Six things Tony Burke should say about immigration’.
 

Julie Macken, ‘Twenty-five years after Tampa, Australia is still at sea’.

 

IDHA 63 Bangkok, Thailand - International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance

⭐️ Limited Scholarships Available

A limited number of scholarships are available for applicants with limited financial means. Interested colleagues and contacts who may face financial constraints are encouraged to submit an application and indicate their need for financial support.

Course fees: Two pricing options are available depending on accommodation needs and whether academic credit is desired.

Please consult the programme FAQ for details.

Learn more and apply: https://iihaglobal.org/program/idha/ 

Course fees and FAQs: https://iihaglobal.org/faqs/  

Questions about applications and programme logistics: iiha@fordham.edu

Programme Director: Martine van der Does — m.vanderdoes@fordham.edu | +1 718-817-5732 (WhatsApp available) 

 

28 - 30 September 2026 - 2026 UNHCR Global Consultations with NGOs, Online

“Safeguarding the right to asylum and strengthening protection”

• exchange on current protection challenges
• identify good practices
• develop recommendations to inform advocacy, policy and operational engagement.

The consultations will explore how UNHCR and civil society can work together to:

• safeguard the right to seek asylum
• strengthen protection and solutions for forcibly displaced and stateless people
• advance collective advocacy at global, regional and national levels

 

October Global Movement Against Statelessness - Month of Action of weekly online and in-person community events rooted in action and community leadership, around four core themes:

·       Week one: Building Our Stories - Storytelling: Centering lived experiences and affected voices.

·       Week two:  From Stories to Collective Action  - Power of Community: Strengthening grassroots solidarity and collective organizing.

·       Week three: Taking Action Through the Law  - Legal Empowerment: Taking action through the law and advocating for equal nationality rights.

·       Week four: Building the Future - Future Leadership: Building sustainable pathways for affected-community leadership.

 

8 December 2026, Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week (RHPW) Asia and the Pacific 2026, Bangkok: “Shaping Humanitarian Futures: Breaking Barriers, Deepening Solidarity, and Scaling Local Sovereignty in Asia and the Pacific”

1. A Changing Landscape: Navigating shifting geopolitics, resource constraints, and new operational realities.
2. The Climate-Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus: Scaling up anticipatory action, local adaptation, and direct-to-local financing.
3. Shifting Power, Shaping Futures: Ensuring local actors, women, youth, and marginalised groups genuinely lead responses.

 

Applications are now open for the International Online School in Forced Migration, organised by the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford.

The School will run on the following dates:

• 7-11 December 2026
• 21-25 June 2027

This intensive, five-day online programme offers an interdisciplinary and participative introduction to the study of forced migration. Across the week, participants engage in a combination of live online seminars, pre-recorded lectures, curated readings, and discussion-based learning, led by RSC academic tutors, guest lecturers, practitioners from organisations such as UNHCR, and experts with lived experience of displacement.

The International Online School is principally designed for:

• Policymakers and practitioners working on refugee protection and related issues, typically with several years’ professional experience
• Staff of refugee, migration and humanitarian international organisations and NGOs
• Government officials working on asylum, migration, and displacement
• Academics, postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers working on forced migration
• Practising lawyers and advocates in refugee and human rights law
• Journalists, commentators, and activists focusing on refugee protection and the rights of displaced people

Those from refugee and displaced backgrounds, including people working with refugee-led and community organisations, are especially encouraged to apply.

Bursaries: A limited number of bursary places are available, including fully funded awards for refugees and people with lived experience of displacement. Full details of eligibility and how to apply can be found on the course website.

 

Australia Awards Fellowships aim to build networks of influence and leadership by strengthening partnerships between Australian organisations and partner organisations in the region. Australian organisations can apply for funding (up to AUD $34,500 per Fellow) to host and support a range of professional development activities, including: work attachment; supervised research; a management or leadership course; a study tour; program meetings and visits, or a combination of these.

 

Shadowing Programme for Young Theatre Professionals from Abroad

Deadline: Dec 31, 2026

Donor: Goethe-Institut

Grant Size: $1000 to $10,000

Countries/Regions: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam,

Area: Arts & Culture, Theatre, Artists, Youth & Adolescents

The Shadowing Programme has launched its applications to support international artists within the field of Performing Arts for an internship for a stay in Germany at a theatre or production house.

 

GCSP Prize for Innovation 2026

Grant Size: $10,000 to $100,000

Countries/Regions: All Countries

Area: Individuals, Innovation, Peace & Conflict Resolution, Research

The GCSP Prize for Innovation celebrates outstanding and innovative contributions across disciplines to support impactful solutions in global security and peace.

Deadline: Sep 23, 2026

 

Reckitt Catalyst Accelerator Program 2026-2027

Seeks to support women and underrepresented founders developing innovative solutions that improve access to health and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in India. Countries/Regions: India, Indonesia, Pakistan

Deadline: Dec 31, 2026

 

European Commission (EC), Human Rights and Democracy Programme (Mongolia) to promote respect for human rights and support more inclusive, open and resilient societies (include awareness-raising, advocacy, public dialogue, stakeholder cooperation, networking among civil society organisations, digital transformation initiatives, youth participation, and the mainstreaming of gender equality). Deadline Date: September 30, 2026 

 

Global Impact Cash Grant Program – Cisco Foundation. Crisis response, education, economic empowerment, climate resilience; technology-enabled solutions Up to USD $75,000 Rolling - Open to nonprofits and NGOs with national or multinational operations using technology innovatively to address critical social challenges. The process starts with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) — only organizations that pass are invited to submit a full proposal. Healthcare, schools, scholarships, and events are not eligible. LOI review takes up to one business quarter.

 

Open in September: Commonwealth Foundation grants of up to £60,000 to civil society organisations to facilitate constructive engagement between civil society and decision-makers in an eligible Commonwealth Foundation Member State (Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), including civil society participation in policy development and implementation on JHealth Justice / Freedom of Expression / Climate Justice.  

 

University of Melbourne Human Rights Scholarship Program - Area: Human Rights, Research

The Human Rights Scholarship Program provides financial support to domestic and international students commencing graduate research degrees, with a focus on projects that contribute to the study and advancement of human rights.

Deadline: Oct 31, 2026     Grant Type: Scholarship    Countries/Regions: All Countries

 

UNICEF - Girls Empowerment Programme Through Smart Safer Schools (Papua New Guinea)

Deadline Date: September 30, 2026

 

Entries Open: TFD Visiting Fellowship Program

Donor: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy

Grant Type: Fellowship

Countries/Regions: All Countries

Area: Democracy & Good Governance, Human Rights, Researchers, Research

The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy is inviting international scholars and practitioners to apply for fellowships supporting research or practical projects on democracy and human rights in Taiwan.

Deadline: Oct 15, 2026 

 

Socially Engaged Art Support Grant FY2027

Donor: Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation

Grant Size: $10,000 to $100,000

Countries/Regions: All Countries

Area: Arts & Culture, Community Engagement, Innovation, Peace & Conflict Resolution

The Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation is inviting applicants for the Socially Engaged Art Support Grant, which funds artists and art organizations implementing creative projects in Japan that address social issues through collaborative, community-based art practices.

Deadline: Oct 11, 2026

 

2026 CSO Call for Expressions of Project Intentions

Donor: AFD - French Development Agency

Countries/Regions: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam

Area: Civil Society Development, Sustainable Development

The French Development Agency invites French and locally governed civil society organizations to submit project intentions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and international solidarity.

Deadline: Oct 09, 2026

 

TFD Domestic Grants (Taiwan)

Donor: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy

Area: Community Engagement, Democracy & Good Governance, Education, Human Rights

The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy is offering grants to academic institutions, think tanks, and NGOs in Taiwan to support activities and research related to democracy and human rights.

Deadline: Oct 15, 2026

 

TFD's International Grants Program

Grant Size: $10,000 to $100,000

Countries/Regions: All Countries

Area: Capacity Building, Democracy & Good Governance, Human Rights, Research

Applications are open for the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy International Grants Program, inviting international non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and think tanks to submit project proposals that advance democracy and human rights worldwide.

Deadline: Dec 15, 2026

 

The Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) Call for Proposals 2026 supports projects that strengthen cooperation between EU Member States and partner countries to advance the external dimension of the European Union’s migration policy. Applications are received on a rolling basis until depletion of funds. Financial envelope: 6,000,000 EUR. Funding sources: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

 

NED Grants Program – National Endowment for Democracy

Global — over 100 countries on Democracy, human rights, freedom of the press, civil society, rule of law, civic education  - September 21, 2026, January 27, 2027, June 28, 2027

Open to nongovernmental organizations — civic groups, associations, independent media, and CSOs — working in countries with nascent democracies, transitional, semi-authoritarian, or highly repressive contexts. No funding for individuals, governments, or public institutions. Apply by email to the regional address corresponding to your project location.