Sahar Okhovat Elected as New President of the Global Detention Project

The Global Detention Project’s Executive Committee has unanimously elected Sahar Okhovat as its new President, replacing outgoing President Roberta Cecchetti. Sahar is a Senior Policy Officer at the Refugee Council of Australia and previously served as the Vice Chair of the detention committee for the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network and as a Humanitarian Observer […]

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GDP Hosts Third Interactive Webinar: The Role of OPCAT in Preventing Harmful Immigration Detention

On Monday 5 September, the GDP hosted the third in its series of interactive webinars aimed at building stronger connections between local civil society organisations and international human rights instruments and exploring how these instruments can be applied to protect the rights of detained refugees and migrants. Examining the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), this webinar explored the role of the OPCAT bodies—the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) and National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). […]

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WHO: World Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants

On 20 July, the World Health Organisation launched its first ever report on refugee and migrant health. Bringing together key evidence about the multitude of health challenges faced by refugees and migrants, the report explores the trends, gaps, and good practices in protecting and promoting the health of refugees and migrants worldwide. Key to health […]

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GDP Webinar: The Many Tools of OPCAT for Preventing Harmful Migration-Related Detention

The third instalment of the GDP’s webinar series on how civil society organisations can mobilise international and regional human rights monitors to protect the rights of detained refugees and migrants focuses on the various mechanisms established by the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) that can help prevent human rights violations in migration-related detention, including the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) and National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs). […]

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NEWSLETTER: Global Tools, Local Impact

The GDP’s May 2022 newsletter shines a spotlight on our Annual Report – “Global Tools, Local Impact” – with highlights including the launch of our new webinar series on international human rights mechanisms; expanding partnerships; and our collaborative efforts with partners to raise awareness of human rights violations in key global hotspots. […]

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“AND SO ADVOCACY BECAME HEALING”: A GDP Q&A with Abdul Aziz Muhamat

Abdul Aziz Muhamat languished in detention on Manus Island for nearly six years, but throughout that time he was an indefatigable advocate for those trapped in Australia’s offshore detention system. Today, Aziz lives in Switzerland, where he was granted asylum after receiving Geneva’s prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2019. The GDP spoke to Aziz about his experiences, challenges he sees in making advocacy more effective, and his plans for the future. […]

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NEWSLETTER: A Tale of Two Refugee Crises

MARCH 2022 Welcome to the Global Detention Project’s roundup of current research, publications, and events. For any questions about our content, please contact us at: admin [at] globaldetentionproject [dot] org OUR LATEST PUBLICATIONS A Tale of Two Refugee Crises  By Rachael Reilly & Michael FlynnInter Press Service, 7 March 2022During the 2015 refugee “crisis” that drove […]

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