A System Under Strain: Can Refugee Protection Keep Pace with Global Displacement?

This online event examined the relevance of the international refugee protection framework — particularly the 1951 Refugee Convention — in a global context increasingly defined by large-scale and protracted displacement. While the Convention remains the normative cornerstone of refugee protection, the realities of contemporary displacement have strained its original assumptions of temporary displacement and shared international responsibility. Using Jordan and Lebanon as a regional lens, the webinar considers how non-signatory states engage with and shape the international refugee protection regime in practice. The discussion reflects on lessons from these experiences and will also explore what sustainable approaches exist, and how international commitment to equitable and predictable responsibility-sharing can be renewed.

Those who are in New York were able to attend an on-campus watch event, providing Columbia students with the chance to engage with these discussions in their community. 

About the Series

This event is part of a global series, Displacement in a Changing World: Global Dialogue Across Campus and Continents, a year-long initiative convened by Columbia Global to explore the evolving realities of displacement around the world. Through regional events hosted by Columbia Global Centers and cross-campus dialogues in New York, the series brings together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and students to examine the drivers of displacement, emerging policy responses, and the future of global protection frameworks. Explore the full series and sign up for upcoming events here.

Columbia Global Center Amman advances knowledge sharing through public events, research projects, educational workshops, and practical trainings to connect ideas and perspectives across local and global contexts. Contact us to explore opportunities to partner, collaborate, or participate in our upcoming programs and events. We continue to build on our work together across our key thematic areas.