This two-part online workshop, organised by REF-ARAB postdoctoral researcher Mirjam Twigt and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies, considers how humanitarian technology-use can interact with refugee protection, specifically in the Middle East. The workshop specifically questions if and how digital legal aid practices could constructively contribute to refugee rights and rights of refugees.

Humanitarian Technology-Use and Refugee Protection

By bringing together different areas of work (lawyers, humanitarian practitioners, technical experts, academics, activists) that speak to each other, the workshop aims to start a conversation on how to engage with humanitarian technological developments and their interactions with the present and future rights of refugees, IDPs and asylum seekers currently residing in the Middle East.

In order to further understand potential pathways for digital legal aid for refugee protection in the Middle East the workshop consists of two interrelated parts:

• The first workshop (17.02.21) is geared towards a general discussion on the digital transformations of refugee governance, how these relate to migration management and border practices and their potential impact on refugee rights.

• The second workshop (03.03.21) zooms in on refugee protection and legal aid in different Middle Eastern countries and the situated potentials, challenges and ways for dealing with these challenges for digital legal aid and refugee rights.

This is an invitation-only event. If you find that your work, involvement or experiences speak to the aim of this workshop and you would like to participate, please contact Mirjam Twigt.