Lecture Abstract:

Refugee crises arising out of conflicts in different parts of the world, are increasing not only in numbers, but also in complexities. The traditional solutions from the past are increasingly being challenged and instead countries are resorting to unilateral measures such as building walls and closing borders, which have aggravated the humanitarian costs. This seminar will explore the challenge of solutions from the perspectives of prevention and when refugees crises have already occurred.

About the Speaker:

Ms. Janet Lim is a visiting senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Ms. Lim has recently retired from the United Nations, after a career which spanned 34 years. She joined UNHCR, the UN refugee agency in 1980 and has served in various positions both in UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva  and in the field. Her field assignments have included UNHCR’s country and emergency operations in different parts of the world, including Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Western Sahara and Syria. In Geneva, she has served in senior positions which have included being Director of the Emergency and Security Services, Director of the Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, and during her last 5 years, she was the Assistant High Commissioner (Operations). In this latter capacity she oversaw the work of five regional bureaux responsible for UNHCR’s operations globally, as well as two functional Divisions providing support to the field. Ms. Lim has particular expertise in managing complex emergency operations where populations have been forcibly displaced as a result of war and conflict. She has also been closely associated with the establishment of UNHCR’s emergency response capacity and mechanisms. During her career with the UN, she has also been seconded at a senior level to UNAIDS and to the peacekeeping operation, UNAMA, in Afghanistan.