Description and objectives

The current humanitarian crisis suffered by refugees highlights the general failure to protect the civilian population and refugees during current armed conflicts. United Nations agencies, international organisations and NGOs are facing ever-increasing challenges in terms of the international community's lack of political will and inability to establish measures for protection in current armed conflicts.

Today, humanitarian facilities and personnel are military targets, the civilian population is still a military and political objective, refugees are concentrated in neighbouring countries in very precarious conditions, and states are unable to establish asylum and protection systems for those fleeing armed conflict, humanitarian crises and political persecution.

The project aims to approach the current refugee crisis from the perspective of a historical analysis of the armed conflicts that have taken place in the main countries of origin for refugees, studying three significant cases: Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine. The objectives of the project are therefore:

  • Carrying out a follow-up study on the armed conflicts, the humanitarian situation and the circumstances of refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine.
  • Studying the intervention of United Nations agencies and certain NGOs in protecting refugees from the conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine.
  • Analysing the different factors and dynamics that affect the ability of UN agencies and NGOs to develop programmes and achieve their objectives and results.
  • Researching the extent of the contributions of agencies and NGOs in working towards peace in the conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine.
  • Detailing the common problems, challenges and opportunities in terms of the intervention of UN agencies and NGOs in conflicts in the region.
  • Analysing the policies of the European Commission with regard to the different groups of refugees from the countries studied.