BADIL 2003 – 2004 Expert Forum for the

Promotion of a Rights-Based Approach to the Palestinian Refugee Question

  Program

 Closing the Gaps:

from Protection to Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees 

Hosted by the Al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies. Cairo, 5 – 8 March 2004

Assumption:

Severe gaps exist in protection currently available for Palestinian refugees, mainly due to the absence of mechanisms – international and regional – with an explicit protection mandate, as well as lack of clarity about strategies that could link day-to-day protection with efforts for rights-based durable solutions for Palestinian refugees.

Objectives, Expected Outcome:

* To identify major gaps in protection available, as well as potential roles of international and regional actors;

* To review proposals and initiatives aimed at the improvement of protection;

* To achieve maximum consensus about strategies that could both enhance protection and support rights-based durable solutions for Palestinian refugees.

Please note: All closed sessions will be conducted in English. The public session on Saturday evening will be conducted in Arabic with simultaneous available for English speakers.

Friday, 5 March

19:00 Informal Reception by Al Ahram Center (first floor, Al Ahram main building)

          Registration, distribution of Seminar materials

21:00 Dinner at ‘The Greek Club’

Saturday, 6 March

09:00 – 13:00 Closed Session One: Protection: Definition, Scope and Gaps

Lex Takkenberg: Clarification of Concepts and Types of Protection for Palestinian Refugees;

Elna Sondergaard: Legal Status and Protection of Palestinian Refugees in States Signatories to the 1951 Refugee      Convention (Overview);

Speaker/UNHCR: Palestinian Refugees and Current Protection Gaps in Iraq;

Oroub El Abed: Case Study: Palestinian Refugees in Egypt;

11:00 – 11:45 Coffee Break

Discussion (Summing-up of conclusions, identification of issues for follow-up)

13:00 -14:15 Lunch at the Al Ahram Center

14:30 – 17:00 Closed Session Two

Roles and Perspectives of International, Regional and National Actors

Harish Parvathanemi: What Role for UNRWA in Palestinian Refugee Protection?

Khaled El Azaar, Arab States and Palestinian Refugee Protection: Examination of Practice and Initiatives for Development;

16:00 – 17:00

Discussion (Summing-up of conclusions, identification of issues for follow-up)

17:00 – 18:00 Break before public session (possibility for coffee, rest in the hotel)

18:00 – 20:00 Public Evening Session (Arabic with English translation)

Palestinian Refugees, from Assistance and Protection towards Repatriation and Durable Solutions

Chair/Moderator: (to be determined)

Welcome address by Dr. Mohamed Said (ACSPS) and Ingrid Jaradat (BADIL)

Abd-Alkader Yassin, On Return and Liberation;

Dr. Abdullah Al-Hourani, The Popular Refugee Movement vs. Recent ‘Peace Plans’;

Jaber Suleiman, Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon and Syria – a Comparative Analysis;

Dr. Mohamed Said, Palestinian Refugees in Arab Political Thought.

Public debate

20:30 Dinner at the ‘Fish Market’ (invited guests only)

Sunday, 7 March

09:00 – 13:00 Closed Session Three

Recent Proposals and Initiatives by Civil Society and Academia

Jaber Suleiman: Palestinian Civil Society Perspectives towards Improving Protection for Palestinian Refugees; report from a 2002 Beirut Workshop;

Terry Rempel: Rethinking Regional Protection Mechanisms as Part of a Political Strategy for Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees;

Susan Akram: A Plan for Temporary Protection and Durable Solutions for Palestinian Refugees

10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break

Discussion (Summing-up of conclusions, identification of issues for follow-up)

13:00 – 14:15 Lunch at the Al Ahram Center

14:30 – 16:30 Closed Session Four

Summary and Recommendations

16:30 Coffee (with option to continue discussion if needed)

20:30 Closing Dinner at ‘Abou El Seid’

Monday, 8 March

Departure, participants