Migration and Welfare in Times of Crisis

In the past decade, the global refugee population has more than doubled, with countries in both Asia and Europe experiencing an influx of refugees and migrants. From the 2015 refugee crisis in Europe, to the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and surrounding states, the social welfare of refugees, protection of their basic human rights and efficient support to asylum-seekers have been some of the crucial challenges states have faced. Our speakers will offer their unique insights into how migrant and refugee crises are addressed in Europe and Asia, what measures should be taken or are being taken to ensure social welfare and protection of refugees in host countries, and what states, international organisations and NGOs should do to prevent forced migration.

Speakers: 

Rizka Argadianti Rachmah is an Indonesian human rights activist and is the co-founder of SUAKA, the civil society association for refugee rights protection and actively engaged in refugee issues since 2011. She is currently the Chairperson of SUAKA. She has also contributed to the International Human Rights Mechanism book initiated by the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), and has done human rights advocacy works in southeast Asia as well as human rights advocacy works through international mechanisms.

Nina Gregori is the Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), based in Malta. She took over her duties on 16 June 2019. Ms. Gregori previously worked at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia for over 20 years, occupying the Senior Management post of Director General (or Deputy Director General) for over a decade, responsible for asylum, migration, integration and internal administrative affairs. Ms. Gregori has been actively involved in the development and work of EASO since its beginning. She was a member of the Agency’s Management Board from 2015 until taking up her duties as the Executive Director. She has a University degree in Political Science from the University of Ljubljana.

Rodora Turalde-Babaran is Director of Human Development, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department of the ASEAN Secretariat since September 2014. She is responsible for managing the Human Development Directorate with four divisions – Health; Education, Youth and Sport; Labor and Civil Service; and Poverty Eradication and Gender. Ms. Babaran was formerly National Program Manager/Director IV for the Philippine Conditional Cash Transfer Program and managed the largest social protection program in the country. She has a Master’s degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management and Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of the Philippines.