Don't miss your chance to join us for insightful discussions on displacement in Asia!
The 17th Human Rights in Asia Conference will examine how displacement disproportionately impacts marginalized groups—women, children, Indigenous communities, and LGBTQIA+ people—and explore how students can contribute to a better future. This student-led initiative, in collaboration with the University of Essex Human Rights Centre, provides a platform for academics and activists to exchange knowledge and propose recommendations for stronger human rights protections in displacement caused by conflict and the climate crisis.
Displacement in the context of climate crisis
The movement and mobility of one person from one place to another is a freedom that is recognised and protected under Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). However, displacement due to war, conflict, and climate crises challenges this right. Migration can be voluntary or forced, with the latter leading to displacement. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) defines displacement as the forced movement of individuals due to armed conflict, violence, human rights violations, or disasters. By the end of 2022, UNHCR reported over 108.4 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including nearly 40 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Asia and the Pacific—many uprooted by Myanmar’s 2021 military coup. This figure does not yet account for the ongoing genocide in Palestine, where Amnesty International reports that 150,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from Rafah in Southern Gaza. Displacement is never a choice. Many resist leaving despite violence and oppression, as seen in West Papua, where communities fight to defend their land under Indonesian occupation.
Beyond the devastation caused by armed conflicts, the climate crisis is increasingly emerging as a powerful force driving displacement across Asia. The eight slow-onset effects of climate change, as identified by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), pose long-term threats that can push communities from their homes, either gradually or through cascading impacts that accelerate displacement. Desertification, glacial retreat, rising temperatures, land and forest degradation, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, salinization, and sea level rise are reshaping the environmental landscape of the region. These processes can make vast areas uninhabitable by depleting vital resources such as water, arable land, and food sources, ultimately threatening livelihoods. As communities struggle to adapt, many are forced to relocate in search of survival. Moreover, these slow-onset changes heighten the risks of sudden extreme weather events like droughts, tsunamis, floods, and storms. When compounded with existing vulnerabilities, such disasters can accelerate displacement, forcing mass migrations both within and across borders. Low-lying coastal nations, densely populated delta regions, and communities reliant on fragile ecosystems are particularly at risk. In Asia, where many economies and populations depend on climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and fisheries, the impacts of climate change are not just environmental but deeply social and economic. The erosion of traditional livelihoods and the loss of habitable land intensify the struggle for resources, leading to heightened competition, instability, and, in some cases, conflict. As a result, climate-induced displacement is not just a future threat—it is an ongoing reality reshaping communities and migration patterns across the continent.
Featured Speakers
Ryan Mitra is a dynamic international affairs professional with a strong background in global security, human rights, and policy research. Holding an Interdisciplinary Master’s in International Affairs from Switzerland, he specializes in peace, conflict, and development, with a keen focus on internal displacement, climate change, and migration. His expertise lies in conflict analysis, humanitarian policy, and stakeholder engagement across South Asia and the Pacific.
Ryan has built a diverse career in research, policy analysis, and international diplomacy, with experience at organizations like the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Norwegian Refugee Council, and Internal Displacement Monitoring Center. His work has contributed to international discussions on security, displacement, and climate governance. An accomplished writer, he has published in The Diplomat, India Review, and Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs. Passionate about global security and human rights, Ryan aims to contribute to shape policy and advocacy through research and strategic engagement.
Zainab Lokhandwala is an Assistant Professor in Sustainability and Environmental Law at Essex Law School, with research focused on food sovereignty in India. Her interests include environmental law, food and agricultural systems, climate justice, and natural resource law. Zainab taught at SOAS, University of London since 2019, covering topics like international environmental law, water law, and law and natural resources. She is also involved with SOAS's Law, Environment, and Development Centre. Previously, she worked at National Law University Delhi and the National University of Juridical Studies in India. Zainab is a qualified advocate with two years of practice at the Calcutta High Court and other courts. Her publications address environmental law, food sovereignty, agrarian rights, and climate change.
Margaretha Quina is a Jakarta-based contract attorney for Earthjustice’s International Program. She facilitates Earthjustice’s collaboration with the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) on a range of energy and climate cases and policy advocacy, including the Jakarta air pollution case.
John Paul Jose is a sustainability professional specialising in Socio-Ecological systems and environmental resilience in a changing climate. As an environmental and climate justice activist, he has been actively involved in movements and campaigns. His work extends globally, having collaborated with organizations such as UNDP, The New York Times, and TED Countdown. He has also spoken at major international forums, including COP negotiations. Currently, he is leading two projects focused on coastal conservation, community engagement, and citizen science.
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Reserve your spot now and be part of the conversation!
On the 15 March 2025 we are also holding day two of our conference on Displacement in the context of conflict at our Colchester campus.