What is the primary focus of the ICDPSP conference?

The conference focuses on the interconnected issues of displacement, security, and policy, bringing together diverse perspectives to address these global challenges.

International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP)

Name: International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP)
Start: 2026-10-31T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-10-31T00:00:00Z
Location: San Jose

Oct 31, 2026San Jose, Costa RicaIn-person

Registration open

The International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP) convenes in San Jose, Costa Rica, offering a critical forum for examining the complex interplay between human displacement, global security concerns, and the policy frameworks designed to address them. This event brings together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to share research, discuss emerging challenges, and explore innovative solutions in a field of increasing international relevance.

Committees & topics

Topics
Security Challenges in Displacement Contexts · Policy Responses to Forced Migration · Impact of Displacement on National Security · Human Rights Violations in Displacement Situations · The Role of International Law in Displacement · Security Measures for Refugee Camps · Displacement and Community Resilience · Gender-Based Violence in Displacement Scenarios

Why it matters

Understanding displacement is paramount in contemporary international relations, as it touches upon issues of human rights, economic stability, and geopolitical dynamics. The conference provides a platform for in-depth analysis of the root causes of displacement, which often include conflict, environmental degradation, and economic hardship, and their far-reaching consequences. By fostering dialogue among diverse stakeholders, the ICDPSP aims to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policy implementation, ensuring that responses to displacement are both evidence-based and effective.

Furthermore, the focus on security highlights the intricate links between displaced populations and regional or international stability. Discussions will likely delve into how displacement can exacerbate existing conflicts, create new security challenges, and necessitate robust international cooperation. The policy dimension of the conference is crucial for developing sustainable strategies that not only manage crises but also address the long-term needs of displaced individuals and host communities. This includes examining the efficacy of current international laws and conventions, such as the "1951 Refugee Convention" and the "1967 Refugee Protocol", and identifying areas for improvement.

How to prepare

Delegates preparing for the ICDPSP should conduct thorough research into recent trends in global displacement, paying particular attention to regions experiencing significant population movements, such as those impacting SDN, TCD, and COD. Understanding the specific drivers of displacement in these areas, whether conflict-related or due to other factors, will be essential. Familiarity with the various types of displacement, including internally displaced persons and refugees, and the distinct challenges each group faces, will also be beneficial.

It is advisable to review existing policy responses and humanitarian aid efforts in different contexts. For instance, examining the approaches taken by countries like TUR, LBN, and JOR, which host large displaced populations, can provide valuable insights. Delegates should also consider the security implications of displacement, including potential impacts on host countries and regional stability, as well as the role of international organizations and national governments in managing these challenges. Preparing to discuss potential policy innovations and collaborative "Engagement Strategies" will enhance participation.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Costa Rica

As the host nation, Costa Rica provides a neutral and stable ground for discussions on displacement, security, and policy.

Role in topic

CRI, known for its commitment to peace and human rights, offers a relevant backdrop for discussions on international cooperation and humanitarian approaches to displacement. Its own experiences with migration and regional stability may inform perspectives presented at the conference.

Sudan

Sudan is a significant source of displaced populations due to ongoing internal conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Role in topic

SDN's internal conflicts have led to large-scale displacement, both internally and across its borders, making it a critical case study for examining the security implications and policy challenges associated with conflict-induced migration.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces immense challenges as a major host country for displaced populations.

Role in topic

BGD's experience hosting a large number of displaced persons highlights the immense logistical, social, and economic pressures on host nations, offering crucial insights into the policy and security dimensions of managing such populations.

Germany

Germany is a prominent destination country for displaced persons, influencing European and global migration policies.

Role in topic

DEU's role as a major recipient of displaced individuals and its subsequent policy responses, including integration efforts and security considerations, provide a key perspective on the challenges and strategies for managing large-scale migration in developed nations.

United States

The United States is a significant actor in global humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement, with evolving immigration policies.

Role in topic

The USA's policies on immigration, refugee resettlement, and humanitarian assistance have a profound impact on global displacement dynamics. Its approach to border security and international aid will be a relevant point of discussion.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Security Challenges in Displacement Contexts

Forced displacement has reached unprecedented levels, with UNHCR recording over 120 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide by 2024. Major drivers include the war in Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war between the SAF and RSF since April 2023, the protracted Syrian conflict, the Rohingya crisis, and instability across the Sahel. Displacement settings frequently overlap with active conflict zones, weak state authority, and the presence of armed non-state actors, creating layered security risks for both displaced populations and host communities. Key security challenges include armed group infiltration of camps, recruitment of refugees (especially minors), arms trafficking across porous borders, and the militarization of humanitarian space. The 1951 Refugee Convention obliges host states to preserve the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum, but compliance varies widely. Recent crises in eastern DRC, Cox's Bazar, and the Sudan–Chad border illustrate how camps can become flashpoints for cross-border violence. The contemporary debate centers on balancing securitization with protection. States increasingly frame displacement through a national-security lens, while UNHCR, ICRC, and donor governments emphasize that overly militarized responses can deepen vulnerability and undermine refugee law.

Key players

Policy Responses to Forced Migration

International policy on forced migration is anchored in the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, supplemented by regional instruments such as the 1969 OAU Convention and the 1984 Cartagena Declaration. The 2018 Global Compact on Refugees and Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sought to operationalize responsibility-sharing, but implementation has been uneven. Major hosting states — predominantly in the Global South — argue that wealthy states have failed to provide commensurate financial and resettlement support. Policy responses have diverged sharply. The EU has pursued externalization through deals with Türkiye (2016), Libya, and Tunisia, while the UK's Rwanda scheme and the US Title 42 and Safe Third Country expansions reflect restrictive trends. Conversely, Uganda, Colombia, and Germany have implemented relatively inclusive frameworks — Colombia's 2021 Temporary Protection Statute granted status to over 1.7 million Venezuelans. Current debates focus on the durability of asylum systems, climate-induced displacement (not covered by the 1951 Convention), and the legality of pushbacks and offshoring. The 2023 Global Refugee Forum highlighted persistent gaps in funding, with UNHCR appeals routinely under 50% funded.

Key players

Impact of Displacement on National Security

Large-scale displacement reshapes the security calculus of both origin and host states. Mass outflows can destabilize neighboring countries through demographic pressure, resource competition, and the cross-border movement of combatants, as seen in the spillover of the Rwandan genocide into eastern Zaire (now DRC) in 1994 — a precedent still invoked in contemporary policy. The Syrian war's displacement into Lebanon, Jordan, and Türkiye similarly stressed labor markets, public services, and intercommunal relations. States increasingly invoke national security to justify border closures, encampment policies, and restrictive asylum measures. The securitization of migration accelerated after 2015 in Europe and has shaped US policy at the southern border. Critics, including UNHCR and academic security scholars, caution that conflating refugees with security threats lacks empirical grounding and can produce self-fulfilling instability through marginalization. The current debate weighs legitimate state security concerns — terrorism financing, trafficking, foreign-fighter movement — against obligations of non-refoulement and the destabilizing effects of restrictive policy itself. UN Security Council resolutions, including 2178 (2014) on foreign terrorist fighters, intersect directly with refugee protection regimes.

Key players

Human Rights Violations in Displacement Situations

Displaced populations face heightened risks of human rights abuses at every stage of flight. Documented violations include refoulement, arbitrary detention, family separation, denial of education and healthcare, and the criminalization of irregular entry. OHCHR and UN Special Procedures have repeatedly flagged pushbacks in the Mediterranean and Aegean, abuses against migrants in Libyan detention centers, and the treatment of Rohingya in both Myanmar and host states. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), now numbering over 75 million globally per IDMC, are particularly vulnerable because they remain under the jurisdiction of states that may themselves be perpetrators — as in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ethiopia's Tigray conflict. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998) and the 2009 Kampala Convention provide frameworks but lack enforcement mechanisms. Contemporary debates center on accountability: ICC investigations in Myanmar (Rohingya deportation) and ongoing scrutiny of conditions in Libya, Greece, and the US–Mexico border. The intersection of human rights law, refugee law, and international humanitarian law remains contested, particularly where states invoke emergency powers.

Key players

The Role of International Law in Displacement

The international legal architecture for displacement rests on the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol, which define refugee status and codify non-refoulement. This is reinforced by international human rights law (ICCPR, CAT, CRC), international humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions, particularly Common Article 3 and Additional Protocol II), and regional instruments expanding the refugee definition in Africa and Latin America. The 1998 Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, though non-binding globally, were incorporated into the binding 2009 Kampala Convention for Africa. Persistent legal gaps include the absence of a binding instrument for climate-displaced persons, ambiguity around statelessness despite the 1954 and 1961 Conventions, and weak enforcement of state obligations. The ICJ's provisional measures in The Gambia v. Myanmar (2020) and ongoing ICC investigations have tested the reach of international accountability for displacement-related crimes. Current debates concern modernizing the legal regime: whether to expand the refugee definition, how to codify protection for climate migrants (echoing the Teitiota case before the UN Human Rights Committee), and how to enforce responsibility-sharing under the Global Compact on Refugees.

Key players

Security Measures for Refugee Camps

Refugee camps are legally required, under the 1951 Convention and UNHCR guidance, to maintain a civilian and humanitarian character. In practice, camps from Dadaab (Kenya) to Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) to Zaatari (Jordan) face complex security challenges: armed group infiltration, intra-camp criminality, gender-based violence, trafficking, and tensions with host communities. The 1994 experience of militarized Rwandan camps in Zaire remains a defining cautionary case. Responsibility for camp security primarily falls to host states, supported by UNHCR's protection mandate and, in some cases, UN peacekeeping operations (e.g., MONUSCO in DRC). Models vary widely — from Kenya's police-led approach in Dadaab to Bangladesh's army-supervised Rohingya camps, to Jordan's structured camp administration. Concerns persist about excessive force, restrictions on freedom of movement, and inadequate vetting of armed elements. Current debates address the appropriate role of military and police actors, biometric registration and its privacy implications, the prevention of recruitment by armed groups, and ensuring that security measures do not undermine humanitarian access or the rights of camp residents.

Key players

Displacement and Community Resilience

Resilience-based approaches to displacement emerged prominently after the Syrian crisis, when the scale and protracted nature of displacement made traditional emergency models unsustainable. The 2016 New York Declaration and the Global Compact on Refugees emphasized integrating displaced populations into national systems — education, health, labor markets — alongside support for host communities. The Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) operationalizes this approach in pilot countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, and Honduras. Resilience strategies require multi-year financing, development actor engagement (World Bank IDA19/20 windows for refugees and hosts), and policy reforms granting work rights and freedom of movement. Uganda's progressive model — allowing refugees land, work, and movement — is widely studied, though it faces strain from funding shortfalls and successive influxes from South Sudan and DRC. Colombia's regularization of Venezuelans similarly emphasizes labor-market inclusion. Debates center on balancing humanitarian and development funding, ensuring host communities benefit equitably, and addressing the political backlash that can accompany long-term integration. Climate-driven displacement adds urgency, particularly for small island states and the Sahel.

Key players

Gender-Based Violence in Displacement Scenarios

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive feature of displacement, encompassing conflict-related sexual violence, intimate partner violence, trafficking, child and forced marriage, and survival sex. UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008), alongside the broader Women, Peace and Security agenda, established the framework recognizing sexual violence as a tactic of war and a driver of displacement. Documented patterns range from mass sexual violence in Darfur and against the Rohingya to widespread reports during the current Sudan conflict and in eastern DRC. In displacement settings, risks are amplified by overcrowded camps, inadequate lighting and sanitation, weakened community protection structures, and economic desperation. UNHCR, UNFPA, and UN Women coordinate GBV response, but services remain chronically underfunded — GBV components of humanitarian appeals are often among the least resourced. Survivors face barriers to justice, particularly where host-state legal systems do not recognize sexual violence committed abroad or against non-citizens. Current priorities include strengthening prevention through camp design and community engagement, ensuring survivor-centered health and psychosocial services, addressing impunity through national courts and international mechanisms (including the ICC), and meaningfully including displaced women in protection decision-making.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP).

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Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Gender Dynamics Across Cultures

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Policy Brief Writing

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Conflict Resolution

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International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP)

Oct 31, 2026San Jose, Costa RicaIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Security Challenges in Displacement Contexts · Policy Responses to Forced Migration · Impact of Displacement on National Security · Human Rights Violations in Displacement Situations · The Role of International Law in Displacement · Security Measures for Refugee Camps · Displacement and Community Resilience · Gender-Based Violence in Displacement Scenarios

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Costa Rica

As the host nation, Costa Rica provides a neutral and stable ground for discussions on displacement, security, and policy.

Role in topic

Sudan

Sudan is a significant source of displaced populations due to ongoing internal conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Role in topic

Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces immense challenges as a major host country for displaced populations.

Role in topic

Germany

Germany is a prominent destination country for displaced persons, influencing European and global migration policies.

Role in topic

United States

The United States is a significant actor in global humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement, with evolving immigration policies.

Role in topic

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Security Challenges in Displacement Contexts

Key players

Policy Responses to Forced Migration

Key players

Impact of Displacement on National Security

Key players

Human Rights Violations in Displacement Situations

Key players

The Role of International Law in Displacement

Key players

Security Measures for Refugee Camps

Key players

Displacement and Community Resilience

Key players

Gender-Based Violence in Displacement Scenarios

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for International Conference on Displacement, Security, and Policy (ICDPSP).

Recent reporting to ground your prep

India's 131st Amendment Bill

Trump's Economic Reset

Supreme Court's Voting Rights Impact on 2026

Virginia Joins National Popular Vote Compact

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Gender Dynamics Across Cultures

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Policy Brief Writing

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Conflict Resolution

Costa Rica October 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

Free account

Save conferences, research any topic with AI, build position papers, and keep your daily prep streak — free.

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Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Frequently asked questions

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

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