UN international refugee law expert explores refugee protection challenges during COVID-19 at upcoming lecture

Refugee mother and child in Idomeni

On April 12, McLaughlin College will host a lecture that will explore current refugee protection challenges and the impact of COVID-19 on displaced persons presented by Carole Simone Dahan, a UN expert on international refugee law and York University alumna.

“Current Refugee Protection Challenges and Covid-19: Waving the Canadian flag or is that just the wind?” will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.

A young child wearing a face mask

This lecture will provide an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on international protection and the disproportionate impact it is exerting on displaced persons with particular focus on legal issues which were problematic before the pandemic and have now been heightened, such as: gender-based violence, detention, statelessness, racial justice and climate justice.

Dahan joined the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva as a senior legal advisor (judicial engagement) in the Protection, Policy and Legal Advice Section, Division of International Protection in 2015. Dahan’s responsibilities include leading UNHCR’s judicial and legal community engagement work: researching and preparing written and oral submissions to higher courts in multiple jurisdictions as well as providing advice and advocating for the proper interpretation and application of international refugee law.

Prior to joining UNHCR, Dahan was director of the Refugee Law Office of Legal Aid Ontario and in 2014 she was the recipient of the CARLA award, presented by the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Concordia University, a master of arts degree in political theory from the University of Toronto, and a law degree from Osgoode Hall, York University where she also obtained a master’s degree in administrative law.

Register for the lecture here.