This research project, financed by the Geneva International Academic Network (GIAN), began on January 1, 2004. It was carried out in partnership with the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva (HEI) and the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Geneva (2004-2005), in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Migration is a major challenge of current international relations that cannot possibly be ignored. It is at the core of every international and national agenda, as illustrated by the numerous initiatives launched by the United Nations, the European Union and various other multilateral forums. This research project has evaluated the multiple components of the migratory phenomenon, thanks to the participation of 46 researchers from various disciplines and regions of the world. The researchers have taken into account a fundamental, but often neglected, issue: the basic needs of the migrants and respect for their human rights.

The content of the research project was based on two essential operational guidelines: an interdisciplinary “sociological” aspect, supervised by Marie-Claire Caloz-Tschopp and Pierre Dasen and a “legal” aspect, dealing with the international law of migrations, directed by Vincent Chetail. Each aspect became the subject of two separate publications released in 2007 by Bruylant in the UCIHL collection:

Marie-Claire Caloz-Tschopp & Pierre Dasen (dir.), Mondialisation, migration et droits de l’homme : un nouveau paradigme pour la recherche et la citoyenneté Globalization, migration and human rights : a new paradigm for research and citizenship, vol. I, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2007, 747 p.

Vincent Chetail (dir.), Mondialisation, migration et droits de l’homme : le droit international en question / Globalization, migration and human rights : international law under review, vol. II, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2007, 728 p.

This research programme took place in 2002 and 2003 with the support of the International University Network of Geneva (GIAN). It was carried out by Sylvain Vité and Gabriele Porretto under the supervision of Professor Robert Kolb. It analyzes, both historically and from a contemporary perspective, the issues, both theoretical and practical, that arise from the application of international humanitarian law and human rights law to the military and administrative operations run by international organisations.

The study deals more specifically with Kosovo and East Timor, but it includes numerous illustrations drawn from international practice. The results of this research were published in 2005 by Bruylant in the UCIHL collection.

Robert Kolb, Gabriele Porretto & Sylvain Vité, L’application du droit international humanitaire et des droits de l’homme aux organisations internationales. Forces de paix et administrations civiles transitoires, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2005, 500 p.