REPORT OF INNAUGRAL SESSION

The centre for International Humanitarian law and Human Rights (IHL&HR) of Institute of
law Nirma University successfully hosted the XI Edition of its annual flagship event
international student conference on “urban warfare and the protection of refugees” in
collaboration with the United Nation High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) India on
18th march 2023. The presence of dignitaries, an impressive line-up of scholars across this
field, an array of carefully selected, well-researched and well-presented papers on the subject,
all came together to help the team to admirably conclude this huge endeavour. The
conference was applauded for the inaugural session and track sessions. This Conference has,
without a shade of doubt, made the academic fraternity richer, with the additional literature in
form of scholarly works on the subject. The two days comprised of incisive and insightful
discussions on various facets of the issue of current Humanitarian and Refugee Law, what are
the imminent and foresighted challenges encountered by the treaties that have been
universally ratified with a special focus on how efficient are current conventions in furnishing
the interests and addressing the needs of present-day undocumented refugee community
whose situations are changing dynamically. The views expressed and explored on this
platform by the resource persons and paper presenters made the audience aware about
reasons responsible for the plight of refugee and undocumented communities. This
conference received research papers from students, PhD scholars, academicians and
practicing lawyers all across the globe from various universities such as south Asian
university, cathelic university of brazil, imminent private and central universities.

The conference owes its success to the able guidance of Dr. Madhuri Parikh, Anviksha
Pachori, and the hard work put in by the entire team led by Harmanjot kaur, Ronak sharma,
Vagmee SK Mishra and volunteers.

The Hon’ble chief guest Shri Prashant Bhushan, Indian public interest lawyer advocate-on-
record, supreme court of India, inaugurated the conference, with Dr. Madhuri Parikh, director
of ILNU. Dr. Madhuri parikh in her welcome address welcomes Shri Prasant bhusan sir and
appraised about the theme and sub themes of the conference selected by the team as it is very
relevant today because most of the issues we see in are surrounding are relatable. Ms
Anviksha Pachori in inaugural address said about how means of war has been change with
the advancement of technology, change in refugee law and how number of refugee increased
in relation with post Rohingya issue and Russia-Ukraine war. She also shed light on some
international documents such as the New York declearation, The global compact on refugee
and the first global refugee forum and said about how team came up with some innovative
themes on this issue which are the impact of arm conflict on children international & non
international, climate risk in arm conflict, sexual and gender based violence as a weapon of
war, displacement due to climate change, examining the rule of united nation in existing geo
politics, vaccine equity in the existing world order, urban warfare and the Russia-Ukraine
war, access to asylum and refugee definition, and one of the most important how to promote
refugee protection in absence of a national refugee law framework.

Sri Prasant bhusan sir, Dr. Madhuri parikh mam and Anviksha Pachori mam release the
conference proceedings of year 2022-23.

The Hon’ble chief guest Shri Prasant Bhusan sir addresses the audience directed toward the
contemporary debate on non refoulment obligations under the refugee convention as well as
the constitution of India and about the recent development in supreme court about this topic
in general. Sir praised to our university for organising this conference around the issue of
refugees protection for the last of ten years. He said about how refuges are not created just by
urban warfare or war but can be created by internal persecution, genocide in any country, we
can relate it with the Rohingya people who suffered ethnic persecution in Myanmar. He said
on who is refugee and how its definition came from conventions i.e. someone who is unable
or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being
persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group,
or political opinion. He said though India has not signed the convention on refugee but India
has always abide by all the principles which are enshrined in the convention in practise. Non
refoulement is the principle which says that a refugee cannot be sent back to the country
where he is being persecuted. He talked about the relation of this refugees with the national
security. He talked about the judgement and views of international court of justice and
European court of human rights on principle of non refoulement. He talked about the basic
rights of refugees and educational rights of children and health care whether they are citizen
or non citizen.

Refugees are one category of people who have suffered the maximum injustice that one can
imagine one who has to flea his/her country by fear of being killed, tortured or enormous
persecution. Therefore, we as lawyers we should know about the law governing this area and
act upon this to provide them justice. As a lawyer we are supposed to be civilised warriors for
justice, therefore, it is the duty of every lawyer to ensure whatever one can do to provide
justice to the people especially people who are very underprivilege. The inaugural session
ended with the words of sir.

Himanshu kumar
22BBL142