session 3

Title

Refugees and the role of space communications/Status and Practice of Charter for Man-made Disasters

Description

Outer Space Treaty principles of peaceful use of outer space in accordance with international law, international cooperation, and the environment of outer space. One of the central tasks of the international communications framework dating from the early days of radio communications has been to serve humanitarian purposes. This is clearly reflected in the ‘space benefits’ approach of the treaty. Currently, one of its major tasks is to support international refugees who rely on space communication, are also supported by diverse institutions using space communication and, in cases of distress, can be more easily saved by the means of space communication. The legal character and form of international networks supporting the refugees are varied: The UN, its specialised organizations like the ITU and the IMO, ESA, singular States, alongside numerous non-state actors are Parties to arrangements supporting the refugees. One of the - non-binding - bases of these activities is the 2016 Charter on Major Disasters and Migration initiated by ESA, following the 1999 Charter on Space and Major Disasters. This session analyses the legal framework of these initiatives focusing on their use by and on behalf of the refugees. It raises the question whether, and which of these regulations could serve as a model for future initiatives.

Date

2017-09-27

Time

09:45

Room

Meeting Room L2

IPC members

• Co-Chair: Dr. Ranjana Kaul, Dua Associates, India;

• Co-Chair: Dr. Catherine Doldirina, International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Italy;

• Rapporteur: Prof. Andrea Harrington, Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University, Canada;