Title: Food Deprivation and Non-Refoulement in International Law
PhD Supervisor: Vincent Chetail
Expected completion date: 2023
The thesis theorises an interpretation of the principle of non-refoulement in international law for food-deprived forced migrants. In pursuance of this, the thesis analyses non-refoulement provisions in international refugee law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The thesis reflects on the legal narratives surrounding forced migration, and ushers a paradigm shift in the protection of forced migrants displaced by food deprivation.
Malavika Rao is a PhD candidate and teaching assistant in the International Law department at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Prior to commencing her doctoral studies, Malavika was the Utility Justice Legal Fellow at The Utility Reform Network (TURN) in San Francisco (2016-2018); and a research assistant at the Center for Law, Energy and Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. She is a lawyer from India, holds a BA LLB (Hons.) degree from Christ University in Bangalore, India and an LLM degree in Environmental Law, Energy and Clean Technology Law from the University of California Berkeley, USA. At UC Berkeley, she was a recipient of the Dean's Letter of Commendation for outstanding commitment to public interest and social justice. Her PhD research under the supervision of Prof. Vincent Chetail focuses on the application of the principle of non-refoulement to food-deprived forced migrants. Her research interests include international migration law, international environmental law and climate change, and human rights law.
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant at the Graduate Institute for the courses given by Vincent Chetail, B.S. Chimni, Anne Saab and Surabhi Ranganathan
Research Experience
Research Assistant at the Center for Law, Energy and Environment at the University of California, Berkeley
Research Affiliate, Refugee Law Initiative (School of Advanced Study, University of London)
1. Malavika Rao, "Should Internal Migrants Who Cannot Return Home Due To COVID-19 be Treated as Disaster IDPs? Lessons from India", 39(4) Refugee Survey Quarterly (Special Issue on Internal Displacement), Oxford University Press, 2020.
2. Malavika Rao, "India’s pandemic exodus was a biological disaster and stranded migrant workers should be classified as internally displaced", The Conversation, 2021.
3. Malavika Rao, "India: Los millones de trabajadores afectados por el éxodo pandémico deben ser considerados desplazados internos" [translated], The Conversation, 2021.
4. Malavika Rao, "A TWAIL Perspective on Loss and Damage from Climate Change: Reflections from Indira Gandhi's Speech at Stockholm", 12(1) Asian Journal of International Law, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for Foreign Scholars (FCS)
Graduate Institute Geneva Scholarship
UC Berkeley Dean's Letter of Commendation for outstanding commitment to public interest and social justice
Dctoral Affiliate, Global Migration Centre
Research Affiliate, Refugee Law Initiative