Anja Klug speaking at an event in a garden courtyard, addressing the audience with notes in hand.

Independent Expertise - Geneva & Bern

Human rights, refugee protection, national & European asylum policy

More than three decades of commitment to human rights, with a focus on refugee protection. Work for the United Nations and the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, including in New York, Berlin, Brussels and Geneva. Experience in building and further developing national protection systems, most recently in Switzerland. Legal analysis, development and implementation of strategies and concepts. Leadership experience.
Working in German, English and French.

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Services

01

Human and refugee rights

I am available to advise you on questions concerning the implementation of human and refugee rights.

02

Interplay between areas of tension

I am fascinated by the interplay between areas of tension and how they can be related to one another: between law and politics. Between aspiration and reality. Between the international and the national.

03

Pragmatic solutions

I develop pragmatic solutions and have learned to bring together differing interests and conflicting perspectives.

04

Concepts and strategies

I am creative and develop concepts and strategies. And I also know how to ensure that they are implemented.

05

Changing reality

I contribute to changing reality and opening up perspectives towards a better world.

06

Writing and collaboration

I write and communicate about topics that matter to me and may interest others. I share my experience and knowledge with others, for example through lectures or workshops. I enjoy working with others.

Anja Klug: This is me

Portrait of Anja Klug

I spent three decades with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Bonn, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva and, most recently, Bern. A dream job. It enabled me to place the commitment to human rights at the centre of my professional work. The work was varied: writing legal analyses and opinions, developing concepts and strategies, managing and leading teams, representation and communications work. I had the opportunity to work multilaterally, was involved for UNHCR in the development of EU asylum law, and am familiar with work in the national context of various countries.

I enthusiastically developed regional strategies and was closely involved in the work of teams in a wide range of regions around the world. This gave me valuable experience of refugee realities outside Europe.

Most recently, I headed the UNHCR Office in Bern for more than 10 years. I always understood my role as one of working together and maintained intensive dialogue with all key stakeholders in Switzerland and Liechtenstein: authorities, NGOs, civil society and, of course, refugees themselves. This created a network of relationships and quite a few friendships that extended beyond work.

By training, I am a lawyer specialising in international law. I studied in Bonn and Lausanne. This was followed by my legal traineeship in Hamburg, with placements in New York and Geneva.

I enjoy writing and have repeatedly published on refugee law topics, including in the leading commentary on the Geneva Refugee Convention and in the Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Law. I equally enjoy presenting complex issues in a simple and understandable way, for example in LinkedIn posts. I am also a member of the German Institute for Human Rights, the European Society of International Law ESIL and the Club Diplomatique de Geneve.

Oh, and for those who are interested: of course I also have a private life. I am married and have three adult children, a dog, a cat and a few chickens. I move between Geneva – Bern – Valais, but I am always happy to make detours to other places in Switzerland and abroad.

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Career

  • Bern, Switzerland
    UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein2015-2026: Head of Office
  • Brussels, Belgium
    UNHCR Europe Bureau2012-2015: Focus on the Western Balkans
  • Geneva, Switzerland - Port Louis, Mauritius
    Global Forum for Migration & Development2011: Labour migration for refugees
  • Geneva, Switzerland
    UNHCR Headquarters - Division of International Refugee Law2004-2011: Asylum and Migration Unit.
  • Berlin / Bonn, Germany
    UNHCR Germany1996-2004: Legal Adviser
  • Hamburg / New York / Geneva
    Education1985-1996
    Hamburg, Germany / New York, USA / Geneva, Switzerland - Legal traineeship
    Bonn, Germany/Lausanne, Switzerland - Studies
  • Germany
    Voluntary workGerman Institute for Human Rights (since 2001)
    Amnesty International (1989-1995)

LinkedIn

Publications

  • Klug, A. (2011, 2nd revised edition 2024). „Regional Developments: Europe.“ In: A. Zimmermann (ed.), The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol: A Commentary.
  • Klug, A. (2023). “Permanent and temporary protection mechanisms in the light of international refugee law – what lessons for Switzerland and other States Parties to the Geneva Refugee Convention?” In: Cesla Amarelle and Minh Son Nguyen (eds.), Nouvelles temporalités en droit d’asile, Bern.
  • Klug, A. (2016). „Closing Remarks: The Present and Future of “Boat Refugees” and Migrants at Sea.“ In: Violeta Moreno-Lax and Efthymios Papastavridis, “Boat Refugees” and Migrants at Sea: A Comprehensive Approach, Leiden/Boston, pp. 438–456.
  • Klug, A. (2014). „Strengthening the protection of migrants and refugees in distress at sea through international cooperation and burden-sharing.“ International Journal of Refugee Law, Vol. 26, No. 1, March 2014, pp. 48–64.
  • Klug, A. and Howe, T. (2010). „The concept of State jurisdiction and the applicability of the non-refoulement principle to extraterritorial interception measures.“ In: Bernard Ryan and Valsamis Mitsilegas, Extraterritorial Immigration Control. Legal Challenges.
  • Feller, E. and Klug, A. (2007, revised and updated version 2012). „Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner (UNHCR).“ In: Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law (www.mpepil.com).
  • Klug, A. (2004). „Harmonization of Asylum in the European Union – Emergence of an EU Refugee System?“ German Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 47, pp. 594–628.
  • Klug, A. and Betz, K. (2003). “Case law on the recognition of Iraqi asylum seekers.” Zeitschrift für Ausländerrecht und Ausländerpolitik (ZAR), Vol. 23, pp. 13–19.
  • Klug, A. (2001). “Relevance of ‘non-state’ persecution in civil wars under refugee law – the case law of the Federal Administrative Court compared with the practice of other European states.” Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht, Supplement I 7/2001 to Issue 8/2001, pp. 65–71.
  • Klug, A. (2000). „The Humanitarian Clause of the Dublin Convention and Family Protection.“ In: Clotilde Marinho (ed.), The Dublin Convention on Asylum: Its Essence, Implementation and Prospects, Maastricht.

Contact

For enquiries about advisory mandates, expert opinions or teaching activities.

contact@anjaklug.org
LocationGeneva & Bern, Switzerland LanguagesDE · FR · EN MemberGerman Institute for Human Rights & European Society of International Law