Robert Hopkins is a managing director and wealth advisor with William Blair’s Private Wealth Management group. In this capacity, he assists families, individuals, and foundations in determining their investment objectives, assessing risk, identifying suitable investment strategies, and evaluating their performance. Before joining the firm, Robert was a portfolio manager with Brown Advisory Securities, LLC and with Alex. Brown & Sons and its successors, BT Alex. Brown and Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown. In 1999, he founded and managed Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown’s first London private client office and oversaw the creation and management of the firm’s international corporate and executive services and middle-markets institutional business.
Robert is the president of the Thomas Wilson Sanitarium for the Children of the City of Baltimore and an advisory board member of the Children’s Scholarship Fund. He is treasurer of the Maryland Center for History & Culture and the chairman of the St. John’s church endowment fund. Additionally, he is a member of the investment committee of The Associated Sulpicians of the United States. He is a graduate of Washington College and a winner of Forbes Best-in-State Advisors awards in 2022 and 2023.
Forced displacement represents one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time. Individuals and families, torn from the fabric of their communities, find themselves navigating a world of uncertainty, often without basic necessities or a clear path to safety. There are currently some 110 million forced displaced, and this number is growing by 10 million each year!
At the heart of this crisis are the political triggers. Armed conflicts, ethnic or religious persecutions, and systemic human rights abuses force millions to flee their homes in terror. Many are displaced within their own national boundaries, while others seek asylum abroad. If these factors change as a result of political shifts at home or the pressures from abroad, they can return to their homes. Forced displacement is thus different from environmentally driven displacement, as victims of climate change may never be able to return to their homes.
The ramifications of any sort of displacement are profound, not just for those directly affected, but also for host communities and countries. Overburdened infrastructures, socio-economic strains, and cultural tensions can arise, necessitating comprehensive strategies to foster harmony and integration. Yet the root causes of forced displacement can be remedied with a concerted focus by local players and international diplomacy.
Organizations like Refugees International play a crucial role in this arena, advocating for the rights and needs of the displaced, conducting on-the-ground assessments, and influencing policymakers to take informed actions. Their relentless work underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgency ofinternational cooperation. But they, too, are overwhelmed by the rapid expansion of the crisis.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with its core principles centered on the protection of civilians during conflicts, plays a pivotal role in this discourse. Yet, despite clear legal frameworks, compliance remains
inconsistent. This initiative emphasizes the importance of upholding and reinforcing these international standards.
It’s not just about recognizing the problem; it’s about active engagement. We urge governments, organizations, and individuals to prioritize the rights and needs of the forced displaced. Through collective efforts, informed policies, and sustained advocacy, we can shift the narrative from passive acknowledgment to proactive intervention.
