What is the UN definition of a refugee?

What is the UN definition of a refugee?

“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.”

What is the purpose of the United Nations refugee agency?

UNHCR – THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

How does the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees define a refugee?

1. No Contracting State shall expel or return (” refouler “) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

What has the UN done for refugees?

UN peacekeepers are often there to protect the camps in which refugees must live. When they are left without access to such basic necessities as food, water, sanitation and health care, the UN family provides it. Much of this support is provided through the United Nations humanitarian action machinery.

Is the Refugee Convention legally binding?

The Refugee Convention was adopted at a United Nations conference on 28 July 1951 and became legally binding on 22 April 1954. It was originally designed to respond to the needs of European refugees in the years following World War II. The Protocol became legally binding on 4 October 1967.

What UN Convention deals with rights of refugees?

The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees has created a system for providing protection to people at risk of persecution in their own countries.

Is UNHCR a UN specialized agency?

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR protects refugees worldwide and facilitates their return home or resettlement.

Are all asylum seekers refugees?

Who is an asylum-seeker? An asylum-seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim.

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