Are persons fleeing war or war-related conditions such as famine and ethnic violence refugees?
The 1951 Geneva Convention, the main international instrument of refugee law, does not specifically address the issue of civilians fleeing conflict, though in recent years major refugee movements have resulted from civil wars, ethnic, tribal and religious violence. However, UNHCR considers that persons fleeing such conditions, and whose state is unwilling or unable to protect them, should be considered refugees. How does UNHCR distinguish between a refugee and an economic migrant? An economic migrant normally leaves a country voluntarily to seek a better life. Should he or she elect to return home, he or she would continue to receive the protection of his or her government. Refugees flee because of the threat of persecution and cannot return safely to their homes in the prevailing circumstances. How is the term “refugee” misused? The term has slipped into common usage to cover a range of people, including those displaced by natural disaster or environmental change. Refugees are often c
