What is the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees?
The 1951 UN Convention on Refugees was the first real international agreement to define what a refugee is and the basic rights he or she deserves as such. It defines a refugee as ‘a person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.’ The Convention, among other things, demands that host countries provide refugees with personal security, access to social services, permission to work and a guarantee against punishment for entry. Notably, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran and other countries hosting large numbers of Iraqi refugees are not signatories to the Convention. As such, they regard the refugees as ‘guests’ or ‘brothers’, circumventing the rights that would otherwise come with
The 1951 UN Convention on Refugees was the first real international agreement to define what a refugee is and the basic rights he or she deserves as such. It defines a refugee as ‘a person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.’ The Convention, among other things, demands that host countries provide refugees with personal security, access to social services, permission to work and a guarantee against punishment for entry. Notably, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran and other countries hosting large numbers of Iraqi refugees are not signatories to the Convention. As such, they regard the refugees as ‘guests’ or ‘brothers’, circumventing the rights that would otherwise come with
