Protection of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in International Disaster Law course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
**Asylum** #
The granting of protection to a person who has fled their home country and is unable or unwilling to return due to fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
**Convention Against Torture (CAT)** #
An international human rights treaty, adopted by the United Nations in 1984, that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The CAT provides for the extradition or prosecution of accused torturers and grants refugees the right to seek asylum.
**Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)** #
A United Nations treaty that defines the term "refugee" and outlines the rights of the displaced, as well as the legal obligations of states towards refugees. The Convention also establishes the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits states from returning refugees to territories where their life or freedom would be threatened.
**Geneva Convention Relating to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of Wa… #
This includes provisions for the treatment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other non-combatants.
**Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998)** #
Developed by the United Nations, these principles provide a framework for the protection and assistance of IDPs, addressing issues such as non-discrimination, protection against violence, and access to humanitarian assistance.
**Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)** #
Individuals who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, or human rights violations, but have not crossed an international border and remain within their own country.
**Kampala Convention (2009)** #
The African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, which aims to prevent, respond to, and provide durable solutions for IDPs in Africa.
**Non #
Refoulement**: A fundamental principle of international law that prohibits the forcible return of individuals to a country where they would face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations.
**Principle of First Asylum** #
A principle that requires states to grant temporary refuge to individuals seeking asylum, pending a decision on their refugee status.
**Refoulement** #
The forcible return of individuals to a country where they would face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violations.
**Refugee** #
A person who has been forced to flee their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, and is unable or unwilling to return.
**Refugee Status Determination (RSD)** #
A process used by states or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to determine whether an individual meets the definition of a refugee under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
**Stateless Persons** #
Individuals who are not considered nationals by any state under its laws. While not explicitly covered by the 1951 Refugee Convention, stateless persons may be granted protection under the principle of non-discrimination.
**United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)** #
The UN refugee agency responsible for protecting and assisting refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, and stateless persons around the world.
**Voluntary Repatriation** #
The return of refugees to their home country, often facilitated by the UNHCR, when it is safe and feasible to do so. Voluntary repatriation is considered the preferred solution for most refugees, as it allows them to rebuild their lives in a familiar environment.
**Well #
Founded Fear**: A key component of the refugee definition, requiring that an individual has a reasonable fear of persecution, based on objective evidence, if they were to return to their home country.
Sources #
United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross, African Union, and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.