Refugee Rights in
International Law
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Introduction
• Refugees a World-Wide Challenge
• International Law Provides Minimum Human
Rights for Refugees
• Key Definitions:
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Refugee
Asylum Seeker
Internally Displaced Person
Migrant
Stateless Person
Returnees
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International Refugee Law
• 1951 Refugee Convention
– establishes rights & standards
• 1967 Protocol
– removes Convention’s time & place restrictions
– incorporates Conventions rights & standards
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Other International Human Rights Agreements
International Humanitarian Law Agreements
Regional Agreements
Non-Binding Documents
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Regional Refugee Law
• Africa
– African Charter on Human & People’s Rights
– AU Convention Governing Refugee Problems
– African Charter on Child Rights & Welfare
• Europe
– Convention for Protection of Human Rights
– Council of Europe Agreements
• The Americas
– Human Rights Agreements
– Refugee Agreements
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Refugee Law in the U.S.
• Party to 1967 Refugee Convention
Protocol
• 2005 Act Tightened Asylum Due to
Terrorism
• Asylum Criteria:
– refugee, of special humanitarian concern,
and not barred by certain actions
– burden of proof on applicant on refugee
status
– past vs. future persecution
– internal relocation must be unreasonable
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Other U.S. Immigration Options
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Withholding of Removal
Deferral of Removal
Temporary Protected Status
Deferred Enforced Departure
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Concerns With Asylum System
• Security
• Fraud
• Overburdening Host Government
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Key Civil Rights
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Treatment Without Discrimination
Survival Rights
Due Process
Freedom of Movement
Education
Work
Freedom of Thought, Conscience,
Religion
• Freedom of Association
• Right of Non-Refoulement
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Cessation of Refugee Status
• Voluntary Return
• New Nationality
• Circumstances Causing
Refugee Status Cease
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