What was the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention?

The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol are the key legal documents that form the basis of our work. The core principle is non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.

How many countries are signatories to the UN Refugee Convention 1951?

India has signed neither the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention nor its 1967 Protocol, which has 140 signatories, an overwhelming majority of the world’s 190-odd nations.

When was the UN Refugee Convention?

The Convention was drafted and signed by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons, held at Geneva from 2 to 25 July 1951. The Conference was convened pursuant to General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14 December 1950.

Why India is not a part of 1951 Refugee Convention?

Reasons behind India not signing the 1951 convention as well as 1967 Protocol: Threat to sovereignty: The second reason is the Article 35 of the convention which vests the responsibility of supervising the refugee processing on UNHCR. India does not want its sovereignty to be threatened by any International community.

Is China a signatory to the refugee Convention?

China ratified the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol, in September 1982. It has since been an active participant in the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme, a panel of countries advising UNHCR and approving its budget.

What was the geographic limit on who qualified as a refugee in the 1951 Geneva Convention?

PROTECTING REFUGEES. Turkey retains a geographic limitation to its ratification of the 1951 U.N. Convention on the Status of Refugees (“Refugee Convention”), which means that only those fleeing as a consequence of “events occurring in Europe”54 can be given refugee status.

What was the date of the 1951 Refugee Convention?

Historical archives of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Geneva, 28 July 1951 and Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, New York, 31 January 1967.

What was the role of UNHCR in the 1951 Convention?

This is now considered a rule of customary international law. UNHCR serves as the ‘guardian’ of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol. According to the legislation, States are expected to cooperate with us in ensuring that the rights of refugees are respected and protected.

Is the Convention Relating to the status of refugees legally binding?

Although the Convention is “legally binding” there is no body that monitors compliance. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has supervisory responsibilities, but cannot enforce the Convention, and there is no formal mechanism for individuals to file complaints.

Who are the parties to the UN Convention on refugees?

Madagascar and Saint Kitts and Nevis are parties only to the Convention, while Cape Verde, the United States of America and Venezuela are parties only to the Protocol. Since the US ratified the Protocol in 1968, it undertook a majority of the obligations spelled out in the original 1951 document (Articles 2-34),…