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About UNHCR

The 1951 Refugee Convention

Seventy-five years on, the Convention remains the foundation of refugee protection.

Adopted in 1951 in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees defines who is a refugee and sets out their rights.

Key principles

  • Definition: a refugee is someone outside their country with a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
  • Non-refoulement: refugees must not be returned to a place where their life or freedom would be at risk.
  • No penalty for entering or staying irregularly in order to seek safety.
  • Rights: including access to courts, education, work and documentation, with obligations to respect the laws of the host country.

The 1967 Protocol

The 1967 Protocol removed the original time and geographic limits, so the Convention applies to refugees everywhere.

A high-level event commemorating 75 years of the 1951 Refugee Convention

See also refugee rights and protection.

Questions about your situation?

Read our frequently asked questions or visit the contact page.

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