The refugee definition in the 1950 statue of the UNHCR

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On the ground of membership, a particular social group was not included in the refugee definition in the 1950 statue of the UNHCR. It was added later on in the refugee definition of the 1951 convention related to the status of refugees and subsequent definitions. This paper will help you to understand why it was added and its significant impact in the recent years and the areas where its impact has been felt.

Refugees are the general groups or individuals who run out of their home place due to severe physical harms, which enforce them to escape due to political, religious or other counter problems (Refugees and Displaced Persons).

As per the decisions of General Assembly, the convention relating to the protection and the status of refugees was re-framed in 1951, which was known as United Nations High Commission Refugee Convention. It states that a refugee is a person who is scared of being harmed physically or mentally due to his being a part of particular race, religion, nation social group or political party leading him to cross the national frontier in order to protect himself against such hazardous activities. This definition is being promoted by the international organizations such as United nation and as per the definition, they are regarded as refugees only if they are harmed due their being part of above mentioned five categories as per the notification mentioned in the article 1 A(2) (Refugees and Displaced Persons).

This definition is often framed differently by the associations. For example, certain media groups consider the refugees as the social groups who take shelter in other nations due to their weak economic and monetary condition and groups who remain within the countries; i.e. they do not cross their national frontier, which is incorrect. They are considered refugees only if they fulfill all the requirements as mentioned in the refugee law of the host country. In case of group escape, their status is regarded and on the basis of information and proofs, it is decided whether they are refugee or not (Refugees and Displaced Persons).

After considering all the factors proving them as refugees, as per the notification of international law, they are provided protection and right to live, stay and have shelter, but that too on a "temporary" basis and if required they are even shifted to other safe nations where they are protected against the harm (Refugees and Displaced Persons). They are provided with protection with three provisions that are as follow:

Voluntary repatriation: They are free to be back to their home country whenever they feel without any restrictions.
Local integration: The host nation's government allows them to take part in the activities of the nation where they are provided with first shelter.
Resettlement in the third country: The refugee go to another nation in order to have safe shelter just because first shelter was refused by the host nation and it is hazardous to return to the home nation (Refugees and Displaced Persons).

// In the previous section, we learned about the refugee definition in the 1951 statue of the UNHCR. Now we will learn about the social group, which was not included till now and the reason why it was added later.//

With the new avenues of UNHCR convention, 1951, it was the responsibility of the high commission, as per the resolution 428(V) paragraph 1, to provide "international protection" to the refugees in accordance with the standards of the government. The victims of Nazi or Falangist as per previous international conventions were not safe and protected properly. The ground of membership of political opinion of a particular social group such as Palestine refugees was not included in the refugee definition in the 1950 statue of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (Goodwin-Gill, 2008).

Those who are the part of the nation, i.e. refugees are not provided with protection in their own state. They are provided with protection under the article ID and under article IE by the United Nation agencies. As per the Convention definition, those who are involved in criminal activities and terrorist acts will not be subject to any kind of international protection as mentioned in article IF under United Nation standards. It was added later on in the refugee definition of the 1951 convention relation to the status of refugees and subsequent definitions due to the standards of the equal rights under the ...