International Refugee Law: Sources To Support Safe Harbor Participants & Other Interns

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) + includes link to "Related Document": Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1967)

NEW: UNHCR's Refugee Treaty and Legislation Dashboard

• UNHCR states this Dashboard provides key information "on the global legal protection environment for refugees by compiling data on refugee treaty and asylum legislation around the world."  It provides data on: the 1951 Convention/1967 Protocol, 1969 OAU Convention, 1984 Cartagena Convention, and Common European Asylum System.  It also provides data on "national asylum legislation of UN member states and other territories" in UNHCR's Refworld.

Global Compact on Refugees (affirmed by UN General Assembly on Dec. 18, 2018)

• UNHCR states: "The Global Compact on Refugees is a framework for more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, recognizing that a sustainable solution to refugee situations cannot be achieved without international cooperation.  It provides a blueprint for governments, international organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that host communities get the support they need and that refugees can lead productive lives." 

• See also: Protection of Persons Displaced Across Borders in the Context of Disasters and the Adverse Effects of Climate Change: A Review of Literature, Legislation and Case Law to Support the Implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (June 27, 2024).

Global Refugee Forum (held every 4 years) includes: Outcomes of the Global Refugee Forum 2023.

UNHCR, UNHCR Protection Manual

• UNHCR states: "The Protection Manual is UNHCR's repository of protection policy and guidance. The documents are listed in reverse chronological order."

UNHCR's Handbook ("UNHCR’s Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status is often referred to as an authoritative guide by States’ courts when interpreting national legislation in accordance with the 1951 Convention"):

• Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status and Guidelines on International Protection under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (Reissued Feb. 2019).  Note: This Handbook includes UNHCR's Guidelines on International Protection released as of April 2019.
• See also: Note on International Protection (July 22, 2024).

UNHCR's Procedural Standards:

• Procedural Standards for Refugee Status Determination Under UNHCR's Mandate (Aug. 26, 2020)
• See also Refworld topic: Burden of proof.

UNHCR's statements, notes, analysis and policy briefs include:

• Implementing Differentiated Asylum Case Processing Modalities (Aug. 2024)
• UNHCR Statelessness Policy Brief (Aug. 2024)
• Note on International Protection (July 22, 2024)
• Statelessness and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: Analysis and Recommendations for Implementation (May 2024)
• Climate change impacts and cross-border displacement: International refugee law and UNHCR’s mandate (Dec. 12, 2023)
• Legal considerations on the roles and responsibilities of States in relation to rescue at sea, non-refoulement, and access to asylum (Dec. 1, 2022)
• UNHCR Guidelines on International Legal Standards Relating to Decent Work for Refugees (July 2021)
• UNHCR Note on the "Externalization" of International Protection (May 28, 2021)
• Key Procedural Considerations on the Remote Participation of Asylum-Seekers in the Refugee Status Determination Interview (May 15, 2020)
• Guidance Note on Refugee Claims Relating to Victims of Organized Gangs (Mar. 2010)
• Guidance Note on Refugee Claims Relating to Female Genital Mutilation (May 2009)

Subject-arranged collection of excerpts from UNHCR's Executive Committee Conclusions:

• A Thematic Compilation of Executive Committtee Conclusions (7th ed. June 2014)
• To update information, see web page of: UNHCR's Executive Committee.

Subject-arranged collection of excerpts from leading cases:

• UNHCR Compilation of Case Law on Refugee Protection in International Law (Mar. 2008)
• Tip: To update the Compilation and to find more cases, use sources under guide tab: Refugee Case Databases.