70 years of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees

28 July marked the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Ratified by 145 states parties, this key international treaty defines the term “refugee” and sets out the rights of uprooted people, as well as the legal obligations of states to ensure their protection. The fundamental principle is non-refoulement, according to which a refugee should not be returned to a country where his or her life or freedom is seriously threatened. It is important for the international community to continue to defend and honour it in order to protect the rights of refugees around the world and save millions of lives. The role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is as valuable on the ground in the face of increasing conflict and crisis as it is in the legal sphere to ensure the effectiveness of refugee status and to combat statelessness.