Asylum

Asylum is protection granted by a state to a person who has fled their country due to a well-founded fear of persecution. The person is typically described as an asylum seeker until their claim is decided, at which point they may receive refugee status or another form of protection. While the term has a legal meaning in immigration law, it is also used historically to refer to institutions for the mentally ill; those uses are distinct from the protection regime described here.

Under international law, the key framework is the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. The convention defines a refugee as a person who, owing to race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, has a well-founded fear of persecution and is outside their country of origin. States must generally not return such persons to danger (non-refoulement) and should examine asylum claims in fair procedures.

An asylum claim typically involves a hearing or other assessment to determine eligibility. If granted, asylum provides rights including protection from expulsion, the possibility of residence, and access to certain social services; if denied, the person may appeal or be required to leave the country.

Historically, "asylum" also referred to hospitals or wards for the mentally ill. The term is often avoided today in clinical settings, where terms such as psychiatric hospital or mental health facility are preferred due to concerns about stigma and human rights.

Current issues in asylum policy include processing backlogs, integration challenges for those granted protection, and debates over border controls, detention policies, and the treatment of vulnerable groups. International cooperation and coherent national frameworks are central to managing displacement while upholding human rights.