Flyktingkonvensjonen

The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, commonly known as the Refugee Convention, is an international treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 28, 1951. It was the first legal instrument to define the rights of refugees and to establish the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits a contracting state from expelling or returning a refugee to a country where his life or freedom would be threatened. The convention entered into force on September 22, 1954, and has been ratified by 146 states. The Refugee Convention is a cornerstone of international refugee law and provides a framework for the protection of refugees. It defines a refugee as a person who is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; and who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to his country of nationality. The convention establishes the principle of non-refoulement and requires states to afford refugees protection and assistance. It also provides for the establishment of refugee status and the right to apply for asylum. The Refugee Convention has been amended twice, in 1967 and 1979, to reflect changes in the international refugee situation and to strengthen the protection of refugees. It remains a fundamental instrument in the protection of refugees and the promotion of human rights.