pakolaiskonventio

The pakolaiskonventio, also known as the 1951 Refugee Convention or the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, is a foundational international treaty that defines who is a refugee and outlines the rights of individuals who are granted refugee status. It also specifies the legal obligations of contracting states to protect refugees. The convention was adopted by the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 28, 1951, and entered into force on April 22, 1954.

The core principle of the convention is non-refoulement, which prohibits states from returning refugees to a country where they may face persecution. This protection is afforded to individuals who have fled their country due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.

The convention grants refugees a set of rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals of the host country, including the right to work, education, housing, and access to courts. It also establishes that refugees should be treated as favorably as possible, and in no case less favorably than other aliens lawfully residing in the territory.

While the 1951 Convention is the primary legal document concerning refugees, it was supplemented by the 1967 Protocol, which removed the geographical and temporal limitations of the original convention. This means that the convention now applies to all refugees, regardless of where they are from or when they became refugees. Signatories to the convention are expected to uphold its principles and cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in its efforts to protect and assist refugees.