tillflykt

Tillflykt is a Swedish term referring to refuge or asylum, indicating protection offered to a person who flees persecution, war, or other serious danger in their home country. The word can describe both the act of seeking protection and the state or place that provides it.

Etymology and usage often distinguish between the act of seeking protection, as in att söka tillflykt (to seek refuge), and the refuge itself, such as tillflyktsort (a place of shelter). In public discourse and legal settings, tillflykt is closely associated with migration, asylum policy, and international protection.

International law provides a framework for asylum through the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. A person may be recognized as a refugee if there is a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. States granting asylum may confer refugee status or other forms of protection, such as subsidiary protection. The principle of non-refoulement prohibits returning individuals to places where their life or freedom would be at risk.

National practice varies, but in many countries asylum seekers undergo a formal process to determine protection eligibility. If protection is granted, asylum recipients acquire rights and obligations that can include residence, work eligibility, and access to social services, with procedures often subject to periodic review and potential integration measures.

See also: refugee, asylum seeker, non-refoulement, international protection.