Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
History and Protection Coverage
The process of developing a body of international law, conventions, and guidelines to protect refugees began in the early part of the twentieth century under the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations. It culminated on July 28, 1951, when a special United Nations conference approved the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. The Convention clearly spells out who is a refugee and the kind of legal protection, other assistance, and social rights he or she should receive from states parties to the document. Equally, it defines a refugee’s obligations to host governments and certain categories of persons,…
