Refugees as assets to their new countries

Context: UNHRC commemorates yet another World Refugee Day (June 20), to honour the courage and resilience of the 103 million individuals who have endured forced displacement due to conflicts and unrest worldwide. Who is a refugee?

• Forced to flee– A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence.
• Fear of persecution– A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
• Leading causes– War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.

Types of refugee:

• Asylum Seekers- An asylum-seeker is a person who has left their country but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee.
• Migrants-A migrant is a person who is outside the territory of the State of which they are nationals and who has resided in a foreign country for more than one year.
• Internally displaced person- An internally displaced person, or IDP, is someone who has been forced to flee their home but never cross an international border.

Challenges that refugees face:

• Language Barriers-When refugees come to a new place learning its language is a key factor for them which is never an easy thing to carry on to any age group.
• Cultural Differences-Refugee must accept the culture of the hosting country no matter how different it is from his home country.
• Suffering from Prejudice and Racism-Prejudice and racism are the normal outcomes of cultural differences between the local population and the refugee families in the hosting countries.

Mains Question: Discuss the key provisions of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Also analyse India’s refugee policy which has been seen in recent times with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Syllabus Mapping: Subject: International Relations (GS-II) Sub-topic:  Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests Subject: Polity and Governance (GS-II) Sub-topic: Government Policies and Interventions

• Introduction: Start by providing a brief overview of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
• Define refugees and discuss the non-refoulement principle
• Outline the convention’s provisions regarding the rights and protection of refugees,
• examine India’s refugee policy concerning individuals from Myanmar and Bangladesh
• Summarize the key provisions of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and their significance in safeguarding the rights and well-being of refugees globally.