The Evolving Role of the Unhcr Should the Conventional Role of the Unhcr Be Expanded? (original) (raw)
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International Organizations, 2022
Since its inception in the postwar period, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has played an extremely important role in providing protection and care for refugees and asylum seekers around the world. The changing circumstances in the world over the seventy years of the UNHCR's existence have led the UNHCR to adapt to new situations. Millions of refugees and internally displaced people needed to be cared for after the Second World War. During the Cold War turmoil, the need to take care of refugees received a new note. Even after the Cold War, due to the disintegration of certain countries and the outbreak of armed conflicts, it left its mark in the area of taking care of refugees and displaced persons. Until the latest mixed refugeemigrant crisis, the UNHCR successfully adapted to the needs on the ground. By working in the field and adopting various documents, socalled "soft law" sources, the work of the UNHCR became effective. However, it remains to be seen whether all the needs of refugees in modern times will be met by an adequate legal framework, which would facilitate the activities of the UNHCR and other providers of refugee protection and asylum seekers.
The UNHCR and the Supervision of International Refugee Law
International Journal of Refugee Law, 2015
The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and its 1967 Protocol, and many other important international instruments recognize the unique role the UNHCR plays in protecting refugees and supervising international refugee law. This in-depth analysis of the UNHCR's supervisory role in the international refugee protection regime examines the part played by key institutions, organizations and actors in the supervision of international refugee law. It provides suggestions and recommendations on how the UNHCR's supervisory role can be strengthened to ensure greater States Parties' compliance with their obligations under these international refugee rights treaties, and contributes to enhancing the international protection of refugees and to the promotion of a democratic global governance of the international refugee protection regime.
2021
This thesis explores the impact of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with regard to the creation and development of the globally accepted notion of international refugee protection. The research is focused on the first two decades of the organization's existence, from 1950 to 1970; the period when the main ideas and instruments of the refugee protection system were created and which still remain valid today. As a leader in international refugee protection, the UNHCR is setting the main standards and guidelines in solving refugee issues. Consequentially, the efficiency of this organization is often the subject of scholarly debate. This thesis is taking a wider approach to the issue. It is not only researching how efficient the UNHCR is in helping refugees, but what kind of notion of international refugee protection it has created. The focus of the research is not on the actions of the UNHCR, i.e. its projects and programmes, but on its ideas and system of work. Th...
Refugees, UNHCR and Human Rights:Current Dilemmas of Conflicting Mandates
Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees, 1998
There continues to be an increase in concern for human rights in different areas, and refugies are no exception. Specifically, UNHCR has become more concerned with human rights issues. This article reviews the standard phrases used to indicate the the relationship between human rights and refugees before examining the specificity refugees in terms of human rights. The point of view taken is that the specïficity of the refugee situation is different from normal human rights concems, and the conclusion is that including refugees, within a human rights framework actually weaken refugee protection. That is we propose that although human rights in and of themselves cannot be argued against, the inclusion of refugies within a human rights régime may actually weaken the kinds of protection necessary for refugees and their particular situation. UNHCR would do well to focus on its limited mandate rather than including refugees within the human rights régime.
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UNHCR as an international UN agency that focuses on helping to deal with international refugee problems has faced bitter challenges as early as the 21st century. This is due to the financial problems faced by UNHCR and also the change in refugee trends as a result of internal conflicts in certain countries. UNHCR's main challenge during this era is to fend off the accusations of the international community in the refugee destination country's negative perception of this group. Thus, UNHCR's approach changes in line with international political currents by strengthening the element of responsibility to protect. This approach is to strengthen the protection of refugees in the country of destination and UNHCR also cooperates with the government in the country of destination in terms of finance, mobilization, registration and resettlement. This effort is seen as potentially helping to deal with the refugee problem collectively and continuously until this issue is successfull...
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In recent times, the UNHCR has been accused of railing in the fulfilment of its mandate as provided for under its statute. However, the entirety of fault is not to be borne by the UNHCR, owing to the fact that the Agency relies on laws drali:ed for a different time. The main aim of this research is to investigate vvhether there is a need for reform of the international refugee law regime. The objects of the study were to distinguish the circumstances that led to the formation ofthe 1951 Convention l'rom the prevailing ci rcumstances and to estab lish the role of the UN HCR in the enforcement and development of international refugee law, in a bid to determine the applicabi lity or the existent laws to the modern refugee crisis.