GA 3-Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa

A refugee is a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him/herself of the protection of that country" (according to all the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees).

Every person has the right to live free from persecution, or the fear of persecution, based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Though every government is obligated to provide this right, many fail. Every year millions of people face persecution for traits they cannot control or exercising their religious or political beliefs. When governments fail to protect these rights, people have the right to move to a country that will protect them. This is the right to asylum. People who seek to exercise this right are called "asylum seekers" or, in some cases, "refugees." In 1951, the formal basis for exercising the right to asylum was established by an international treaty, the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Countries signing that Convention have an obligation to provide asylum or refuge to people fleeing persecution.

Africa is home to a staggering number of refugees, returnees and displaced persons. There has been a lot of activity in Africa over the recent years, most of which related to the problem of refugees, raising problems of security.
The Darfur conflict for instance has caused to a lot of violence in the area which has thrown the rehabilitation efforts off track.


The General Assembly established the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on 14 December 1950. The UNHCR mandate is to lead and coordinate international action for the world-wide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems.

Human Rights Watch believes the right to asylum is a matter of life and death and cannot be compromised. “In our work to stop human rights abuses in countries around the world, we seek to address the root causes that force people to flee. We also advocate for greater protection for refugees and IDPs and for an end to the abuses they suffer when they reach supposed safety. Human Rights Watch calls on the United Nations and on governments everywhere to uphold their obligations to protect refugees and to respect their rights - regardless of where they are from or where they seek refuge.”

There is need to protect and assist refugees and returnees in Africa and a lot of inter-related issues need to be addressed. The international community and development agencies must come together to address the broader issues of development relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons.