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https://theconversation.com/at-a-time-of-harder-borders-and-ruthless-rhetoric-the-refugee-convention-is-more-important-than-ever-287478>
"This month marks 75 years since the adoption of the
1951 Refugee Convention
on July 28 1951. Negotiated in the aftermath of the second world war, the
treaty came into force three years later after Australia became the sixth
country to ratify it.
Today, 149 states are parties to the convention and/or its
1967 Protocol,
which effectively extended its application beyond the immediate post-war era.
Every day, life-saving decisions are made in accordance with the
Refugee
Convention’s fundamental principles, making it one of the most utilised
treaties in the world. It provides a common framework for determining who
refugees are and the protections and rights to which they are entitled. This
includes:
* not removing refugees to any place where they face a well-founded fear of
being persecuted
* not penalising them for entering a country without valid travel documents
* and granting them a legal status that ensures they can rebuild their lives in
safety and with dignity.
The
Refugee Convention has proven to be remarkably adaptable over its 75-year
history.
Yet, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions, accelerating climate impacts
and mounting pressure on resources, some claim the
Refugee Convention is
obsolete. They suggest it is either too narrow to meet modern needs or too
generous to be sustainable.
Critics also claim the convention fails to provide a solution to mass influxes
of refugees and does not distribute refugees evenly among states.
But these were never the convention’s functions. Rather, its purpose was to
make international protection of refugees more predictable and consistent. Far
from being a cause of disorder, the treaty provides a principled framework for
common action.
Displacement wouldn’t stop without the
Refugee Convention; it would simply
become more chaotic and unstable."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
