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The issue of Human Rights is central to refugee status. People only become refugees because one or more of their basic human rights are abused. Many are victims of war, political, religious and other forms of persecution. In the chaos and confusion of fleeing their homes to try and find safety in another country, most refugees lose virtually all their rights as well as their material possessions. Many also lose their families and friends.

 

Every refugee has the right to safe asylum. Refugees should be granted the same rights and basic help as any other foreigner who is a legal resident, including freedom of thought and of movement as well as economic and social rights, e.g. access to medical care, to education and to work.

 

Child refugees are particularly vulnerable and often have their rights denied. There are an estimated 12 million child refugees in the world. These children are particularly at risk: they often become separated from family and there is the risk they will be mistreated. Some become recruited to fight, or are abused, exploited or forced to work in dangerous environments.

 

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child grants special protection to refugee children (article 22). Refugee children who are not being cared for by their parents are entitled to further protection. Refugee children fleeing war are also entitled to special protection (article 38). Like all children, refugees are entitled to all other rights granted under the Convention including the rights to life, adequate food and medical care, education, and to be free from discrimination, exploitation, and abuse.

 

For information on the Convention click on the link on the right hand side of this page -> or visit www.unicef.org/crc

Millennium Development Goals
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 and nearly 190 countries have signed up to them. The goals are international targets for reducing global poverty.

 

They aim to lift around 500 million people out of poverty by the year 2015. If this happens, fewer women will die in childbirth, fewer people will die from treatable diseases, many more boys and girls will go to school and the lives of millions of people will improve dramatically.

 

The MDGs and targets apply equally to refugees and internally displaced people as they do to others, though the basic rights of these people often fall short of those of local populations.