Referring to the United Nations, refugees “are persons fleeing armed conflict or persecution”.
Migrants “choose to move not because of a direct threat of persecution or death, but mainly to improve their lives by finding work, or in some cases for education, family reunion, or other reasons”.
Therefore there is a stark difference between the two, in that refugees are forced to move because of war and conflict, and due to the fact that their original home, or place of residence is no longer safe to live anymore. The migrants are choosing to move out of their own will, in order to hopefully find a better life for themselves.
Added: Jan. 5, 2018, 10:37 p.m.
Last change: June 11, 2020, 8:59 a.m.
Regardless of what is written and where, the fact is that refugees are fleeing from countries where it is war, shots fired or human rights violated. It would be wrong, in my opinion, not to put "armed conflict" or better yet, "war" in the definition. It is obvious from what some of them are escaping.
The term "Refugee" is defined in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and an amending 1967 Protocol. These can be found here http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/3b66c2aa10. I have read these carefully and I cannot find in the definition of "Refugee" any mention of people fleeing "armed conflict". It refers specifically to persecution. However, another, INFORMAL, UN document here http://refugeesmigrants.un.org/definitions includes "conflict". So which is correct? Anyone know?
Angela Bagni
Comments: 3
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