Geneva Convention On Refugees Marks 60 Years

27 July 2011

Luanda — Thursday, July 28, will be celebrated the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Refugees Status, also known as Geneva Convention of 1951.

Following decision of 1950 General Assembly, it was summoned in Geneva, in 1951, a UN Plenipotentiary Conference aiming at drafting a Convention to regulate the legal status of the refugees.

As a result, the Convention was written and adopted on 28 July 1951, and came into effect on 22 April, 1954.

Initially, the Convention used to protect European refugees, after the Second World War, but the 1967 Protocol removed geographic and timing limits, spreading the Convention.

The Convention establishes legal international instruments related to refugees and provides the most comprehensive codification of the international refugee’s rights.

It establishes basic standard for refugee’s treatment, without limits of States developing this treatment.

The Convention is implemented without discrimination of race, religion, sex and country of origin. In addition, it establishes clauses considered essentials which no objection must be done.

The highlight of this year of commemorations will be a ministerial-level meeting of all Member States of the United Nations in Geneva on December 7-8. This important gathering will also give States the opportunity to formalize their accession to the relevant conventions.

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