How does international law protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers?

International law protects the rights of refugees and asylum seekers by setting out specific legal obligations for states that seek to grant safe haven to them. This includes the Refugee Convention of 1951, which defines the term “refugee” and sets out the duties of countries towards refugees. According to the Convention, countries must not deport a refugee to a place where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. The UN has also adopted a number of additional international agreements that protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. These include the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These treaties enshrine the rights of refugees to protection from discrimination, access to basic services like healthcare and education, and protection from inhumane treatment. In the United States, Oregon state law is guided by both International law and federal law, as set out in the Refugee Act of 1980. This legislation establishes a Refugee Resettlement Program to provide access to a wide range of services and assistance to refugees, including access to public benefits. It also sets out procedures for granting asylum. In Oregon, refugees and asylum seekers are provided with asylum seekers rights such as access to legal counsel and the right to a fair hearing.

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How does international law protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers?

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