International Refugee Protection Challenges and Opportunities
* Senior Policy and Project Advisor (SPC), Division of International Protection Services, UNHCR
The new Millennium heralded a promise of change. For refugees and other displaced persons, the start of the new Millennium was mixed; not much changed on the ground, but the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Convention brought Declaration of States parties reaffirming their commitments and the Agenda for Protection. Five years on, has the reaffirmation of States' commitment to the international protection regime, and their endorsement of the Agenda for Protection, made a difference to refugees? Have words been matched with actions to ensure access to asylum for those who need it and a greater sharing of international responsibility in this regard? This article looks at the major refugee protection challenges that confront us at the beginning of the 21st century on both sides of the development divide. It also addresses why many of these problems have developed and examines some of the emerging opportunities, which, if seized in good faith, could provide more robust protection for refugees, while responding to the security, sovereignty and economic concerns of States.