UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Note sur l'interprétation de la notion de 'conflit armé interne' visée par l'article 15, c) de la Directive Qualification dans le cadre de l'affaire C-285/12 pendante à la Cour de justice de l'Union européenne, 19 September 2012, https://www.refworld.org/jurisprudence/amicus/unhcr/2012/85265 [accessed 30 April 2026]
This paper explores the meaning and scope of the 1951 refugee definition in regards to refugee protection claims of individuals who have fled armed conflict and other situations of violence and identifies conflicting trends in international refugee law and practice concerning such claims. This paper argues that the 1951 Convention is a relevant tool for the protection of people who have fled armed conflict and other situations of violence in their country of origin. Though the mere fact of having fled from such situations does not substantiate a claim to refugee status under the 1951 Convention, the wording of the 1951 refugee definition, the object and purpose of the 1951 Convention and its historical background warrant an inclusive interpretation regarding refugee protection claims arising out of armed conflict and other situations of violence.
Vanessa Holzer, The 1951 Refugee Convention and the Protection of People Fleeing Armed Conflict and Other Situations of Violence, Research Paper No.28, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), September 2012, https://www.refworld.org/reference/lpprs/unhcr/2012/88314 [accessed 30 April 2026]
