UNHCR Protection Manual

The Protection Manual is UNHCR's repository of protection policy and guidance. The documents are listed in reverse chronological order.

A. International Protection
A.

Refugee law instruments

International instruments

Regional instruments – Africa

Regional instruments – North Africa and the Middle East

Regional instruments – Americas

Regional instruments – Asia

Regional instruments – Europe, Council of Europe

Regional instruments – Europe, European Union

UNHCR mandate and supervisory responsibility

Executive Committee Conclusions

General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Resolutions

UNHCR and Humanitarian Reform
B. Refugee Protection
B.

Inclusion (article 1A(2))

Inclusion – general

Persecution

Agents of Persecution

Outside country of origin

Persons fleeing armed conflict and other situations of violence

Religious-based refugee claims

Membership of a particular social group

Gender-related persecution

Victims of trafficking

Child asylum claims

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Claims related to military service – Conscientious objection / Draft evasion / Desertion

Internal flight / relocation alternative

Safe countries of origin / Safe third countries / Safe first country of asylum / 'Secondary' or 'onward' movement

Family Unity and Derivative Refugee Status

Claims in the context of climate change and disasters

Political Opinion

Cessation (article 1C)

Article 1D – Palestinian refugees

Exclusion

Article 1E

Article 1F

Cancellation and revocation of refugee status

Regional Refugee Definitions and Complementary forms of protection

Country-related guidance

Country-of-origin information and guidance, standards and procedures

Eligibility guidelines

Protection considerations, non-return advisories and other country-specific guidance

'Country-of-asylum' guidance

Procedures

Procedural safeguards / Due process rights

Credibility assessment / Use of country of origin information / Use of expert advice and evidence / Burden and standard of proof

UNHCR mandate procedures

Prima facie recognition

State Procedures

Effective remedies and access to courts

Reception

Entry (article 31) / Freedom of movement (article 26) / (alternatives to) detention

(-) Expulsion and non-refoulement (articles 32 and 33)

Expulsion (article 32)

Non-refoulement (article 33(1))

Exceptions (article 33(2))

Diplomatic assurances

Extradition

Rights of asylum-seekers and refugees

Employment / Self-reliance (articles 17-19)

Housing, Land and Property (article 21)

Education (article 22)

Social welfare / Public relief (article 23-24)

Health

Other rights / Levels of attachment

Identity papers / Convention Travel Documents (articles 27-28)
C. Asylum and Migration
C.

Asylum – general

Access to territory and procedures

Asylum / Migration nexus

Smuggling / Trafficking

Asylum-seekers at sea / Maritime issues

Persons not in need of international protection / Return of persons who have had their asylum claim rejected / Re-admission agreements

National security / International crimes / Terrorism

Extraterritorial processing
D. Protection in Mass Influx Situations / Emergency Response
D.

Protection in mass influx situations / Emergency response – general

Temporary protection

Civilian character of asylum / Physical security of refugees

Armed conflict / Relations with the military

Camps

Registration
E. International Solidarity / Burden-sharing / Responsibility-sharing / Comprehensive Approach

E.
F. Specific Protection Priorities
F.

Women of Concern

Children of Concern

Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities

National, Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities and Indigenous Peoples

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex persons

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

HIV/AIDS

Age, Gender and Diversity

Protection of Civilians
G. Durable Solutions
G.

Durable Solutions – General (in relation to both refugees and IDPs)

Return, Voluntary Repatriation and Reintegration

Resettlement

Local Integration in the Country of Asylum

Family Reunification
H. Statelessness
H.

International legal instruments relating to nationality and statelessness

UNHCR's statelessness mandate

Guidance on specific aspects of UNHCR's mandate on identification, prevention, and reduction of statelessness and protection of stateless persons

Promotion of accession to the statelessness conventions
I. Internally Displaced Persons
I.

Normative framework on IDPs

Policy guidance regarding IDPs

Operational guidance regarding IDPs
J. Global Protection Cluster
J.

GPC guidance on IDPs

Protection Mainstreaming

Transformative Agenda
K. Displacement related to Climate Change and Disasters

K.
L. Human Rights

L.
M. Other Operational Guidance
M.

Data Protection

Relations with International Criminal Tribunals / ICC

Rule of Law

Partnerships and high-level agreements
N. Miscellaneous

N.

Expulsion and non-refoulement (articles 32 and 33)

Showing 19 results for

Advisory Opinion on the Extraterritorial Application of Non-Refoulement Obligations under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 26 January 2007

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UNHCR Note on Diplomatic Assurances and International Refugee Protection

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: August 2006

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Scope of the National Security Exception Under Article 33(2) of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 6 January 2006

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Summary Conclusions: The Principle of Non-Refoulement

Document source:
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: June 2003

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UNHCR intervention before the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Manickavasagam Suresh (Appellant) and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Attorney General of Canada (Respondents)

On the application of Article 33 of the 1951 Convention and its relationship with Article 3(1) of the Convention against Torture; restriction of Article 33(2) of the 1951 Convention by the prohibition of refoulement to torture in Article 3(1) of the Convention against Torture; the test for applying the "danger to the security of the country" exception in Article 33(2) of the 1951 Convention.

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 8 March 2001

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UNHCR Note on the Principle of Non-Refoulement

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: November 1997

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The Principle of Non-Refoulement as a Norm of Customary International Law. Response to the Questions Posed to UNHCR by the Federal Constitutional Court of the Federal Republic of Germany in Cases 2 BvR 1938/93, 2 BvR 1953/93, 2 BvR 1954/93

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 31 January 1994

UNHCR intervention before the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Gene McNary, Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service, et al. (Petitioners) v. Haitian Centers Council, Inc., et al. (Respondents)

On the interpretation of Articles 33 and 40 and customary law obligation of non-return; scope of principle of non-refoulement; persons intercepted on the high seas; state responsibility for actions taken outside its territory or territorial waters.

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: October 1992

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UNHCR intervention before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in the case of the Haitian Refugee Center, Inc., et aI. v. James Baker, III, Secretary of State, et al.

On international law as part of the law of the United States; treaty interpretation; scope of principle of non-refoulement; persons intercepted on the high seas; state responsibility for actions taken outside its borders.

Document source:
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: 31 December 1991

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