Addis Ababa University

College of Social Sciences

School of Social Work
Migration, refugees and social work practices
Review of Articles Related to Refugees
Group Assignment

Name ID
Bazezew Eyasu UGR/
Dessie Gebrie UGR/
Ekram Ali UGR/
Eyader Moges UGR/
Farah Ali UGR/
Gebremariam Asnake UGR/ 6558/15
 Introduction
This paper examines information on the backgrounds, objectives, similarities, and
differences between four key international instruments governing refugee protection:
the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol, the Comprehensive Refugee
Response Framework (CRRF), and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). By
analysing these instruments, we aim to highlight the evolution of international refugee
law and policy, emphasizing both the progress made and the challenges that remain in
providing comprehensive and equitable protection for refugees worldwide. The
concluding section offers reflections on the implications of these frameworks for
international cooperation and the future of refugee protection.

Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF)

The Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) was developed as part of

the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (Annex I), which was adopted
at the United Nations General Assembly, meeting at United Nations Headquarters in
New York on 19 September 2016 to address the question of large movements of
refugees and migrants. The CRRF was established to improve the global response to
large-scale refugee situations by promoting more comprehensive, predictable, and
sustainable approaches to supporting refugees and the communities hosting them.
The CRRF focuses on the importance of supporting those countries and communities
that host large number of refugees, promoting the inclusion of refugees in host
communities, ensuring the involvement of development actors from an early stage,
and developing a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to refugee responses by focusing on the
following areas.
Reception and admission; Ensure, to the extent possible, that measures are in place
to identify persons in need of international protection as refugees, provide for
adequate, safe and dignified reception conditions, with a particular emphasis on
persons with specific needs, victims of human trafficking, child protection, family
unity,
Support for immediate and ongoing needs; Provide resources in a prompt,
predictable, consistent and flexible manner, including through wider partnerships
involving State, civil society, faith - based and private sector partners
Support for host countries and communities; Work to provide adequate resources,
without prejudice to official development assistance, for national and local
government authorities and other service providers in view of the increased needs and
pressures on social services. Programmes should benefit refugees and the host country
and communities.
Durable solutions; voluntary repatriation, local solutions and resettlement and
complementary pathways for admission

GLOBAL COMPACT ON REFUGEES

In 2016’s historic New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, all 193 Member
States of the United Nations agreed that protecting those who are forced to flee and
supporting the countries that shelter them are shared international responsibilities that
must be borne more equitably and predictably. The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees was given the task of developing a new global compact
on refugees in consultation with States and other stakeholders, building on the
comprehensive refugee response framework set out in the New York Declaration.
That process comprised a series of thematic discussions in 2017 followed by formal
consultations on successive drafts of the text between February and July 2018. These
were complemented by hundreds of written contributions from United Nations
Member States and other stakeholders. The Global Compact on Refugees was
officially affirmed by the UN General Assembly on 17 December 2018, paving the
way for this new international framework to be implemented and to bring tangible
benefits for refugee and host communities.

Objectives:

1. Ease or reduce pressures on host countries; easing pressure on countries that

welcome and host refugees, responsibility-sharing.

2. Enhance refugee self-reliance; through a ‘whole of society’ approach involving a

wider set of government, development, humanitarian and private sector actors than
has traditionally been the case.

3. Expand access to third country solutions; resettle refugees to third country.

4. Support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity; seek
to solve the root causes in origin countries that forced people to flee.

Similarities

The CRRF and GCR share the above four key objectives.
Both emphasize the need for a more equitable distribution of responsibility for
refugees among states.
Both stress the importance of strengthened cooperation and coordination among
states, international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders in
responding to refugee situations.

Differences
The CRRF is a guide for implementing the GCR's protection measures, while the
GCR is a framework for more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing. The
CRRF envisions a multi-stakeholder approach that includes national and local
authorities, international organizations, and civil society partners.
While both aim to improve responses to refugee situations, the GCR has a broader
scope, explicitly addressing situations of large-scale refugee movements and the
implementation of the GCR is more decentralized.

The 1951 Refugees Convention

Prior to the 1951 Refugee Convention, non-governmental organizations, like the Red
Cross, were the primary actors in refugee response, administering ad hoc emergency
relief. After 1921, the League of Nations established and protected a legal status for
refugees, but limited its scope to specific refugee groups on a case-by-case basis. In
1947 the Commission on Human Rights adopted a Resolution by which it expressed
the wish that 'early consideration be given by the United Nations to the legal status of
persons who do not enjoy the protection of any government, in particular pending the
acquisition of nationality as regards their legal and social protection and their
documentation. Grounded in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of human rights
1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other
countries, the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, adopted
in 1951. The Convention entered into force on 22 April 1954, as a post-Second World
War instrument, was originally limited in scope to persons fleeing events occurring
before 1 January 1951 and within Europe.

Objectives
The 1951 Refugee Convention provides the internationally recognized definition of a
refugee and outlines the legal protection, rights and assistance a refugee is entitled to
receive. It focus on core principles of non-discrimination, non-penalization and non-
refoulement.

1967 PROTOCOL RELATING TO THE STATUS OF REFUGEES

The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951
covers only those persons who have become refugees as a result of events occurring
before 1 January 1951 and only to refugees displaced by events within Europe. After
1951, many new refugee situations arose around the world. These refugees did not fall
within the scope of the Refugee Convention. This protection gap led governments to
create the 1967 Protocol because they considered it ‘desirable that equal status should
be enjoyed by all refugees covered by the definition in the Convention, irrespective of
the dateline of 1 January 1951’ (Protocol Preamble). Article 1 of the Protocol says
that countries that ratify it agree to abide by the Refugee Convention as well – even if
they are not a party to it. For instance, the United States has not ratified the Refugee
Convention but it has ratified the 1967 Protocol. This means that it is bound to apply
the Convention’s provisions, which commit it to treating refugees in accordance with
internationally recognised legal and humanitarian standards.
Objectives
As 1951 refugees convention focus only events prior to 1 January 1951 within
Europe, the main intention of 1967 protocol was to avoid these limitation and give the
convention universal applicability. Otherwise the aim of the protocol is the same as
1951 convention, to provide legal protection, rights and assistance for refugees.
Similarities
Both the Convention and the Protocol use the same core definition of a refugee, based
on a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.
Both instruments outline fundamental rights for refugees, such as the right to non-
refoulement (not being returned to a place where they face danger), freedom from
discrimination, and access to essential services like work permits and education. They
aim to provide a basic standard of protection.

Difference
The 1951 Convention was originally limited in scope to persons fleeing events
occurring before 1 January 1951 and within Europe. The 1967 Protocol removed the
geographical and temporal boundaries of the convention and made it universally
applicable.

Remarks and Conclusion

While the those international instruments on refugees represent significant strides in
establishing a legal and operational framework for refugee protection, it is crucial to
acknowledge that substantial challenges remain. Effective implementation requires
consistent political will, equitable distribution of responsibility among states, and
sufficient resource allocation. The uneven application of the refugee definition, the
persistence of protracted refugee situations, and the ongoing vulnerabilities faced by
many refugees highlight the need for further action. The frameworks must adapt to the
evolving nature of displacement, incorporating innovative approaches to address the
root causes of conflict and forced migration. Only through sustained commitment and
concerted international cooperation can the full potential of these instruments be
realized, ensuring that the rights of refugees are not only enshrined in law but also
effectively protected in practice.

Reference
1. United Nations General Assembly. 1950. Statute of the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 14 December 1950,
A/RES/428(V).
2. Michael A. Peters & Tina Besley, 2015. The Refugee Crisis and The Right to
Political Asylum.
3. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 2009.‘Q&A:
OAU Convention remains a key plank of refugee protection in Africa after 40
years’, Press Release. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/4aa7b80c6.html
(accessed 20 May 2011).
4. Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees. 2008a. Draft Report
on an Appeals Procedure for pre-1991 Rejected Ethiopian Cases, Internal
document.