Refugee Convention remains 'lifeline' 75 years after adoption, says UN

The 1951 Refugee Convention remains a "lifeline" for millions of people forced to flee persecution, conflict and violence, the UN refugee agency said on Friday, marking the treaty's 75th anniversary.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, UNHCR's Director of International Protection and Solutions Elizabeth Tan said the convention remains the cornerstone of the international refugee protection system despite growing pressure on asylum systems worldwide.

"A total of 149 States are parties to the Convention, its 1967 Protocol, or both," she said, adding that the treaty's core principle of non-refoulement prohibits returning people to places where they face persecution, torture or other serious harm.

Responding to the argument that the convention is no longer suited to today’s globalized world of mixed movements and overstretched asylum systems, Tan said: "We disagree."

The convention remains relevant to today's challenges, providing the legal framework to distinguish refugees from other migrants while ensuring those in need receive protection, according to her.

"In a world experiencing record levels of crisis and instability – with more than 130 armed conflicts recorded worldwide in 2025, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross – some 41.6 million refugees remained uprooted," she said.

"Even amid increasingly polarized debate, public support for asylum remains strong, with around two-thirds of people surveyed this year by Ipsos across 29 countries supporting the right of those fleeing war or persecution to seek refuge."

She expressed concern over practices that restrict access to asylum, including pushbacks and forced returns, and warned that funding shortages are undermining refugee assistance.

With UNHCR funded at only 31% as of the end of June, essential services for displaced people are being constrained, she said, calling for renewed international support for asylum and refugee-hosting communities.

"Seventy-five years on, the Convention is a test of our collective resolve today to protect those forced to flee and to keep asylum available for those who need it," Tan concluded.