United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is an organization within the United Nations (UN) that deals with the plight of refugees on a global basis. It was set up as a subsidiary organization of the UN General Assembly. In recognition of its humanitarian activities, UNHCR received the Nobel Prize for peace in 1954 and again in 1981.
The overall task of the UNHCR is to give worldwide legal protection to refugees in accordance with the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, an international agreement signed in 1951. This convention came into operation in 1954. In 1967, a protocol (addition) to the convention extended its provisions to include new groups of refugees. By 1998, 136 countries had ratified the convention and its protocol.
The UN's 1967 Declaration on Territorial Asylum sought to increase the effectiveness of international protection for refugees and asylum seekers. It aimed to encourage the passing and enforcement of international laws providing benefits to the refugees and those asking for asylum. These benefits include the right to work, social security payments, and access to travel facilities.
