Over 120 million people are actively fleeing conflict and violence worldwide today. The Refugee Convention turns 75 this year. But advocates warn these asylum protections face severe political strain. Yusra Mardini crossed the Aegean Sea ten years ago to escape war in Syria. Now, she’s joining a coalition of 75 global voices to demand member states uphold the 1951 treaty they originally signed up for.
A UNHCR-backed initiative challenges politicians. Many leaders increasingly frame asylum seekers as security threats rather than individuals with professions and ambitions. Civil society organizations point out a structural failure. Deterrence policies, externalization, and funding cuts make asylum practically inaccessible today.
The Promise of Protection
“Protection is not only about surviving the journey. It is about giving people the opportunity to rebuild their lives afterwards,” Mardini stated in a Tuesday editorial. Her education stopped when war took her home. Daily life was quickly replaced with fear and uncertainty.
And protection isn’t just a theoretical concept. The treaty enabled Mardini to rebuild her life in Germany. She eventually competed at two Olympic Games and became a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. UNHCR High Commissioner Barham Salih stated the convention goes to the core of shared humanity. His comments directly preceded the launch of ‘The Promise’ campaign to renew international commitments.
Historical Failures and the 1951 Treaty
Delegates signed the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in Geneva on July 28, 1951. The agreement emerged directly from the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust. It established the strict principle of non-refoulement—a rule that explicitly prohibits governments from forcibly returning individuals to countries where they face persecution.
The 1939 tragedy of the MS St. Louis symbolizes historical failures to protect vulnerable groups. It carried over 900 Jewish refugees who were fleeing Nazi persecution. Authorities in the United States, Cuba, and Canada denied them entry. So the vessel returned to Europe, where many passengers later perished in the Holocaust.
The international community built a framework to prevent a repeat of that tragedy. Currently, 149 countries honor the Convention. The United States didn’t bind itself to the core obligations until acceding to the 1967 Refugee Protocol in 1968. Congress later passed the Refugee Act of 1980 to align domestic immigration rules with the international standard.
A global coalition of refugee-led and faith-based organizations issued a public call today condemning the subversion of the rule of law. They warn that dehumanizing narratives and containment policies threaten to dismantle the exact protections the world promised 75 years ago.