Questions
Questions
Gap Minder
Gap Minder
Country of Origin
Country of Origin
Country of Asylum
Country of Asylum

question

Q. What is the difference between "refugees" and "migrants"?

Migrants leave voluntarily, seeking a better quality of life. They can return to their country of origin without risks and have the protection of their own state. They do not have specific international protection; instead, they depend on the laws and internal processes of their country and are entitled to general human rights protection, regardless of immigration status.


There are situations where migrants and refugees face similar risks. These situations include:


  • Exploitation or abuse by smugglers/traffickers or unscrupulous employers.
  • Risk of harm due to personal circumstances. This category can include unaccompanied or separated children, women at risk, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities or medical needs, and survivors of torture or trauma.


While refugees and migrants travel in similar conditions and along the same routes, refugees have an additional vulnerability that migrants do not share. This vulnerability is the well-founded fear of persecution that drives them to cross an international border and seek international protection. They are unable to return to the country they have fled. This is why the international community recognizes the additional duties that host governments owe to refugees, as enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol, regional instruments, and the corresponding rules of customary international law.

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    Interpreting the Population Trends

    Legal categorization can often mask the complexity and nuance of real-life situations and experiences with systemic practices that lead to exclusions or misrepresentations within UNHCR's quantified data.


    Questions:

    1. What methodological challenges exist in the UNHCR's data collection and categorisation process that might lead to the under-representation or exclusion of certain groups from the refugee categorisation?
    2. Are there mechanisms in place to document and respond to situations where individuals' rights are violated in the process of legal categorisation?
    3. How do UNHCR's own policies or practices potentially contribute to exclusion or under-representation of certain groups?
    4. How do governments concerns influence UNHCR's categorisation and reporting processes?
    5. How does UNHCR account for intersectional factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, and nationality in its refugee categorisation and reporting? Are there ways that these intersectional factors can lead to exclusion or misrepresentation in the data?
    6. What are the consequences for individuals or groups who are incorrectly categorised or excluded from the refugee categorisation altogether, and how are these instances addressed?
    7. How transparent is UNHCR about its data collection, verification, and categorisation processes? What mechanisms exist for accountability when rights violations or omissions occur?