What is a refugee?

The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone outside their country of nationality who has a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. By the end of 2023, there were over 110 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including about 37 million refugees, according to UNHCR. The difference between a refugee and an asylum seeker is that an asylum seeker has applied for protection but has not yet received a decision. Refugees have internationally recognised rights, including the right not to be sent back to a country where they face danger (non-refoulement).