Cartagena Declaration on Refugees

The extended refugee definitions of the OAS Convention and the Cartagena Declaration have brought international protection to a large number of people who may not be covered by the 1951 Convention but who are forced to move for a complex range of reasons including persecution, widespread human rights abuses, armed conflict and generalised violence. The extended definitions have particular importance in situations of massive influx where it is generally impractical to examine individual claims for refugee status. The extended refugee definitions of the OAS Convention and the Cartagena Declaration have brought international protection to a large number of people who may not be covered by the 1951 Convention but who are forced to move for a complex range of reasons including persecution, widespread human rights abuses, armed conflict and generalised violence.

While the definitions contained in these regional instruments are not binding, they highlight important aspects of the refugee problem and the reality of refugee crises which are confronting the international community.

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The Rights of Refugees and Displaced Persons

Photo: Mayan refugees from Guatemala in refugees camps in Mexico having escaped brutal army repression in Guatemala. (Source: Exile Images, © Howard Davies - EXILE IMAGES 2001)