A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee conflict, violence, and persecution, crossing an international border to seek safety and refuge. Many refugees had to flee with little more than clothes on their back, leaving behind their homes, possessions, jobs and loved ones. They may have suffered human rights violations, been injured in their flight, or seen family members or friends killed or attacked. Upon reaching a safe location, they are frequently traumatized, hungry, exhausted, and in need of warmth and shelter. Learn more in our video. 

Under its 1951 mandate, UNHCR ensures the protection of refugees' rights under international law and collaborates with governments and partners to find long-term solutions for refugees to build better lives and secure safe homes. UNHCR's assistance begins with establishing refugee camps and providing urgent humanitarian aid. It also helps host countries ensure that refugees have access to essential services such as food, education, shelter, and healthcare, while also enhancing economic opportunities. In the long term, UNHCR supports refugees in voluntarily returning to their home countries through integration, transportation, and resettlement. 

Similar to refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or disasters. However, unlike refugees, IDPs remain within the borders of their own country. This can happen for several reasons: some lack the means or physical strength to travel to other countries, others are trapped in dangerous areas due to ongoing conflict, and some prefer to stay close to their homes and families. When IDPs eventually find a place of refuge, there is no guarantee of adequate shelter, food, clean water, healthcare, or job opportunities. This makes IDPs the largest group affected by forced displacement and among the most vulnerable people in the world. 

Unlike refugees, who are entitled to certain rights and protections under international law when entering a host country, IDPs rely on their national governments for protection. However, some governments may be unwilling or unable to provide such protection. Additionally, a large influx of IDPs can overwhelm services and make it difficult to find work, leaving many IDPs without the resources and income needed to support themselves and their families. Learn more in our video. 

Since the 1970s, UNHCR has been supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) by providing lifesaving assistance to ensure their safety and help them find refuge. UNHCR leverages its extensive expertise in shelter and camp management to address immediate protection needs, including preventing sexual exploitation, gender-based violence, and ensuring child protection. Throughout these efforts, UNHCR remains committed to safeguarding the rights of IDPs. 

Comparably to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers are individuals who have fled their homes, but their status has not yet been determined: 

Upon entering a host country, asylum seekers engage with national asylum systems, which are responsible for assessing and approving their applications for refugee status and providing them with international protection. Learn more in our video. 

The UNHCR works to protect asylum seekers by ensuring their safety upon arrival in a host country and advocating for their rights to have their refugee status claims evaluated fairly and efficiently. During this process, UNHCR supports their access to essential needs such as shelter, healthcare, and education. Additionally, UNHCR collaborates with governments to keep borders open and prevent asylum seekers from being returned to unsafe territories. 

The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons defines a stateless person as:  

Stateless individuals are not recognized as citizens by any country, meaning they lack nationality. Consequently, they often face significant barriers such as being unable to attend school, find employment, marry, or access healthcare. Without necessary documents, they also cannot open a bank account, leading many stateless people to live in poverty. Learn more in our video. 

The UNHCR is committed to eradicating statelessness. It assists stateless individuals in obtaining nationality and strives to prevent new cases from arising. This effort involves partnering with governments to reform nationality laws and procedures. Since statelessness is often a result of human actions, it can be avoided by eliminating all forms of discrimination, ensuring the registration of every birth, and providing nationality identification documents to those who can prove their nationality. These are all crucial aspects of the UNHCR's work to prevent statelessness. 

When it is safe, UNHCR assists refugees in voluntarily returning home. UNHCR provides transportation and ensures their safe return, free from persecution, armed attacks, and landmines. It is important to note that refugees will never be forced to return to their country of origin, and UNHCR will protect them whether they hold refugee or returnee status. 

UNHCR's work extends beyond the initial return. We continue to support refugees in rebuilding their lives, many of whom have been displaced for years or even decades. We facilitate peace and reconciliation programs and collaborate with governments to build or repair schools, water systems, and health clinics. Additionally, we assist returnees in accessing housing, employment, and the same legal and civil-political rights as their fellow nationals. Over the years, UNHCR's voluntary repatriation programs have helped millions of people return home, and we will continue this important work for years to come. 

A migrant is someone who is moving from place to place (within his or her country or across borders), and who is not forced to leave their country because of persecution or violence.

The biggest difference between migrants and refugees lies in their implications for the state. Refugees cross international borders to escape conflict and persecution and cannot return to their country without risking their lives. As a result, refugees are protected by international law under the UNHCR's mandate. 
  
Migrants, on the other hand, do not have an internal legal definition. Unlike refugees, migrants may choose to leave their countries for reasons unrelated to conflict, violence, or persecution, often seeking better economic or educational opportunities. Migrants can return home voluntarily without endangering their freedom or lives. However, both groups are protected under human rights conventions.