Geography semester essay: The UN Refugee Agency was established in 1950.

Explain why the number of refugees has actually increased since 1950. Illustrate your answer with special reference to two or three specific areas. Introduction and Definition:

Throughout the history human beings has been moving across borders. People who migrated to other countries were classified as, economic migrants, voluntarily abandoning their homes to earn better fortune, and as political refugees who has been forced to leave for their either political opinion or various other reasons. According to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is someone who has fled his or her place of habitual residence, for fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. (http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/refugees). This will illustrate

The concept of a refugee was expanded by the Convention's 1967 Protocol and by regional conventions in Africa and Latin America to include persons who had fled war or other violence in their home country. Refugee women and children represent an additional subsection of refugees that need special attention.