Definitions:

Asylum Seeker
An asylum-seeker is an individual who is seeking international protection whether as on
individual or on a group basis. In countries with individualized procedures, an asylum-seeker is
someone whose claim has not yet been finally decided on by the country in which he or she has
submitted it. Not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee, but every
refugee is initially an asylum-seeker.

Refugee
A refugee is any person who is outside his or her country of origin or habitual residence and is
unable or unwilling to return there owing to:

(a) A well-founded fear of persecution for one of the reasons set out in the 1951 Convention;
(Race, Nationality, Religion, Membership of a particular social group or political opinion)

(b) Serious and indiscriminate threats to life, physical integrity or freedom resulting from
generalized violence or events seriously disturbing public order.

Internally Displaced Persons

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are people who have been forced to flee their homes as a
result of armed conflict, internal strife, systematic violations of human rights or as a result of
natural or manmade disasters and who are within the territory of their own country. UNHCR is
only involved with IDPs under certain conditions.

Returnee
Returnees are former refugees who return to their country or area of origin, whether
spontaneously or in an organized manner. It is crucial that they return voluntarily in safety and
dignity to at least minimum conditions of physical, legal and material safety.

Stateless persons
Stateless persons are men, women and children who are not considered to be nationals by any
State. As such, they are without any effective national protection and may face discrimination
when it comes to accessing rights generally available to nationals.