29 July 2011
UNHCR Marks 60th Anniversary of Refugee Convention
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As the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees celebrates its 60th anniversary, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres stressed that extreme poverty and climate change are the new causes of forced displacement.

A ministerial meeting of States parties to the Refugee Convention in December 2011 will provide an opportunity to discuss protection gaps in the fast-changing environment of forced displacement.

28 July 2011: In his statement delivered on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres underlined that the causes of forced displacement are multiplying, noting that extreme poverty and the impact of climate change add to the traditional causes of displacement.

The UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, adopted on 28 July 1951, defines who qualifies as a refugee as well as the rights and obligations between refugees and host countries. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is expected to convene a ministerial meeting of States parties to the Refugee Convention in December 2011. The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss protection gaps in the fast-changing environment of forced displacement. [UNHCR Press Release]