Refugees, UNHCR and Human Rights: Current Dilemmas of Conflicting Mandates

Abstract

There continues to be an increase in concern for human rights in different areas, and refugees are no exception. Specifi-cally, UNHCR has become more concerned with human rights issues. This article reviews the standard phrases used to indicate the relationship between human rights and refugees before examining the specificity of refugees in terms of human rights. The point of view taken is that the specificity of the refugee situation is different from normal human rights concerns, arid the conclusion is that including refugees vnthin ahuman rights framework may actually weaken refugee protection. That is, we propose that although human rights in and of themselves cannotbeargued against, the inclusion of refugees within a human rights rigime may actually weaken the lands of protection necessary for refugees and their particular situation. UNHCR would do well to focus on its limited mandate rather than including refugees ■within the human rights rigime.