Why in News?

UNHCR has temporarily suspended the voluntary repatriation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from India due to the arrests of returnees in Sri Lanka. 

Key Points 

• About: 
  • Established: 1950 by UN General Assembly. 
  • HQ: Geneva (Switzerland), operates in 137 countries. 
  • Mandate: Protection, aid, and durable solutions (asylum, repatriation, integration, resettlement). 
• Legal Framework (1951 Refugee Convention & 1967 Protocol): 
  • Defines refugee status. 
  • Enforces non-refoulement (no return to danger). 
  • Provides rights: housing, education, work, legal protection. 
  • Excludes those guilty of war crimes/serious crimes. 
• India's Position: 
  • Not a signatory to the 1951 Convention or 1967 Protocol. 
  • Refugees managed under general immigration laws. 
  • Hosts major refugee groups: Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetans, Afghans, Rohingyas. 
  • Works with UNHCR on humanitarian grounds