Uncertain Refuge

Protection of refugees and asylum seekers around the world has deteriorated over the past couple of decades. Countries that have traditionally championed therights of refugees are turning them away or passing legislation aimed at significantly curtailing their ability to exercise their fundamental right to apply for asylum.Elsewhere, externally displaced persons harbored in receiving countries under temporary protection are in danger of being returned to areas where the politicalsituation remains far from stable, putting the safety of the prospective returnees at risk. At the same time, States around the world are hampering the ability of theOffice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to carry out its activities on behalf of refugees and other displaced persons by, among other things,blocking UNHCR access to refugee camps and returnees.