Some of the Major International Instruments which affect refugee and human rights policy:

• UNHCR’s Statute of 14 December 1950
• The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951
• The Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees of 31 January 1967
• Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons 28 September 1954
• Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness 30 August 1961
• Agreement relating to Refugee Seamen 23 November 1957
• United Nations Declaration on Territorial Asylum 14 December 1967
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights 10 December 1948
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 16 December 1966
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 16 December 1966
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 21 December 1965
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 10 December 1984
• Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 9 December 1948
• Convention on the Political Rights of Women 20 December 1952
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 18 December 1979
• Convention on the Rights of the Child 20 November 1989
• The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 26 November 1987
• The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 4 November 1950
• Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, OAU Convention, 10 September 1969.
• Cartagena Declaration on Refugees 22 November 1984
• The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, the UN Commission on Human Rights Resolution 17 April 1998