The Convention clearly spells out who is a refugee and the kind of legal protection, other assistance and social rights he or she should receive from states parties to the document.

A refugee is a person who, "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such a fear, is unwilling to, avail themselves of the protection of that country..." (The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees).