Standards of Treatment of Refugees: The Case Study of Kenya

Abstract

Articles 12 - 30 of the 1951 Refugee Convention set out the rights and standards of treatment entitled to refugees once they have been recognized as in the countries of asylum. All refugees must be granted identity papers and travel documents that allow them to travel outside the country. Refugees must receive the same treatment as nationals of the receiving country with regard to the following rights: Free exercise of religion and religious education; Free access to the courts, including legal assistance; Access to elementary education; Access to public relief and assistance; Protection provided by social security; Protection of intellectual property, such as inventions and trade names; Protection of literary, artistic and scientific work ;and equal treatment by taxing authorities. Refugees must receive the most favourable treatment provided to nationals of a foreign country with regard to the following rights: The right to belong to trade unions; The right to belong to other non-political nonprofit organizations; and the right to engage in wage-earning employment. Refugees are accorded the most favourable- treatment possible, which must be at least as favourable to that accorded aliens generally in the same circumstances, with regard to the following rights: The right to own property; the right to practice a profession; the right to self-employment, Access to housing and Access to higher education. Refugees must receive the same treatment as that accorded to aliens generally with regard to the following rights: The right to choose their place of residence; The right to move freely within the country; Free exercise of religion and religious education, Free , access to the courts, including legal assistance; Access to elementary education; Access to

public relief and assistance; Protection provided by social security'; Protection office

intellectual property, such as inventions and trade names; Protection of literary, artistic and scientific work ;and equal treatment by taxing authorities