Migrant , Refugee and Asylum Seeker

In the ongoing migration crisis of middle east countries towards European and other neighbouring  countries , the words migrant, refugee and asylum seeker have been used very frequently in news .

There are, however, vast differences in their meanings – which not only carry different implications for data and research, but also legal obligations.

Substituting one word for another can conflate issues of migration, race and asylum with dire consequences.

We have  to understand these terms in order to digest Current News with proper understanding .

Migrant

The term "migrant" is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "one who moves, either temporarily or permanently, from one place, area or country of residence to another".

There are various reasons for migration, such as those who move to work or seek a better life – generally termed "economic migrants" – and people who move for family reasons or to study.

People also migrate to flee conflict or persecution, which is where the definition converges with the term "refugee".


The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that in 2013, 232 million people – about 3.2% of the global population – lived outside their country of origin.

Refugee

A refugee is defined as a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.

The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is the key legal document in defining who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligations of states.

The Convention describes a refugee as: "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 his nationality and is unstable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it."

More people than at any other time in history have been forced to flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere due to wars, conflict and persecution, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

The number of people forcibly displaced at the end of 2014 reached 59.5 million compared to 37.5 million a decade ago, abetted by the eruption or reigniting of conflicts in North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

One of the most visible consequences of the world's conflicts and their consequences is the dramatic growth in refugees seeking safety through dangerous sea journeys. More than 2,000 people are believed to have died trying to cross the Mediterranean so far  in 2015.

Asylum seeker

An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for asylum and is waiting for a decision on their claim. 

An asylum seeker is a person who fled from their country (endangered) but is not accepted yet as a refugee. Refugees and asylum seekers are different. The decision whether a person is a refugee or not is most often left to certain government agencies with the host country.

For Example , Edward snowden a former american computer software professional got assylum in russia when victimised by US Government  unsealed charges against Snowden of two counts of violating the Espionage Act and theft of government property