The UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and Arts (RILA) team has published a statement on the Illegal Migration Act which includes the following:

"The Illegal Migration Act is a new piece of legislation that has been produced by the UK Government with the express intention of undermining the 1951 Refugee Convention. It is a domestic law that conflicts with a greater international law governing refugees. By taking this step to criminalize asylum and render the 1951 Refugee Convention obsolete, after over 70 years and after leading the production of the Convention, the UK is openly spearheading law-breaking violence.

UNCHR and UNHRC issued a joint statement unequivocally condemning the legislation, saying "The Bill extinguishes access to asylum in the UK for anyone who arrives irregularly, having passed through a country—however briefly—where they did not face persecution". UN Refugee Agency and UN Human Rights Office warn of profound impact.

With a founding member state using its legislative powers to undermine an established Convention, UNHCR faces an existential threat. Where the United Kingdom has led, other equally unprincipled regimes may follow. The 1951 Refugee Convention itself is now on life support."

The full UNESCO RILA statement explains more about the context of the legislation and the international and domestic strategies to combat the impact of the Illegal Migration Act.

See more UNESCO RILA team resources and briefings

More information

The UNESCO Chair Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts (RILA) is hosted within the School of Education at the University of Glasgow undertakes a programme of work focused on multilingual knowledge exchange in the area of refugee and humanitarian protection, with a focus on fostering integration through creative and cultural expressions.

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First published: 24 July 2023

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