Abstract

For several decades, thousands of refugees have been fleeing into Kenya, and now Kenya is host to the world's largest refugee settlement. The mass influx of refugees and their protracted situation in Kenya gives evidence that there is a crisis within international refugee law. Refugees are a group of people that have been given a distinct rights regime, and their right to freedom of movement has been inhibited due to state practices. This is proof that the international refugee protection regime is at risk of breaking down. It is creating an environment in which states are resorting to harmful policies of containment and restrictions on movement. This is leading to the development of warehousing refugees which is considered a possible new solution to protracted refugee situations. This policy of containment is not a solution to the refugee â problem,â and the reality that it is considered a fourth solution among the three durable solutions raises concern. Warehousing is a consequence of the shortcomings of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and subsequent 1967 Protocol which were not designed to respond to current protracted refugee situations. Regardless of the legality of warehousing under the refugee rights regime, it is a violation of the human right to freedom of movement. The lack of application of human rights law to refugees symbolizes the harmful gap that exists between these two international law regimes.

Department

Law Department

Degree Name

MA in International Human Rights Law

Graduation Date

6-1-2011

Submission Date

May 2011

First Advisor

Escorihuela, Alejandro Lorite

Extent

NA

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Refugees -- Kenya.

Library of Congress Subject Heading 2

Refugees -- Civil rights -- Kenya.

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

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