Why in the news?

• UNHCR, the refugee agency of the United Nations, has temporarily suspended the process of facilitating the repatriation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees apprehending arrest upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• Formation: Established in 1950 by the UN General Assembly in the aftermath of World War II.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Mandate and Functions:
  • Protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN.
  • Assist in voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement to a third country.
  • Extend protection to: Refugees, Asylum seekers, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) (in some cases), Stateless persons.
  • Coordinates international action to safeguard rights and ensure dignified treatment of displaced populations.
• Status of India: India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol.