Forced refugees, voluntary refugees and internally displaced persons are terms often used everyday. While experts are familiar with their definitions, characteristics and specific features, they remain unclear to many people. This fact sheet aims to clarify these concepts to improve understanding.
Refugees
Who is a refugee? This question urges to explore the definition from various angles. The basic and universal definition of a refugee, valid for all states, can be found in Article 1(A)(2) of the 1951 Convention, as amended by the 1967 Protocol. This article describes a refugee as follows:
‘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 or her nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or who, being stateless and outside the country of his or her former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it’, according to the UNHCR.
In Africa, the Organisation of African Unity (OUA) (now the AU, African Union) extended this definition in the 1969 Convention to include “any person who, as a result of aggression, external occupation, foreign domination, or events seriously disturbing public order in their country of origin or nationality, is forced to leave their habitual residence to seek refuge elsewhere” (Article 1.2 of the OAU Convention).
Forced refugees
The concept of ‘forced refugees’ aligns closely with universal and African definitions. According to Wikipedia, it refers to individuals who are forced to leave their country due to persecution, violence, armed conflict, or serious human rights violations, and who do not make this choice voluntarily. They cross international borders to seek protection in another country and are unable or unwilling to return for fear of their lives or freedom.
According to the United Nations Organisation (UN), forced refugees enjoy special rights and protections under international law, such as non-refoulement and access to asylum. The same reference notes that this recognised status ensures dedicated legal and social protection in the host country.
Wikipedia states that this is involuntary displacement, with flight resulting from necessity in the face of serious threats rather than free choice.
Voluntary refugees
Unlike “refugee”, which is defined in the 1951 Convention, “voluntary refugee” is not an official legal category in international law. Nevertheless, Sage Journals uses the term in operational or humanitarian contexts to describe people who leave their country of their own accord due to economic or family factors, or in search of better prospects. This occurs without any immediate threat to their life or safety, although their situations sometimes resemble those of forced refugees. However, it should be distinguished from voluntary migration that is not imposed by direct persecution.
Sage Journals emphasises the voluntary nature of migration, whereby people move to improve their lives or for personal or socio-economic reasons. This concept overlaps with that of economic migrants or mixed migration, who do not obtain refugee status or international protection for forcibly displaced persons. Often, these voluntary migrants are legally classified as economic migrants, rather than refugees.
However, the University of Manchester points out that the distinction between voluntary and forced migration is not clear-cut, as indirect pressures (economic, climatic or social) can sometimes make the choice less than entirely free.
Regardless of classification, one key element remains: they have crossed an international border, moving from their country of origin to a host country.
Internally displaced persons
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) defines an internally displaced person (IDP) as someone who has been forced to flee their home due to conflict, violence, human rights violations or natural/man-made disasters, but who has not crossed an international border. The UNHCR distinguishes between refugees and IDPs: the latter are forced to flee (i.e. they experience involuntary displacement), but they remain in their own country and under their own government’s jurisdiction. IDPs are covered by the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, humanitarian law and human rights.
A comparative summary of the three concepts
| Concept | Basis for displacement | Border | Legal Status | Protection |
| Forced refugees | Involuntary (due to crime, persecution, etc.) | Yes | Refugee status | International law (1951 Convention) |
| Voluntary Refugees | Voluntary (economic, social) | Yes | No refugee status, by choice | Migrant protection |
| Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) | Forced (due to violence or disaster) | No | No refugee status | Protected on the basis of nationality and guiding principles |
Source: Table created based on information provided in the above fact sheet