Filippo Grandi: Refugee Convention must be defended or millions will suffer

On the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, argues it is more important than ever

Migrants from Cameroon rest at the refugee camp in the village of Vydeniai, Lithuania, on July 10, 2021. European Union member Lithuania has declared a state of emergency due to an influx of migrants from neighboring Belarus. Lithuania's interior minister said that the decision, proposed by the State Border Guard Service, was necessary not because of increased threats to the country of 2.8 million but to put a more robust system in place to handle migrants. Photo: AP/Mindaugas Kulbis

The 1951 Refugee Convention , the bedrock of international protection for people forced to flee their homes, has saved countless lives. 

Today, on its 70th anniversary, its critics claim it is the outdated product of another era. But if it is not defended and honoured, millions will pay the price.