The rights of resettled refugees in the UK: lessons for 'new' resettlement states and rights based advocacy for refugees

Abstract

Despite lengthy engagement with the international refugee regime, the UK has only recently begun an organised refugee resettlement program. This is smallest in magnitude of the five states compared here. Whether the UK fulfils its obligations towards those it resettles depends on the under-explored meaning of the term 'resettled refugee' - specifically for accompanying or subsequently arriving dependents of a refugee. The UK's performance varies across categories of resettled refugees and across different socio-economic rights. While many assume that the most important refugee rights are found in the Refugee Convention, other sources of human rights are at least as (and often more) important to resettled refugees. Domestic legal frameworks providing for rights largely directed at UK nationals have also benefited resettled refugees. The UK's inchoate response to the resettlement of Syrian refugees is used as a case study, evidencing key features and limitations of existing policy and possible future developments.