Territorial protection: cessation of refugee status and internal flight alternative compared

The meaning of ‘protection’ for the purpose of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees1 (the ‘Refugee Convention’) has changed over the decades since the Convention was signed. Many States utilize the concept of a ‘third safe country’, ‘safe country of origin’ and ‘internal flight alternative’2 to return refugees to a ‘safe’ country or part of a country. In recent years, some States have also begun to grant time-limited visas to recognized refugees and, as part of this, have utilized the ‘changed circumstances’ cessation provisions under Article 1C(5) to return recognized refugees to countries where protection against persecution is now being provided in the country of origin.3