Glossary
200 REFUGEE
A person who, “owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinions, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country” (Art. 1(A) (2), Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 80 International Migration Law Art. 1A (2), 1951, as modified by the 1967 Protocol). In addition to the refugee definition in the 1951 Refugee Convention, Art. 1(2), 1969, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention defines a refugee as any person compelled to leave his or her country “owing to external aggression, occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order in either part or the whole of his country or origin or nationality”. Similarly, the 1984 Cartagena Declaration states that refugees also include persons who flee their country “because their lives, security or freedom have been threatened by generalized violence, foreign aggression, internal conflicts, massive violations of human rights or other circumstances [that] have seriously disturbed public order”.
REGULAR MIGRATION
Migration that occurs through recognized, authorized channels. See also: Irregular Migration.
REMITTANCES
Monies earned or acquired by non-nationals that are transferred back to their country of origin. More specifically, the International Monetary Fund defines remittances as the sum of compensations of employees and personal transfers from border, seasonal and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by non-resident entities.
RETURN MIGRATION
The movement of a person returning to his/her country of origin or habitual residence, usually after at least one year in another country. The return may or may not be voluntary.
SANCTUARY CITY
The cities that do not use city funding to implement federal immigration laws. These cities have decided by legal regulation (de juris), internal memo or force of habit (de facto) not to enquire about the immigration status of persons with whom they come into contact.
SEASONAL MIGRANT WORKER/MIGRATION
A migrant worker whose work, or migration for work that, by its character is dependent on seasonal conditions and is performed only during part of the year (Art. 2(2) (b), International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 1990).