Protecting Refugees and Migrants Rights in Central Africa: The Role of International Organisations

Abstract

The Protection of refugees is an important component in enhancing the proper implementation of International Law as far as movements into countries are concerned. The increased number of refugees in the world thus calls for the international community and those of the CEMAC sub-region to offer protection of refugees for those entering its territory through its various legal dispositions. This paper has been written to analyse the importance of providing protection to refugees by international human right law in member states of the CEMAC region particularly those of Cameroon, Chad, and Gabon. Although the protection of such persons is well known and documented in international, regional and national legal instruments, the degree of protection accorded to these persons is still problematic. The purpose of this article is to show the extent international law and those of the sub-region of the CEMAC has provided protection to asylum seekers and refugees in relation to its principal actor such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, host Nations, Non- Governmental Organisation, volunteers and other humanitarian agencies. The research thus presents the various huddles and/or difficulties facing the international bodies charged with protecting refugee and migrants. The UNHCR and other leading international bodies in this area, has done a lot in ameliorating the conditions of refugees and seekers in the sub-region even though much still needs to be done cause refugees continue to experience aspects of violence, discrimination, and expulsion regardless of the status they occupy.