Who we protect
Who we protect
We are there for refugees, asylum-seekers, people displaced within their own country and stateless persons.
UNHCR supports Central Asian governments to protect people forced to flee and those without any nationality, ensuring they can exercise their basic human rights and supporting them to build better futures.
See who UNHCR protects in Central Asia:
People forced to flee
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Asylum-Seekers
An asylum-seeker is someone who is seeking protection in another country, but their request for sanctuary has not yet been concluded.
Being able to seek safety in another country, when in fear for your life, is a human right – everyone should be allowed to enter another country to seek asylum.
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Refugees
A refugee is someone who has fled conflict or persecution, crossed an international border to find safety, and has had their request for sanctuary processed.
Not everyone who seeks safety in another country is a refugee. Someone who has committed a crime against humanity or serious non-political crime, for example, does not qualify for refugee status.
Refugees are also distinct from ‘migrants’ who are people who choose to leave and can return to their countries.
Many refugees in Central Asia have been living in the countries for years, or even decades. They often speak local languages, have family ties with citizens, and are culturally integrated.
People without a nationality
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Stateless Persons
A “stateless person” is a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law.
Without a nationality, stateless people often have difficulty accessing basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. They are unable to register marriage, or even the birth of their children.
A majority of stateless people in Central Asia are ex-citizens of the former Soviet Union, or their descendants, who have not yet acquired or confirmed citizenship of the independent States.