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Convention relating to the Status
of Refugees
Adopted
on 28 July 1951 by the United Nations Conference of
Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless
Persons convened under General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14
December 1950
entry
into force
22 April 1954, in accordance with article 43
Preamble
The High Contracting Parties,
Considering that the Charter of the United Nations and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights approved on 10 December
1948 by the General Assembly have affirmed the principle that
human beings shall enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms without
discrimination,
Considering that the United Nations has, on various occasions,
manifested its profound concern for refugees and endeavoured to
assure refugees the widest possible exercise of these
fundamental rights and freedoms,
Considering that it is desirable to revise and consolidate
previous international agreements relating to the status of
refugees and to extend the scope of and the protection accorded
by such instruments by means of a new agreement,
Considering that the grant of asylum may place unduly heavy
burdens on certain countries, and that a satisfactory solution
of a problem of which the United Nations has recognized the
international- scope and nature cannot therefore be achieved
without international co-operation,
Expressing the wish that all States, recognizing the social and
humanitarian nature of the problem of refugees, will do
everything within their power to prevent this problem from
becoming a cause of tension between States,
Noting that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is
charged with the task of supervising international conventions
providing for the protection of refugees, and recognizing that
the effective co-ordination of measures taken to deal with this
problem will depend upon the co-operation of States with the
High Commissioner,
Have agreed as follows:
CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. Definition of the term "refugee"
A.
For the purposes of the present Convention, the term "refugee,,
shall apply to any person who:
(1)
Has been considered a refugee under the Arrangements of 12
May 1926 and 30 June 1928 or under the Conventions of 28 October
1933 and 10 February 1938, the Protocol of 14 September 1939 or
the Constitution of the International Refugee Organization;
Decisions of non-eligibility taken by the International
Refugee Organization during the period of its activities shall
not prevent the status of refugee being accorded to persons who
fulfil the conditions of paragraph 2 of this section;
(2)
As a result of events occurring before 1 January 1951 and
owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of
race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social
group or political opinion, 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; or who, not
having a nationality and being outside the country of his former
habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or,
owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
In the case of a person who has more than one
nationality, the term "the country of his nationality" shall
mean each of the countries of which he is a national, and a
person shall not be deemed to be lacking the protection of the
country of his nationality if, without any valid reason based on
well-founded fear, he has not availed himself of the protection
of one of the countries of which he is a national.
B.
(1) For the purposes of this Convention, the words "events
occurring before I January 1951" in article 1, section A, shall
be understood to mean either (a) "events occurring in Europe
before I January 1951"; or (b) "events occurring in Europe or
elsewhere before I January 1951"; and each Contracting State
shall make a declaration at the time of signature, ratification
or accession, specifying which of these meanings it applies for
the purpose of its obligations under this Convention.
(2)
Any Contracting State which has adopted alternative,
(a) may at any time extend its obligations by adopting
alternative
(b) by means of a notification addressed to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations.
C.
This
Convention shall cease to apply to any person falling under the
terms of section A if:
(1)
He has voluntarily re-availed himself of the protection of the
country of his nationality; or
(2)
Having lost his nationality, he has voluntarily reacquired it;
or
(3)
He has acquired a new nationality, and enjoys the protection of
the country of his new nationality; or
(4)
He has voluntarily re-established himself in the country which
he left or outside which he remained owing to fear of
persecution; or
(5)
He can no longer, because the circumstances in connection with
which he has been recognized as a refugee have ceased to exist,
continue to refuse to avail himself of the protection of the
country of his nationality;
Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to a
refugee falling under section A (I) of this article who is able
to invoke compelling reasons arising out of previous persecution
for refusing to avail himself of the protection of the country
of nationality;
(6)
Being a person who has no nationality he is, because the
circumstances in connection with which he has been recognized as
a refugee have ceased to exist, able to return to the country of
his former habitual residence;
Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to a
refugee falling under section A (I) of this article who is able
to invoke compelling reasons arising out of previous persecution
for refusing to return to the country of his former habitual
residence.
D.
This Convention shall not apply to persons who are at present
receiving from organs or agencies of the United Nations other
than the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
protection or assistance.
When such protection or assistance has ceased for any
reason, without the position of such persons being definitively
settled in accordance with the relevant resolutions adopted by
the General Assembly of the United Nations, these persons shall
ipso facto be entitled to the benefits of this Convention.
E. This Convention shall not apply to a person who is
recognized by the competent authorities of the country in which
he has taken residence as having the rights and obligations
which are attached to the possession of the nationality of that
country.
F.
The provisions of this Convention shall not apply to any
person with respect to whom there are serious reasons for
considering that.
(a)
He has committed a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime
against humanity, as defined in the international instruments
drawn up to make provision in respect of such crimes;
(b)
He has committed a serious non-political crime outside the
country of refuge prior to his admission to that country as a
refugee;
(c)
He has been guilty of acts contrary to the purposes and
principles of the United Nations.
Article 2. General obligations
Every refugee has duties to the country in which he
finds himself, which require in particular that he conform to
its laws and regulations as well as to measures taken for the
maintenance of public order.
Article 3. Non-discrimination
The Contracting States shall apply the provisions of
this Convention to refugees without discrimination as to race,
religion or country of origin.
Article 4. Religion
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees within
their territories treatment at least as favourable as that
accorded to their nationals with respect to freedom to practise
their religion and freedom as regards the religious education of
their children.
Article 5. Rights granted apart from this Convention
Nothing in this Convention shall be deemed to impair
any rights and benefits granted by a Contracting State to
refugees apart from this Convention.
Article 6. The term "in the same circumstances"
For the purposes of this Convention, the term "in the
same circumstances,, implies that any requirements (including
requirements as to length and conditions of sojourn or
residence) which the particular individual would have to fulfil
for the enjoyment of the right in question, if he were not a
refugee, must be fulfilled by him, with the exception of
requirements which by their nature a refugee is incapable of
fulfilling.
Article 7. Exemption from reciprocity
1.
Except where this Convention contains more favourable
provisions, a Contracting State shall accord to refugees the
same treatment as is accorded to aliens generally.
2.
After a period of three years' residence, all refugees
shall enjoy exemption from legislative reciprocity in the
territory of the Contracting States.
3.
Each Contracting State shall continue to accord to refugees
the rights and benefits to which they were already entitled, in
the absence of reciprocity, at the date of entry into force of
this Convention for that State.
4.
The Contracting States shall consider favourably the
possibility of according to refugees, in the absence of
reciprocity, rights and benefits beyond those to which they are
entitled according to paragraphs 2 and 3, and to extending
exemption from reciprocity to refugees who do not fulfil the
conditions provided for in paragraphs 2 and 3.
5.
The provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 apply both to the
rights and benefits referred to in articles 13, 18, 19, 21 and
22 of this Convention and to rights and benefits for which this
Convention does not provide.
Article 8. Exemption from exceptional measures
With regard to exceptional measures which may be taken
against the person, property or interests of nationals of a
foreign State, the Contracting States shall not apply such
measures to a refugee who is formally a national of the said
State solely on account of such nationality. Contracting States
which, under their legislation, are prevented from applying the
general principle expressed in this article, shall, in
appropriate cases, grant exemptions in favour of such refugees.
Article 9. Provisional measures
Nothing in this Convention shall prevent a Contracting
State, in time of war or other grave and exceptional
circumstances, from taking provisionally measures which it
considers to be essential to the national security in the case
of a particular person, pending a determination by the
Contracting State that that person is in fact a refugee and that
the continuance of such measures is necessary in his case in the
interests of national security.
Article 10. Continuity of residence
1.
Where a refugee has been forcibly displaced during the
Second World War and removed to the territory of a Contracting
State, and is resident there, the period of such enforced
sojourn shall be considered to have been lawful residence within
that territory.
2.
Where a refugee has been forcibly displaced during the
Second World War from the territory of a Contracting State and
has, prior to the date of entry into force of this Convention,
returned there for the purpose of taking up residence, the
period of residence before and after such enforced displacement
shall be regarded as one uninterrupted period for any purposes
for which uninterrupted residence is required.
Article 11. Refugee seamen
In the case of refugees regularly serving as crew
members on board a ship flying the flag of a Contracting State,
that State shall give sympathetic consideration to their
establishment on its territory and the issue of travel documents
to them or their temporary admission to its territory
particularly with a view to facilitating their establishment in
another country.
CHAPTER II
JURIDICAL STATUS
Article 12. Personal status
1.
The personal status of a refugee shall be governed by the
law of the country of his domicile or, if he has no domicile, by
the law of the country of his residence.
2.
Rights previously acquired by a refugee and dependent on
personal status, more particularly rights attaching to marriage,
shall be respected by a Contracting State, subject to
compliance, if this be necessary, with the formalities required
by the law of that State, provided that the right in question is
one which would have been recognized by the law of that State
had he not become a refugee.
Article 13. Movable and immovable property
The Contracting States shall accord to a refugee
treatment as favourable as possible and, in any event, not less
favourable than that accorded to aliens generally in the same
circumstances, as regards the acquisition of movable and
immovable property and other rights pertaining thereto, and to
leases and other contracts relating to movable and immovable
property.
Article 14. Artistic rights and industrial property
In respect of the protection of industrial property,
such as inventions, designs or models, trade marks, trade names,
and of rights in literary, artistic and scientific works, a
refugee shall be accorded in the country in which he has his
habitual residence the same protection as is accorded to
nationals of that country. In the territory of any other
Contracting States, he shall be accorded the same protection as
is accorded in that territory to nationals of the country in
which he has his habitual residence.
Article 15. Right of association
As regards non-political and non-profit-making
associations and trade unions the Contracting States shall
accord to refugees lawfully staying in their territory the most
favourable treatment accorded to nationals of a foreign country,
in the same circumstances.
Article 16. Access to courts
1. A refugee shall have free access to the courts of law on
the territory of all Contracting States.
2.
A refugee shall enjoy in the Contracting State in which he
has his habitual residence the same treatment as a national in
matters pertaining to access to the courts, including legal
assistance and exemption from cautio judicatum solvi.
3.
A refugee shall be accorded in the matters referred to in
paragraph 2 in countries other than that in which he has his
habitual residence the treatment granted to a national of the
country of his habitual residence.
CHAPTER III
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Article 17. Wage-earning employment
1.
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees lawfully
staying in their territory the most favourable treatment
accorded to nationals of a foreign country in the same
circumstances, as regards the right to engage in wage-earning
employment.
2.
In any case, restrictive measures imposed on aliens or the
employment of aliens for the protection of the national labour
market shall not be applied to a refugee who was already exempt
from them at the date of entry into force of this Convention for
the Contracting State concerned, or who fulfils one of the
following conditions:
(a) He has completed three years' residence in the country;
(b) He has a spouse possessing the nationality of the
country of residence. A refugee may not invoke the benefit of
this provision if he has abandoned his spouse;
(c)
He has one or more children possessing the nationality of
the country of residence.
3.
The Contracting States shall give sympathetic consideration
to assimilating the rights of all refugees with regard to
wage-earning employment to those of nationals, and in particular
of those refugees who have entered their territory pursuant to
programmes of labour recruitment or under immigration schemes.
Article 18. Self-employment
The Contracting States shall accord to a refugee
lawfully in their territory treatment as favourable as possible
and, in any event, not less favourable than that accorded to
aliens generally in the same circumstances, as regards the right
to engage on his own account in agriculture, industry,
handicrafts and commerce and to establish commercial and
industrial companies.
Article 19. Liberal professions
1.
Each Contracting State shall accord to refugees lawfully
staying in their territory who hold diplomas recognized by the
competent authorities of that State, and who are desirous of
practising a liberal profession, treatment as favourable as
possible and, in any event, not less favourable than that
accorded to aliens generally in the same circumstances.
2.
The Contracting States shall use their best endeavours
consistently with their laws and constitutions to secure the
settlement of such refugees in the territories, other than the
metropolitan territory, for whose international relations they
are responsible.
CHAPTER IV
WELFARE
Article 20. Rationing
Where a rationing system exists, which applies to the
population at large and regulates the general distribution of
products in short supply, refugees shall be accorded the same
treatment as nationals.
Article 21. Housing
As regards housing, the Contracting States, in so far
as the matter is regulated by laws or regulations or is subject
to the control of public authorities, shall accord to refugees
lawfully staying in their territory treatment as favourable as
possible and, in any event, not less favourable than that
accorded to aliens generally in the same circumstances.
Article 22. Public education
1.
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees the same
treatment as is accorded to nationals with respect to elementary
education.
2.
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees treatment
as favourable as possible, and, in any event, not less
favourable than that accorded to aliens generally in the same
circumstances, with respect to education other than elementary
education and, in particular, as regards access to studies, the
recognition of foreign school certificates, diplomas and
degrees, the remission of fees and charges and the award of
scholarships.
Article 23. Public relief
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees
lawfully staying in their territory the same treatment with
respect to public relief and assistance as is accorded to their
nationals.
Article 24. Labour legislation and social security
1.
The Contracting States shall accord to refugees lawfully
staying in their territory the same treatment as is accorded to
nationals in respect of the following matters;
(a) In so far as such matters are governed by laws or
regulations or are subject to the control of administrative
authorities: remuneration, including family allowances where
these form part of remuneration, hours of work, overtime
arrangements, holidays with pay, restrictions on home work,
minimum age of employment, apprenticeship and training, women's
work and the work of young persons, and the enjoyment of the
benefits of collective bargaining;
(b) Social security (legal provisions in respect of
employment injury, occupational diseases, maternity, sickness,
disability, old age, death, unemployment, family
responsibilities and any other contingency which, according to
national laws or regulations, is covered by a social security
scheme), subject to the following limitations:
(i)
There may be appropriate arrangements for the maintenance
of acquired rights and rights in course of acquisition;
(ii) National laws or regulations of the country of
residence may prescribe special arrangements concerning benefits
or portions of benefits which are payable wholly out of public
funds, and concerning allowances paid to persons who do not
fulfil the contribution conditions prescribed for the award of a
normal pension.
2.
The right to compensation for the death of a refugee
resulting from employment injury or from occupational disease
shall not be affected by the fact that the residence of the
beneficiary is outside the territory of the Contracting State.
3. The Contracting States shall extend to refugees the
benefits of agreements concluded between them, or which may be
concluded between them in the future, concerning the maintenance
of acquired rights and rights in the process of acquisition in
regard to social security, subject only to the conditions which
apply to nationals of the States signatory to the agreements in
question.
4. The Contracting States will give sympathetic
consideration to extending to refugees so far as possible the
benefits of similar agreements which may at any time be in force
between such Contracting States and non- contracting States.
CHAPTER V
ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES
Article 25. Administrative assistance
1.
When the exercise of a right by a refugee would normally
require the assistance of authorities of a foreign country to
whom he cannot have recourse, the Contracting States in whose
territory he is residing shall arrange that such assistance be
afforded to him by their own authorities or by an international
authority.
2.
The authority or authorities mentioned in paragraph I shall
deliver or cause to be delivered under their supervision to
refugees such documents or certifications as would normally be
delivered to aliens by or through their national authorities.
3. Documents or certifications so delivered shall stand in
the stead of the official instruments delivered to aliens by or
through their national authorities, and shall be given credence
in the absence of proof to the contrary.
4.
Subject to such exceptional treatment as may be granted to
indigent persons, fees may be charged for the services mentioned
herein, but such fees shall be moderate and commensurate with
those charged to nationals for similar services.
5.
The provisions of this article shall be without prejudice
to articles 27 and 28.
Article 26. Freedom of movement
Each Contracting State shall accord to refugees
lawfully in its territory the right to choose their place of
residence and to move freely within its territory subject to any
regulations applicable to aliens generally in the same
circumstances.
Article 27. Identity papers
The Contracting States shall issue identity papers to
any refugee in their territory who does not possess a valid
travel document.
Article 28. Travel documents
1 .
The Contracting States shall issue to refugees lawfully
staying in their territory travel documents for the purpose of
travel outside their territory, unless compelling reasons of
national security or public order otherwise require, and the
provisions of the Schedule to this Convention shall apply with
respect to such documents. The Contracting States may issue such
a travel document to any other refugee in their territory; they
shall in particular give sympathetic consideration to the issue
of such a travel document to refugees in their territory who are
unable to obtain a travel document from the country of their
lawful residence.
2.
Travel documents issued to refugees under previous
international agreements by Parties thereto shall be recognized
and treated by the Contracting States in the same way as if they
had been issued pursuant to this article.
Article 29. Fiscal charges
1. The Contracting States shall not impose upon refugees
duties, charges or taxes, of any description whatsoever, other
or higher than those which are or may be levied on their
nationals in similar situations.
2.
Nothing in the above paragraph shall prevent the
application to refugees of the laws and regulations concerning
charges in respect of the issue to aliens of administrative
documents including identity papers.
Article 30. Transfer of assets
1.
A Contracting State shall, in conformity with its laws and
regulations, permit refugees to transfer assets which they have
brought into its territory, to another country where they have
been admitted for the purposes of resettlement.
2.
A Contracting State shall give sympathetic consideration to
the application of refugees for permission to transfer assets
wherever they may be and which are necessary for their
resettlement in another country to which they have been
admitted.
Article 31. Refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge
1.
The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on
account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who,
coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was
threatened in the sense of article 1, enter or are present in
their territory without authorization, provided they present
themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause
for their illegal entry or presence.
2. The Contracting States shall not apply to the movements
of such refugees restrictions other than those which are
necessary and such restrictions shall only be applied until
their status in the country is regularized or they obtain
admission into another country. The Contracting States shall
allow such refugees a reasonable period and all the necessary
facilities to obtain admission into another country.
Article 32. Expulsion
1.
The Contracting States shall not expel a refugee lawfully
in their territory save on grounds of national security or
public order.
2.
The expulsion of such a refugee shall be only in pursuance
of a decision reached in accordance with due process of law.
Except where compelling reasons of national security otherwise
require, the refugee shall be allowed to submit evidence to
clear himself, and to appeal to and be represented for the
purpose before competent authority or a person or persons
specially designated by the competent authority.
3. The Contracting States shall allow such a refugee a
reasonable period within which to seek legal admission into
another country. The Contracting States reserve the right to
apply during that period such internal measures as they may deem
necessary.
Article 33.
Prohibition of expulsion or return ("refoulement")
1.
No Contracting State shall expel or return ("refouler") a
refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories
where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his
race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social
group or political opinion.
2.
The benefit of the present provision may not, however, be
claimed by a refugee whom there are reasonable grounds for
regarding as a danger to the security of the country in which he
is, or who, having been convicted by a final judgement of a
particularly serious crime, constitutes a danger to the
community of that country.
Article 34. Naturalization
The Contracting States
shall as far as possible facilitate the assimilation and
naturalization of refugees. They shall in particular make every
effort to expedite naturalization proceedings and to reduce as
far as possible the charges and costs of such proceedings.
CHAPTER VI
EXECUTORY AND TRANSITORY PROVISIONS
Article 35. Co-operation of the national authorities with the
United Nations
1.
The Contracting States undertake to co-operate with the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or any
other agency of the United Nations which may succeed it, in the
exercise of its functions, and shall in particular facilitate
its duty of supervising the application of the provisions of
this Convention.
2.
In order to enable the Office of the High Commissioner or any
other agency of the United Nations which may succeed it, to make
reports to the competent organs of the United Nations, the
Contracting States undertake to provide them in the appropriate
form with information and statistical data requested concerning:
(a) The
condition of refugees,
(b) The
implementation of this Convention, and
(c) Laws,
regulations and decrees which are, or may hereafter be, in force
relating to refugees.
Article 36. Information on national legislation
The Contracting States
shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
the laws and regulations which they may adopt to ensure the
application of this Convention.
Article 37. Relation to previous conventions
Without prejudice to
article 28, paragraph 2, of this Convention, this Convention
replaces, as between Parties to it, the Arrangements of 5 July
1922, 31 May 1924, 12 May 1926, 30 June 1928 and 30 July 1935,
the Conventions of 28 October 1933 and 10 February 1938, the
Protocol of 14 September 1939 and the Agreement of 15 October
1946.
CHAPTER VII
FINAL
CLAUSES
Article 38. Settlement of disputes
Any dispute between Parties to this Convention relating to its
interpretation or application, which cannot be settled by other
means, shall be referred to the International Court of Justice
at the request of any one of the parties to the dispute.
Article 39. Signature, ratification and accession
1.
This Convention shall be opened for signature at Geneva on 28
July 1951 and shall thereafter be deposited with the
Secretary-General of the United Nations. It shall be open for
signature at the European Office of the United Nations from 28
July to 31 August 1951 and shall be re-opened for signature at
the Headquarters of the United Nations from 17 September 1951 to
31 December 1952.
2.
This Convention shall be open for signature on behalf of all
States Members of the United Nations, and also on behalf of any
other State invited to attend the Conference of
Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless
Persons or to which an invitation to sign will have been
addressed by the General Assembly. It shall be ratified and the
instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the
Secretary-General of the United Nations.
3.
This Convention shall be open from 28 July 1951 for accession by
the States referred to in paragraph 2 of this article. Accession
shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession
with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 40. Territorial application clause
1.
Any State may, at the time of signature, ratification or
accession, declare that this Convention shall extend to all or
any of the territories for the international relations of which
it is responsible. Such a declaration shall take effect when the
Convention enters into force for the State concerned.
2.
At any time thereafter any such extension shall be made by
notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United
Nations and shall take effect as from the ninetieth day after
the day of receipt by the Secretary- General of the United
Nations of this notification, or as from the date of entry into
force of the Convention for the State concerned, whichever is
the later.
3.
With respect to those territories to which this Convention is
not extended at the time of signature, ratification or
accession, each State concerned shall consider the possibility
of taking the necessary steps in order to extend the application
of this Convention to such territories, subject, where necessary
for constitutional reasons, to the consent of the Governments of
such territories.
Article 41. Federal clause
In the case of a Federal or non-unitary State, the following
provisions shall apply:
(a)
With respect to those articles of this Convention that come
within the legislative jurisdiction of the federal legislative
authority, the obligations of the Federal Government shall to
this extent be the same as those of parties which are not
Federal States;
(b)
With respect to those articles of this Convention that come
within the legislative jurisdiction of constituent States,
provinces or cantons which are not, under the constitutional
system of the Federation, bound to take legislative action, the
Federal Government shall bring such articles with a favourable
recommendation to the notice of the appropriate authorities of
States, provinces or cantons at the earliest possible moment;
(c) A
Federal State Party to this Convention shall, at the request of
any other Contracting State transmitted through the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, supply a statement of
the law and practice of the Federation and its constituent units
in regard to any particular provision of the Convention showing
the extent to which effect has been given to that provision by
legislative or other action.
Article 42. Reservations
1.
At the time of signature, ratification or accession, any State
may make reservations to articles of the Convention other than
to articles 1, 3, 4, 16 (1), 33, 36-46 inclusive.
2.
Any State making a reservation in accordance with paragraph I of
this article may at any time withdraw the reservation by a
communication to that effect addressed to the Secretary-General
of the United Nations.
Article 43. Entry into force
1.
This Convention shall
come into force on the ninetieth day following the day of
deposit of the sixth instrument of ratification or accession.
2.
For each State ratifying or acceding to the Convention after the
deposit of the sixth instrument of ratification or accession,
the Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day
following the date of deposit by such State of its instrument of
ratification or accession.
Article 44. Denunciation
1.
Any Contracting State may denounce this Convention at any time
by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the
United Nations.
2.
Such denunciation shall take effect for the Contracting State
concerned one year from the date upon which it is received by
the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
3.
Any State which has made a declaration or notification under
article 40 may, at any time thereafter, by a notification to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, declare that the
Convention shall cease to extend to such territory one year
after the date of receipt of the notification by the
Secretary-General. Article 45. - Revision
1.
Any Contracting State may request revision of this Convention at
any time by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of
the United Nations.
2.
The General Assembly of the United Nations shall recommend the
steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such request.
Article 46. Notifications by the Secretary-General of the United
Nations
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform all
Members of the United Nations and non-member States referred to
in article 39:
(a) Of
declarations and notifications in accordance with section B of
article 1;
(b) Of
signatures, ratifications and accessions in accordance with
article 39;
(c) Of
declarations and notifications in accordance with article 40;
(d) Of
reservations and withdrawals in accordance with article 42;
(e) Of
the date on which this Convention will come into force in
accordance with article 43;
(f) Of
denunciations and notifications in accordance with article 44;
(g) Of
requests for revision in accordance with article 45.
IN FAITH
WHEREOF the undersigned, duly authorized, have signed this
Convention on behalf of their respective Governments.
DONE at Geneva, this twenty-eighth day of July, one thousand
nine hundred and fifty-one, in a single copy, of which the
English and French texts are equally authentic and which shall
remain deposited in the archives of the United Nations, and
certified true copies of which shall be delivered to all Members
of the United Nations and to the non-member States referred to
in article 39.
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