Population figures
Total country population
9,455,036
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
48,484
Asylum-seekers:
672
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
5,506
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Belarus is situated in Eastern Europe, bordered by Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. The country is hosting a significant number of refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly from Ukraine but also other countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. The legal framework governing the status and rights of forcibly displaced persons in Belarus is primarily based on national legislation, including the Law on Refugees.
Belarus is a party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. However, Belarus has not acceded to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
...In recent years, Belarus has seen a notable rise in refugees from Ukraine following the ongoing conflict. While these individuals benefit from facilitated access to the asylum process and rights such as employment, education, and medical care, other applicants face significant barriers to formal asylum recognition. Non-Ukrainian asylum-seekers face particular difficulties in accessing asylum processes, and accommodation facilities are often overstretched. The difficulties include asylum application long processing times, staff turnover, and a lack of resources, which slow down decision-making. The state asylum system is also hindered by limited access to legal aid and other essential services for asylum-seekers.
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