Last Change:

10/16/2026

THE REFUGEES ACT, 2017

Original names of the law: THE REFUGEES ACT, 2017

Year: 2017

Type: Domestic law

Rights Category: Asylum

Description

An Act to establish the office of the Commissioner for Refugees and provide for its functions; provide for the recognition, protection and control of refugees; provide for the rights and responsibilities of refugees; establish the Refugees Fund; domesticate the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 1951 and its Protocol of 1967, and the Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugees Problems in Africa, 1969; repeal and replace the Refugees
(Control) Act, 1970; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

Selected provisions
Section 33 - Protection of privacy of person, home, property and communication

33. Subject to section 8, a recognised refugee has the right to
privacy, which includes the right not to—
(a) be searched;
(b) havethat recognisedrefugee’s homeor propertysearched;
(c) have that recognised refugee’s possessions seized;
(d) have information relating to that recognised refugee’s
family,health statusor private affairs unlawfullyrequired
or revealed; or
(e) have the privacy of that recognised refugee’s
communications infringed.

Section 47 - Administrative assistance

47. (1) Where the exercise of a right by a recognised refugee
would normally require the assistance of authorities of a foreign
country to whom the recognisedrefugee cannot have recourse, the
Commissionershall arrange for the assistance to be afforded to the
recognised refugee by the relevant institution or authorities or by
aninternational authority.
(2) The authority or authorities mentioned in subsection (1)
shall deliver or cause to be delivered under their supervision to
recognised refugees such documents or certifications as would
normally be delivered to foreigners by or through their national
authorities.
(3) Documentsorcertificationsdeliveredunder subsection(2)
shall stand in the stead of the official instruments delivered to
foreignersbyorthroughtheirnational authorities,andshall begiven
credence in the absence of proof to the contrary.
(4) Subject to such exceptional treatment as may be granted
to indigent persons, feesmaybe chargedfortheservicesmentioned
in this section, but such fees shall be moderate and commensurate
with those charged to citizens for similar services.
(5) Theprovisionsofthissectionshall bewithoutprejudiceto
section 35 and 37.

Section 50 - Travel documents

50. (1) The Commissioner may recommend to the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship that a recognised refugee, lawfully living in Zambia or whose travel document is lost, be issued with a travel document in the prescribed form— (a) for purposes of traveling outside Zambia; or (b) to enable the refugee to return to the country of residence.

(2) A travel document issued to a recognised refugee by a competent foreign authority shall be recognised in Zambia.

Section 29 - Non Discrimination

29.A recognised refugee shall not be discriminated against based
on birth, race, sex, origin, nationality, colour, age, disability, religion,
conscience, belief, culture, language, tribe, health, pregnancy or
marital, ethnic, social or economic status.

Section 40 - Access to courts

40. (1) A recognised refugee shall have free access to the
courts.
(2) A recognised refugee shall enjoy the same treatment as a
citizen in matters pertaining to access to the courts, includinglegal
aid and exemption from the payment of security for costs.