Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is an international agreement that defines who is a refugee. It lists the rights of people who are granted asylum (allowed to live in another country because it is not safe to live in their home country). It also lists the responsibilities of countries that give asylum to refugees. 
The Convention also says which people are "not" seen as refugees, like war criminals. 
History.
The Convention was approved at a special United Nations conference on 28 July 1951. At first, it only talked about protecting European refugees after World War II. There were limits on how long the Convention would last, and who it protected.
But in 1967, a "protocol" (change) to the Convention took away these limits. This protocol made the Convention apply to all refugees. 
Because the convention was approved in Geneva, it is often called "the Geneva Convention." But it is not one of the more well-known Geneva Conventions that talk about what kind of behavior is allowed during wars.
Denmark was the first state to ratify (agree to) the treaty, on 4 December 1952. Today, 147 countries have agreed to the Convention, the Protocol, or both. (See the map on this page.)
Chapter I. Definition of a Refugee.
Chapter 1 is made up of Articles from 1 to 11. Article 1 of the Convention (as updated) by the 1967 Protocol, gives the definition of a refugee: 
This means a refugee is someone who is had to leave their home country because, if they stayed, they would be persecuted (treated badly) because of:
Chapter II. Juridical Status.
Chapter II is made up of Articles 12 to 16. These talk about:
Chapter III. Gainful Employment.
Chapter III talks about people's rights to work:
Chapter IV. Welfare.
Chapter IV talks about refugees' rights to:
Chapter V. Administrative Measure.
Chapter V is made of Articles 25 to 34. These articles talk about the refugees' legal rights: