In a bold declaration, the UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman has taken a stand on the qualification criteria for international refugee protection.

Suella stated that merely fearing discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation should not be sufficient.

Moreover, her remarks cast doubt on the relevance of the UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention in the modern era.

Highlighting a shift from protecting those fleeing persecution to those concerned about bias.

READ ALSO: Ex-MP says she sold house to fund Raila’s 2022 campaigns

Criticism from the opposition was swift.

They accused Suella of abandoning efforts to fix the asylum system and opting for blame-shifting.

The cornerstone of the Refugee Convention was born in the aftermath of World War II.

Furthermore, it asserts that countries should not forcibly return refugees to places where their life or freedom is in jeopardy.

However, Braverman contends that the world has evolved significantly since the convention’s inception.

Suella addressing her audience

According to estimates by the Centre for Policy Studies, the interpretation opens the door for a staggering 780 million people globally to seek asylum.

The broad category includes individuals with a “well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion” worldwide.

Braverman asserted the convention is now being utilized by economic migrants.

READ ALSO: Casa Vera Lounge fined KSh 1.8M for using reveler’s photo

Cunningly using it as a means to claim asylum and move between countries.

Expanding on her position, Braverman declared, “Let me be clear, there are vast swathes of the world where it is tough to be gay or to be a woman.

Where individuals are persecuted, it is right we offer sanctuary.

But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if, in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, and fearing discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection.”

The issue is deeply entwined with the broader debate on illegal immigration and how asylum seekers arriving in the UK are managed, particularly those coming via small boats.

The government’s plan to send those entering the UK illegally to Rwanda or a third country has prompted legal challenges.

Braverman’s remarks provoked a backlash from both domestic political opponents and the United Nations refugee agency.

Some within her own party have already criticized her stance.

While the debate rages on, the Home Secretary’s comments highlighted profound questions.

This is in regard to the definition of a refugee and the future of international refugee protection agreements.