The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Thursday commended the Republic of Chad for adopting its first asylum law to enhance protection for close to 480,000 refugees currently hosted in the country.

Chad has one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. At present, it hosts more than 915,000 refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people.

The asylum law will provide various safeguards to those people such as freedom of movement, access to courts, educational opportunities and better work conditions. UNHCR noted that it is the first such law in the region and, despite its economic challenges, the country remains willing to keep its borders open to those who seek refuge.

The country has continued to mobilize a broad range of stakeholders to meet refugee and host community needs, alongside the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and the Global Compact on Refugees, both of which are UNHCR initiatives to strengthen refugee protection. Chad had also announced eight pledges in 2019 to strengthen the protection environment for refugees, including through a “villagization” strategy that aimed to integrate refugee camps into villages and promote harmonious coexistence.

Despite these advances, most refugees still remain vulnerable to an increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Other challenges include limited access to land resources, climate change, poor water management, and lack of access to healthcare.