This paper examines the concept of a refugee, questioning if it is an appropriate common term from the perspective of international law. The paper also presents the most important international instruments in effect related to refugee rights, with a special focus on the extent of their ratification by the five Arab countries (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan). It elaborates on the mechanisms for protecting refugee rights, whether related to the International Refugee Convention or not, within the United Nations system for the protection of human rights, as well as the available regional mechanisms.