The Interpretation of ‘Particular Social Group’ in Refugee Law: An Avenue for Street Children to be Recognised as Refugees?

This thesis considers the human rights situation for street children in Central America with the aim of understanding whether this group of children should be considered a particular social group in refugee law, particularly in the US, where they recently have not been. This thesis uses a mix of case law and literature analysis, and interviews in the US, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The conclusion reached is that street children in the countries researched do face severe human rights breaches capable of amounting to persecution, and should be recognised as refugees if they meet the full refugee definition.