Human Rights and Mass Exoduses

A/RES/56/166No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 119bHuman rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, published in 2002.

What other versions does this mandate have?

16 versions · 1983–2004

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/58/169

2004A/RES/58/169Human rights and mass exodusesLatestCompare with previous version
2002A/RES/56/166Human rights and mass exodusesCompare with previous version
2000A/RES/54/180Human rights and mass exodusesCompare with previous version
1998A/RES/52/132Human rights and mass exodusesCompare with previous version
1996A/RES/50/182Human rights and mass exodusesCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What does this mandate say?

14 operative paragraphs

Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;

Strongly deplores ethnic and other forms of intolerance as one of the major causes of forced migratory movements, and urges States to take all necessary steps to ensure respect for human rights, especially the rights of persons belonging to minorities;

Reaffirms the need for all Governments, intergovernmental bodies and relevant international organizations to intensify their cooperation and assistance in worldwide efforts to address human rights situations that lead to, as well as the serious problems that result from, mass exoduses of refugees and displaced persons;

Urges the Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to the consolidation and strengthening of emergency preparedness and response mechanisms, including early warning activities in the humanitarian area, so that, inter alia, effective action is taken to identify all human rights abuses that contribute to mass exoduses of persons;

Encourages States that have not already done so to consider acceding to the 1951 ConventionError: Reference source not found and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees and to other regional instruments concerning refugees, as applicable, and relevant international instruments of human rights and humanitarian law, and to take appropriate measures to disseminate and implement those instruments domestically to encourage compliance with provisions against arbitrary and forcible displacement and greater respect for the rights of those who flee;

Emphasizes the responsibility of all States and international organizations to cooperate with those countries affected by mass exoduses of refugees and displaced persons, in particular developing countries;

Calls upon Governments, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other relevant parts of the United Nations system, as well as relevant international and non-governmental organizations, to continue to respond to the assistance and protection needs of refugees and other displaced persons worldwide, including to promote durable solutions to their plight;

Urges States to uphold the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements, consistent with international law, inter alia, through effective measures to prevent the infiltration of armed elements, to identify and separate any such armed elements from refugee populations, to settle refugees at safe locations, where possible away from the border, and to ensure prompt and unhindered access to them by humanitarian personnel;

Encourages the special rapporteurs, special representatives and working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations human rights treaty bodies, acting within their mandates, to seek information, where appropriate, on human rights problems that may result in mass exoduses of populations or impede their voluntary return home and, where appropriate, to include such information, together with recommendations thereon, in their reports and to bring such information to the attention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for appropriate action in fulfilment of her mandate, in consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;

Requests all United Nations bodies, acting within their mandates, the specialized agencies and governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to cooperate fully with all mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and, in particular, to provide them with all relevant information in their possession on the human rights situations creating or affecting refugees and displaced persons;

Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the exercise of her mandate, as set out in General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, to coordinate human rights activities throughout the United Nations system and, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to pay particular attention to situations that cause or threaten to cause mass exoduses or displacements and to contribute to efforts to address such situations effectively and promote sustainable returns through promotion and protection measures, including human rights monitoring in respect of those who fled or have returned as part of mass exoduses, emergency preparedness and response mechanisms, early warning and information-sharing, technical advice, expertise and cooperation in countries of origin as well as host countries;

Welcomes the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to contribute to the creation of an environment viable for return in post-conflict societies through initiatives such as the rehabilitation of the justice system, the creation of national institutions capable of defending human rights and broad-based programmes of human rights education and the strengthening of local non-governmental organizations through field presences and programmes of advisory services and technical cooperation;

Requests the Secretary-General to prepare and submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-eighth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution as it pertains to all aspects of human rights and mass exoduses, with particular emphasis on efforts by the United Nations system to enhance the protection of those who become displaced during mass exoduses and to facilitate their return and reintegration, as well as information on efforts to continue to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to avert new flows of refugees and other displaced persons and to tackle the root causes of such flows;

Decides to continue its consideration of this question at its fifty-eighth session.

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Human Rights and Mass Exoduses

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