The Commission on Human Rights,

Deeply disturbed by the alarmingly high numbers of internally displaced persons throughout the world who receive inadequate protection and assistance, and conscious of the serious problem this is creating for the international community,

Conscious of the human rights and humanitarian dimensions of the problem of internally displaced persons and the responsibilities this poses for States and the international community to explore methods and means better to address their protection and assistance needs,

Recalling its previous relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1998/50 of 17 April 1998, and those of the General Assembly, as well as the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23), regarding the need to develop global strategies to address the problem of
internal displacement,

Recalling in particular Economic and Social Council agreed conclusions 1998/1 of 17 July 1998 on special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance, in which the Council noted with satisfaction the designation of the Emergency Relief Coordinator as the focal point for inter­agency coordination of humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons and also noted the adoption by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2, annex),

Recalling also that the Economic and Social Council in its agreed conclusions 1998/2 of 28 July 1998 on the coordinated follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action commended the efforts of the Representative of the Secretary-General to promote a comprehensive strategy that focuses on prevention, as well as better protection, assistance and development for internally displaced persons,

Noting Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities resolution 1998/26 of 26 August 1998 on housing and property restitution in the context of the return of refugees and internally displaced persons and encouraging it to continue its work on this matter,

Deploring practices of forced displacement, in particular "ethnic cleansing", and the negative impact they constitute for the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by large groups of populations,

Recalling the relevant norms of international human rights instruments, international humanitarian law and refugee law, and recognizing that the protection of internally displaced persons has been strengthened by identifying, reaffirming and consolidating specific rights for their protection, in particular through the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement,

Noting the work of the Representative of the Secretary­General on internally displaced persons in developing a legal framework, in particular the compilation and analysis of legal norms and the development of guiding principles; analysing institutional arrangements; undertaking dialogue with Governments; and issuing a series of reports on particular country situations together with proposals for remedial measures,

Welcoming the cooperation established between the Representative of the Secretary­General and the United Nations as well as other international and regional organizations, in particular the participation of the Representative of the Secretary-General in the meetings of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and its subsidiary bodies, and encouraging further strengthening of this collaboration in order to promote better assistance, protection and development strategies for internally displaced persons,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Representative of the Secretary­General on internally displaced persons (E/CN.4/1999/79 and Add.1­2);

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Representative of the Secretary­General for the activities undertaken so far, despite the limited resources available to him, and for the catalytic role he continues to play to raise the level of consciousness about the plight of internally displaced persons;

3. Also expresses its appreciation to those Governments and intergovernmental and non­governmental organizations which have provided assistance and protection to internally displaced persons and have supported the work of the Representative of the Secretary­General, urges them to continue to do so and calls upon others to provide support for the Representative;

4. Encourages the Representative of the Secretary­General through continuous dialogue with Governments and all intergovernmental and non­governmental organizations concerned to continue his analysis of the causes of internal displacement, the needs of those displaced, measures of prevention and ways to strengthen protection, assistance and solutions for the internally displaced, taking into account specific situations;

5. Welcomes the fact that the Representative of the Secretary­General has made use of the Guiding Principles in his dialogue with Governments and intergovernmental and non­governmental organizations, in particular in the framework of the seminars on displacement held in 1998 under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity, and requests him to continue his efforts in that regard;

6. Notes with appreciation that United Nations agencies, regional and non­governmental organizations are making use of the Guiding Principles in their work and encourages the further dissemination and application of the Guiding Principles;

7. Welcomes the specific attention paid by the Representative of the Secretary­General to the special assistance, protection and development needs of internally displaced women and children and encourages him to continue to draw attention to these needs;

8. Thanks Governments which have invited the Representative of the Secretary­General to visit their countries and encourages them to follow up on his recommendations and suggestions and to make available information on measures taken thereon;

9. Calls upon all Governments to facilitate the activities of the Representative of the Secretary­General, in particular those Governments with situations of internal displacement which have not yet extended invitations or responded positively to requests for information from the Representative;

10. Commends the Representative of the Secretary­General for his efforts to promote a comprehensive strategy that focuses on prevention, as well as better protection, assistance and development for internally displaced persons;

11. Welcomes the development of frameworks of cooperation to address the needs of internally displaced persons, in particular the designation of the Emergency Relief Coordinator as the focal point for inter-agency coordination of humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons, the appointment of an adviser on internally displaced persons within the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the designation of focal points on internally displaced persons within some of the other international organizations, and encourages the Representative of the Secretary­General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all other relevant humanitarian assistance and development organizations further to enhance their collaboration;

12. Urges these organizations, especially through the Inter­Agency Standing Committee, to continue to focus on problems relating to protection, assistance and solutions for internally displaced persons;

13. Welcomes the efforts to establish a global information system on internally displaced persons, as advocated by the Representative of the Secretary-General, and encourages the members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to continue to collaborate in these efforts;

14. Also welcomes the initiatives undertaken by regional organizations, such as the Organization of African Unity, the Organization of American States and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to address the assistance, protection and development needs of internally displaced persons and encourages them to strengthen their activities and their cooperation with the Representative of the Secretary­General;

15. Further welcomes the attention paid by relevant special rapporteurs, working groups, experts and treaty bodies to issues of internal displacement, and calls upon them to continue to seek information on situations which have already created or could create internal displacement and to include relevant information and recommendations thereon in their reports and make them available to the Representative of the Secretary­General;

16. Calls upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to develop projects, in cooperation with Governments, relevant international organizations and the Representative of the Secretary­General, to promote the human rights of internally displaced persons, as part of the programme of advisory services and technical cooperation, and to include in her report to the Commission information on their implementation;

17. Requests the Secretary­General to provide his Representative, from within existing resources, with all necessary assistance to carry out his mandate effectively, and encourages the Representative of the Secretary­General to continue to seek the contribution of local, national and regional institutions;

18. Requests the Representative of the Secretary-General to continue to report on his activities to the General Assembly and to the Commission on Human Rights;

19. Decides to continue its consideration of the question of internal displacement at its fifty­sixth session.