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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.