THE PROTECTION OF REFUGEES, RETURNEES, AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN THE AMERICAS

AG/RES. 1892 (XXXII-O/02)

the protection of refugees, returnees, AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED

PERSONS IN THE AMERICAS

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session held on June 4, 2002)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

CONSIDERING:

That, through its resolutions AG/RES. 774 (XV-O/85), AG/RES. 838 (XVI-O/86), AG/RES. 951 (XVIII-O/88), AG/RES. 1021 (XIX-O/89), AG/RES. 1039 (XX-O/90), AG/RES. 1040 (XX-O/90), AG/RES. 1103 (XXI-O/91), AG/RES. 1170 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1214 (XXIII-O/93), AG/RES. 1273 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1336 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1416 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1504 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1602 (XXVIII-O/98), it has reiterated its concern for persons in the Americas, such as refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons, who are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection of their fundamental rights;

That Saint Kitts and Nevis acceded to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees; Guatemala and Uruguay acceded to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness; and Venezuela and Guatemala adopted national refugee legislation and various member states are in the process of doing so, pursuant to previous resolutions adopted by this General Assembly, AG/RES. 1693 (XXIX-O/99), AG/RES. 1762 (XXX-O/00), and AG/RES. 1832 (XXXI-O/01);

That, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, states parties to the Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol, including 23 OAS member states, adopted a declaration reaffirming [E1] the fundamental importance of these refugee protection instruments and their commitment to implement their obligations thereunder fully and effectively; and

That the Global Consultations on International Protection, launched by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has proved to be a useful forum, which is enabling states, as well as other participants, to better understand contemporary global refugee challenges and to map out concrete protection-related follow-up activities and recognize, as reflected in the Declaration of States Parties, that refugee protection is strengthened by international solidarity involving all members of the international community and that the international regime is enhanced through international cooperation and the sharing of responsibility among all states,

RESOLVES:

1. To urge the states parties to fully and effectively implement their obligations under the 1951 Convention and/or its 1967 Protocol in accordance with the aim and purpose of these instruments, by taking or continuing to take measures to strengthen asylum and render refugee protection more effective, including through the adoption and implementation of national refugee law and procedures for the determination of refugee status and for the treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees, in accordance with universal and regional international instruments, and through giving special attention to vulnerable groups, and to the differentiated protection needs of women, children, and the elderly.

2. To reiterate its appeal to member states that have not yet done so to consider, in due course, signing, ratifying, or acceding to the international instruments on refugees and statelessness and adopting the procedures and institutional mechanisms necessary for their effective implementation, in accordance with the criteria established in universal and regional instruments, and to consider withdrawing reservations made at the time of ratification or accession.

3. To urge member states and the organs of the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights to continue actively participating in the Global Consultations on International Protection and in the follow-up activities to which they give rise.

4. To strengthen international cooperation on refugee protection by renewing its appeal to member states to consider participating in UNHCR-sponsored resettlement programs.

5. To renew its appeal for inter-American cooperation in cases of the mass internal displacement or flight of refugees, to facilitate their return or resettlement, in accordance with international standards.[E2]

6. To continue and increase the support provided by member states and the organs of the inter-American system to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as the multilateral institution with the mandate to provide protection to refugees, to promote lasting solutions, and to supervise the application of the provisions of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol.

7. To reiterate to the member states that they should continue to provide the Secretary General with information on the progress made in implementing this resolution, which will be shared with the General Assembly each year.