United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/56/164
Distr.: General
20 February 2002
Fifty-sixth session
Agenda item 119 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/56/583/Add.2)]
56/164. Protection of and assistance to internally displaced
persons
The General Assembly,
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 that this is creating for the international
community,
Conscious of the human rights and the humanitarian dimensions of the
problem of internally displaced persons and the responsibilities that this poses for
States and the international community to explore methods and means better to
address the protection and assistance needs of those persons,
Noting the growing awareness of the international community of the issue of
internally displaced persons worldwide and the urgency of addressing the root
causes of their displacement and finding durable solutions, including voluntary
return in safety and with dignity or local integration,
Emphasizing that national authorities have the primary responsibility to
provide protection and assistance to internally displaced persons within their
jurisdiction as well as to address the root causes for the displacement problem in
cooperation with the international community,
Recalling the relevant norms of international human rights law, international
humanitarian law and analogous refugee law, and recognizing that the protection of
internally displaced persons has been strengthened by identifying, reaffirming and
consolidating specific standards for their protection, in particular through the
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement,1
Taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2001/54 of 24 April
2001, 2 and recalling the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by
_______________
1
E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2, annex.
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2001, Supplement No. 3 (E/2001/23), chap. II,
sect. A.
2
01 48822