United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/56/136
Distr.: General
15 February 2002
Fifty-sixth session
Agenda item 114
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/56/578)]
56/136. Assistance to unaccompanied refugee minors
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 49/172 of 23 December 1994, 50/150 of 21 December
1995, 51/73 of 12 December 1996, 52/105 of 12 December 1997, 53/122 of
9 December 1998 and 54/145 of 17 December 1999,
Aware of the fact that the majority of refugees are children and women,
Bearing in mind that unaccompanied refugee minors are among the most
vulnerable refugees and the most at risk of neglect, violence, forced military
recruitment and sexual assault and therefore require special assistance and care,
Mindful of the fact that the ultimate solution to the plight of unaccompanied
minors is their return to and reunification with their families,
Noting the revised Guidelines on Refugee Children issued by the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in May 1994 and the development
of an emergency kit to facilitate coordination and enhance the quality of responses
to the needs of unaccompanied minors by the Office of the High Commissioner, the
United Nations Children’s Fund and non-governmental organizations,
Noting with appreciation the efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner and
the United Nations Children’s Fund in the identification and tracing of unaccompanied
minors, and welcoming their efforts in reunifying families of refugees,
Welcoming the efforts exerted by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees to reunite refugees with their families,
Noting the efforts of the High Commissioner to ensure the protection of and
assistance to refugees, including children and unaccompanied minors, and that
further enhanced efforts need to be exerted to this effect,
Recalling the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1 and the
1951 Convention 2 and 1967 Protocol thereto 3 relating to the Status of Refugees,
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1
Resolution 44/25, annex.
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 189, No. 2545.
3
Ibid., vol. 606, No. 8791.
2
01 48458