A/RES/56/136
1.
Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 4
2.
Also takes note of the report of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; 5
3.
Expresses its deep concern at the continuing plight of unaccompanied
refugee minors, and emphasizes once again the urgent need for their early
identification and for timely, detailed and accurate information on their number and
whereabouts;
4.
Stresses the importance of providing adequate resources for programmes
of identification and tracing of unaccompanied minors;
5.
Calls upon the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, in cooperation with other relevant United Nations bodies, to incorporate
into its programmes policies that aim at preventing the separation of refugee
families, conscious of the importance of family unity;
6.
Calls upon all Governments, the Secretary-General, the Office of the
High Commissioner, all United Nations organizations, other international
organizations and non-governmental organizations concerned to exert the maximum
effort to assist and protect refugee minors and to expedite the return and
reunification with their families of unaccompanied refugee minors;
7.
Urges the Office of the High Commissioner, all United Nations
organizations, other international organizations and non-governmental organizations
concerned to take appropriate steps to mobilize resources commensurate with the
needs and interests of unaccompanied refugee minors and for their reunification
with their families;
8.
Calls upon all States and other parties to armed conflict to respect
international humanitarian law, and in this regard calls upon States parties to respect
fully the provisions of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 6 and related
instruments, bearing in mind resolution 2 adopted at the twenty-sixth International
Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held at Geneva in December 1995,
and to respect the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1 which
accord children affected by armed conflict special protection and treatment;
9.
Condemns all acts of exploitation of unaccompanied refugee minors,
including their use as soldiers or human shields in armed conflict and their forced
recruitment into military forces, and any other acts that endanger their safety and
personal security;
10. Calls upon the Secretary-General, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs of the Secretariat, the United Nations Children’s Fund, other United Nations
organizations and other international organizations to mobilize adequate assistance
to unaccompanied refugee minors in the areas of relief, education, health and
psychological rehabilitation;
11. Encourages the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict in his efforts to raise awareness worldwide and
_______________
4
A/56/333 and Corr.1.
See A/56/453.
6
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970–973.
5
2