United Nations
General Assembly
A/RES/57/227
Distr.: General
26 February 2003
Fifty-seventh session
Agenda item 109 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/57/556/Add.2 and Corr.1-3)]
57/227. Respect for the right to universal freedom of travel and
the vital importance of family reunification
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal,
indivisible, interdependent and interrelated,
Recalling the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 as
well as article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2
Stressing that, as stated in the Programme of Action of the International
Conference on Population and Development, 3 family reunification of documented
migrants is an important factor in international migration and that remittances by
documented migrants to their countries of origin often constitute a very important
source of foreign exchange and are instrumental in improving the well-being of
relatives left behind,
Recalling its resolution 55/100 of 4 December 2000,
1.
Once again calls upon all States to guarantee the universally recognized
freedom of travel to all foreign nationals legally residing in their territory;
2.
Reaffirms that all Governments, in particular those of receiving countries,
must recognize the vital importance of family reunification and promote its
incorporation into national legislation in order to ensure protection of the unity of
families of documented migrants;
3.
Calls upon all States to allow, in conformity with international
legislation, the free flow of financial remittances by foreign nationals residing in
their territory to their relatives in the country of origin;
4.
Also calls upon all States to refrain from enacting, and to repeal if it
already exists, legislation intended as a coercive measure that discriminates against
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1
Resolution 217 A (III).
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
3
Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 5-13 September 1994
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.18), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
2
02 55419