The General Assembly,
Deeply disturbed by the large number of internally displaced persons throughout the world, and conscious of the serious problem this is creating for the international community,
Recalling the relevant norms of international human rights instruments as well as of international humanitarian law,
Conscious of the human rights as well as the humanitarian dimensions of the problem of internally displaced persons,
Conscious also of the need for the United Nations system to gather information comprehensively on the issues of the protection of the human rights of and assistance to internally displaced persons,
Welcoming the initiative of the Commission on Human Rights on this question and, in particular, its resolution 1992/73 of 5 March 1992, by which it requested the Secretary-General to appoint a representative to study the human rights issues related to internally displaced persons, and Commission resolution 1993/95 of 11 March 1993, by which it requested the Secretary-General to mandate his representative for two years to continue his work aimed at a better understanding of the problems faced by internally displaced persons and their possible long-term solutions,
Bearing in mind the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which calls for a comprehensive approach by the international community with regard to refugees and displaced persons,
Welcoming the support provided to the representative of the Secretary-General by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Department for Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations,
Welcoming also the decision by the Executive Committee of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to extend, on a case-by-case basis and under specific circumstances, protection and assistance to the internally displaced,
Taking note of the comprehensive study of the representative of the Secretary-General, submitted to the Commission on Human Rights at its forty-ninth session, and the useful suggestions and recommendations contained therein,
1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the representative of the Secretary-General;
2. Encourages the representative, through dialogue with Governments, to continue his review of the needs for international protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons, including his compilation and analysis of existing rules and norms;
3. Invites the representative to present suggestions and recommendations with regard to ways and means, including the institutional aspects, of providing effective protection of and assistance to internally displaced persons;
4. Calls upon all Governments to continue to facilitate the activities of the representative, encourages them to give serious consideration to inviting the representative to visit their countries so as to enable him to study and analyse more fully the issues involved, and thanks those Governments which have already done so;
5. Urges all concerned United Nations agencies and organizations to provide all possible assistance and support to the representative in the implementation of his programme of activities;
6. Decides to continue its consideration of this question at its fiftieth session.
85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993
