has been assisting the authorities with a view to holding a census of refugees and tissuance of documentation certifying their status. Several other States have continued their practice of issuing identity documents to refugees within their territory.
E.
Reunification of refugee families
51. During the period under review, the most notable fields of endeavour as regards the reunification of refugee families have continued to be in South America and Europe. More than 900 family members from one country in South America were reunited with their refugee heads of family in the respective countries of residence, bringing the total of such reunifications since September 1973 to over 5,800. There being no appreciable obstacles in the way of relatives leaving the country concerned, such cases were mostly handled within the framework of UNHCR's resettlement activities. In Europe, approaches were made with a view to facilitating family reunification in nearly 100 cases. Also during 1977, the necessary exit permits were granted in more than 80 cases, in respect of a total of 155 refugee family members. In Africa, measures were taken to promote the reunification of refugee families in a small number of individual cases in several countries. In Asia, the UNHCR office in one country has provided assistance in helping to arrange the transportation of family members in possession of both exit and entry visas.
52. The need for preserving the unity of the refugee family is an aspect of the international protection of refugees to which the Office has always paid the closest attention. Its significance as an essential right of the refugee and the fact that it is constantly threatened were emphasized by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries which adopted the 1951 Convention. The Final Act of the Conference recommended that Governments should take the necessary measures for the protection of the refugee's family, especially with a view, inter alia, to ensuring that the unity of the family is maintained, particularly in cases where the head of the family has fulfilled the necessary conditions for admission to a particular country.
53. The fundamental importance of the principle of family reunion was again emphasized by the Executive Committee, the relevant conclusion 15/ of which reaffirmed the co-ordinating role of UNHCR in promoting the reunification of separated refugee families through appropriate interventions with Governments and with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and noted with satisfaction that some measure of progress had been achieved by UNHCR's efforts in this field. As already mentioned, the importance of the reunification of dispersed families was also recognized in the recently adopted Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949.
F.
Voluntary repatriation
54. The facilitation of voluntary repatriation of refugees is one of the basic functions entrusted to the High Commissioner under the Statute of his Office. During the period under review, UNHCR has continued to lend its administrative
15/ Ibid., para. 53 (7).
-13-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.