Refugee Women

No. 54 (XXXIX) - 1988

The Executive Committee,

Expressed appreciation for the Note on Refugee Women (A/AC.96/XXXIX/CRP.1), particularly its emphasis on the interdependence of the problems and special needs of refugee women in regard to assistance, protection and durable solutions;

Recognized that with regard to international protection, there are situations in which refugee women face particular hazards, especially threats to their physical safety and sexual exploitation;

Called for the reinforcement of the preventive measures initiated by the Office and concerned agencies to enhance the physical security of refugee women;

Called on host Governments to strengthen their support of the Office's protection activities as they relate to women, and for relevant Governments to support the Special Resettlement Programme for Women-at-risk;

Supported the High Commissioner's recognition of refugee women as a vital economic force and of the need to promote their participation as agents as well as beneficiaries in the planning of protection and assistance programmes;

Requested the High Commissioner to introduce further effective measures towards the integration of women's issues within the programme-planning cycle at all stages, in particular: check lists within technical sector guidelines, gender issues in the Executive Committee country chapters, detailed reference in the UNHCR Programme Manual. Also requested that all project documents submitted for funding purposes include a paragraph on its impact on the problems and special needs of refugee women and that the periodic narrative reports refer to this aspect as well;

Stressed the ongoing need for an active senior level Steering Committee to co-ordinate, integrate and oversee the process throughout UNHCR;

Urged the High Commissioner to explore and build upon the experience obtained by other United Nations organizations, donor community and NGOs, and adapt this information to UNHCR's specific orientation;

Encouraged the High Commissioner in his public information activities on refugee women and called upon him to expand this area in the future;

Encouraged the High Commissioner to develop training modules to be offered to UNHCR staff and implementing partners to increase their awareness of the specific needs of refugee women and practical means of addressing these needs;

Requested the High Commissioner to provide, at the fortieth session of the Executive Committee, a detailed progress report on the implementation of the Office's policies and programmes for refugee women, including an evaluation of the effectiveness of the UNHCR internal guidelines relating to the international protection of refugee women;

Called upon host countries, the donor community and NGOs to actively support the High Commissioner in the implementation of this programme.