text: Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryInternational Conference onCentral American Refugees; 43/119of8December 1988 and44/138of15December 1989ontheInternational Conference onIndo-Chinese Refugees. 36.9Thoseresolutions reflect thecontinued concern oftheinternational community aboutthepersistence and,inmanysituations, theaggravation ofthe problems confronting refugees. Amongtheproblems thathavebeenmostoften singled outbytheGeneral Assembly arethefollowing: (a)problems ofprotection asaresultofexpulsion andrefoulement ofrefugees, theirunjustified detention andmeasures thatdonotrecogni7.e theirspecial situation; (b)undermining ofthe safety andwelfare ofrefugees andasylum-seekers inmanyregions onaccount of military orarmedattacks, forcedrecruitment ofrefugees intoarmedforces and otherformsofviolence; (c)problems relating toasylum-seekers indistress atsea andtostowaway asylum-seekers; (d)special problems andneedsofrefugee and displaced womenandchildren, whoinmanycasesareexposed toavariety of difficult situations affecting theirphysical andlegalprotection aswellastheir material well-being; (e)financial problems confronting UNHCRandtheneedto achieve abettersharing ofresponsibilities andarrangements betweenallthe bodiesoftheUnited Nations system andotherconcerned organizations, both governmental andnon-governmental, fortheimplementation andfinancing of activities related tothesearchfordurable solutions; and(b)theheavyburden placed, particularly, onhostdeveloping countries asaresultofgrowing influxes ofrefugees andtheneedtosharetheburdenofthoseStatestothemaximum extent possible through international assistance, inaccordance withtheconclusions on refugee aidanddevelopment adopted bytheExecutive Committee oftheProgramme of theHighCommissioner atitsthirty-ninth session. 36.10 Theprogramme ofUNHCR,aselaborated below,derives, therefore, directly fromthestatute oftheOffice andtakesdulyintoaccount theorientation, directives andmeasures recommended bytheGeneral Assembly andtheExecutive Committee oftheProgramme oftheHighCommissioner. Itis,however, necessary to noteattheoutsetthattheprogramme isnotabletoforesee thetotality ofthe refugee problem. Thatobservation isequally validwhether oneconsiders theissue ofrefugees asanemergency challenge thathastobefacedorasanopportunity for asolution thatmustbefound. Therootcausesthatleadtorefugee outflows, or thesignificant political developments thatlendthemselves todurable solutions forlargenumbers ofrefugees, especially through thepreferred solution of voluntary repatriation, arebeyondthedirectcontrol andplanning mechanisms of UNHCR. 36.11Inordertoreflect asadequately aspossible therelevant recommendations ofthelegislative organs, theprogramme hasbeendeveloped ontheunderstanding thatthefunction ofproviding international protection embraces allmeasures concerning themaintenance orthepromotion ofthewell-being ofrefugees, whether legal,material orotherwise; moreover, thefunction ofseeking permanent solutions isbutanelaboration ofanaspectofprotection, namely, anemphasis onthe importance ofthetaskofseeking permanent solutions, asafundmental aspectof thegeneral protection function ofUNHCR. Similarly, theelaboration ofthe programme hasbeenguided bytheneedtoensurethattheassistance provided bythe Office, torefugees ultimately promotes, tothefullest extentpossible, their ability totakechargeoftheirownlivesand,wherever possible, toachieve a levelofself-sufficiency. Inthisway,notonlyishumandignity restored tothe situation oftherefugee, butover-dependence onaidisavoided, adependence that oftencomplicates theeventual implementation ofdurable solutions. -5- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library36.12Inrelation totheultimate objective ofassuring protection through permanent solutions ofvoluntary repatriation, localintegration orresettlement, thesearch mustgoonsimultaneously whileemergency orenduring refugee situations
analysis: The text appears to be focused on the international response to refugee crises, discussing the problems faced by refugees, the role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the program of UNHCR in addressing these issues. The text also touches on the need for durable solutions, such as voluntary repatriation, local integration, or resettlement, and the importance of promoting self-sufficiency among refugees. Given the humanitarian focus of the text, it is likely that it falls under the category of humanitarian aid and relief.