Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons: Draft Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Holy See: Draft Recommendations for Inclusion in the Final Act of the Conference

A/CONF.2/103

I

CONSIDERING that the unity of the family, the natural and fundamental group unit of society, is an essential right of the refugee, and that such unity is constantly threatened by a variety of measures relating either to admission to the receiving country, or to other circumstances connected with the refugee's life,

THE CONFERENCE

RECOMMENDS governments to take the necessary measures for the protection of the refugee's family, especially with a view to:

1) ensuring that the unity of the refugee's family is maintained, particularly in cases where the head of the family has fulfilled the necessary conditions for admission to a particular country;

2) extending the rights granted to the refugee to cover all the members of his family; and

3) providing special protection for refugees who are minors, in particular unaccompanied children and girls, with special reference to guardianship and adoption.

II

CONSIDERING that in the moral, legal and material spheres, refugees need the help of suitable welfare services, especially that of appropriate non-governmental organizations;

THE CONFERENCE

RECOMMENDS governments and inter-governmental bodies to facilitate, encourage and sustain the efforts of properly qualified organizations.

III

CONSIDERING that at the present time a great many refugees leave their country of origin for political reasons and are entitled to special protection on account of their special position,

THE CONFERENCE

RECOMMENDS governments in the countries of first refuge to grant the right of asylum within their territories with the utmost liberality, and

RECOMMENDS all governments to undertake jointly with the countries of first reception to bear the costs arising out of the right of asylum in respect of refugees whose lives are in danger.