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When refugees flee their country of origin, family members are frequently left behind or dispersed during their frantic escape. Such separation invariably leads to hardship and sometimes to tragic consequences. It may also create serious obstacles to a refugee's integration in a new homeland. Guided by both humanitarian and practical considerations, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has sought since its inception to ensure the reunification of separated refugee families.
Exodus World Service staff recently met with refugee leaders to hear directly from them about the issues they face as they assimilate into their new community. Topping their list was concern for their families back home. In view of this, Exodus has decided to write on the subject of family reunification so that volunteers, who are often the first people newly arriving refugees meet, have a better understanding of the topic. To read more on this subject, click on the links below:
International agreements on family reunification
The importance of family reunification has been stressed in a number of international documents. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 recognize that "the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State". Considering the right of family, this Covenant recommended that governments take necessary measures to protect the refugee's family, especially:
- 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
- Protecting refugees who are minors, in particular unaccompanied children and girls, with special reference to guardianship and adoption.
Since the separation of refugee families often leads to hardships and sometimes to tragic consequences, and may be the cause of serious obstacles to a refugee's assimilation and integration in his new homeland, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) has devoted particular attention to this problem. UNHCR considered the problem of reunification in 1977 and concluded that refugee families, for many reasons, needed their protection and support toward reunification.
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Who does the UNHCR consider family?
- Dependents - Dependent persons are persons who depend for their existence substantially and directly on any other person, in particular because of economic reasons, but also taking emotional dependency into consideration. Dependency should be assumed when a person is under the age of 18, and when that person relies on others for financial support. Dependency should also be recognized if a person is disabled and not capable of supporting him/herself.
- The nuclear family - At a minimum, there is general agreement that the nuclear family consists of husband, wife and their minor children. In addition, in a number of societies and cultures, the concept of family is broader than just the nuclear unit, and includes dependent, unmarried children, minor siblings, and dependent elderly parents of the adult family member.
- Unmarried children - While many resettlement countries make a distinction between minor children and those who have reached majority age (in some cases, 18 years; in others, 21 years of age), UNHCR as a matter of policy promotes the reunification of dependent unmarried children, regardless of age, with their parents. This is particularly the case when these children were living with the parents in the country of origin and were separated as a result of the flight to safety and asylum.
- Unaccompanied minors - UNHCR prioritizes the task of reuniting children with parents, relatives or suitable guardians. Children and adolescents are in particular need of a stable family environment to ensure the development of their personal and social skills. Family reunification, however, may not always be the best solution for a child or adolescent. Recognizing that there may be tensions and dysfunctional situations with the potential for abuse and neglect, it is important to ensure that the "best interest" of the minor is promoted.
- Dependent parents and other relatives - The dependency principle compels UNHCR to promote the reunification of dependent parents who lived with the refugee or refugee family in the country of origin, or who would be left alone or destitute in the country of refuge if the refugee were to be resettled without having his or her parents along. These efforts are based on humanitarian considerations, as well as economic concerns. Similarly, UNHCR also considers other extended family members, such as single brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, etc., as potentially eligible for family reunification when it can be demonstrated that such persons were part of the family unit in the country of origin, and depended on it for their sustenance. When due to the impact of persecution, civil conflict, or refugee flight, or when such relatives have become dependent on the core family unit, they should also be considered for family reunification.
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Advocacy Updates
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