A/HRC/RES/38/16 stresses the prerequisite role that accountability can play in any effort to bring about a sustainable, inclusive and peaceful conclusion to the conflict; 35. Recalls that the International Criminal Court was established to help to end impunity for applicable crimes in which the State is unwilling or unable to genuinely carry out investigations or prosecutions; 36. Emphasizes the need to ensure that all those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law or violations and abuses of international human rights law are held to account through appropriate, fair and independent national, regional or international criminal justice mechanisms, and stresses the need to pursue practical steps towards this goal, while noting the important role that the International Criminal Court can play in this regard; 37. Welcomes the work of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, including its close cooperation with the Commission of Inquiry and Syrian civil society; 38. Invites Member States to actively support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, including by considering the provision of information and data on the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic, and to provide adequate multiannual financial means for its functioning; 39. Deplores the grave humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, and expresses deep concern at the plight of the approximately 2 million Syrians living in besieged and hard-to-reach areas in the Syrian Arab Republic, whose needs are particularly acute and who require full, immediate and safe humanitarian assistance; 40. Expresses deep concern at the finding of the Commission of Inquiry that tactics used in the recapturing of the besieged area of Eastern Ghouta amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity;3 41. Strongly condemns the Syrian authorities’ removal of humanitarian aid from United Nations-approved convoys, including medical aid and supplies intended to reach desperate populations deprived of food, medical aid and vital necessities; 42. Demands that the Syrian authorities facilitate, and all other parties to the conflict do not hinder, the full, immediate and safe access of the United Nations and humanitarian actors, and that they ensure that the delivery of humanitarian aid reaches all those in need, including in hard-to-reach and besieged areas, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, and calls upon Member States to fully fund the United Nations appeals; 43. Expresses deep concern for the more than 5.6 million refugees in the region fleeing the violence in the Syrian Arab Republic, welcomes the efforts of the neighbouring countries Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, as well as of Egypt, to host Syrian refugees, acknowledges the socioeconomic consequences of the presence of large-scale refugee populations in those countries, and urges the international community to provide urgent financial support to enable the host countries to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees, including the particular needs of women and girls, while emphasizing the principles of responsibility and burden-sharing; 44. Notes those States outside the region that have put in place measures and policies to assist and to host Syrian refugees, and encourages them to do more, and also encourages other States outside the region to consider implementing similar measures and policies, also with a view to providing Syrian refugees with protection and humanitarian assistance; 45. Welcomes the relevant international conferences on supporting the Syrian people, notably the second conference entitled “Supporting the future of Syria and the 3 6 See A/HRC/38/CRP.3.

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents