A/HRC/11/L.11 page 64 IX. CARE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS A. Application of the Guidelines 152. The present Guidelines should continue to apply in situations of emergency arising from natural and man-made disasters, including international and non-international armed conflicts, as well as foreign occupation. Individuals and organizations wishing to work on behalf of children without parental care in emergency situations are strongly encouraged to operate in accordance with the Guidelines. 153. In such circumstances, the State or de facto authorities in the region concerned, the international community and all local, national, foreign and international agencies providing or intending to provide child-focused services should pay special attention: (a) To ensure that all entities and persons involved in responding to unaccompanied or separated children are sufficiently experienced, trained, resourceful and equipped to do so in an appropriate manner; (b) To develop, as necessary, temporary and long-term family-based care; (c) To use residential care only as a temporary measure until family-based care can be developed; (d) To prohibit the establishment of new residential facilities structured to provide simultaneous care to large groups of children on a permanent or long-term basis; (e) To prevent the cross-border displacement of children, except under the circumstances described in paragraph 159 below; (f) To make cooperation with family tracing and reintegration efforts mandatory. Preventing separation 154. Organizations and authorities should make every effort to prevent the separation of children from their parents or primary caregivers, unless the best interests of the child so require, and ensure that their actions do not inadvertently encourage family separation by providing services and benefits to children alone rather than to families.

Select target paragraph3

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