Security Council resolution 1502 (2003) [on protection of humanitarian personnel and the UN and its associated personnel in conflict zones]
Symbol: S/RES/1502(2003)
Date: 2003-08-26
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/58 [19] PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS--STAFF SECURITY
Subjects: Geneva Conventions (1949)|Hague Regulations (1907)|Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (1994)|Charter of the United Nations (1945)|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|RELIEF PERSONNEL|STAFF SECURITY|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|PUNISHMENT|INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE|VIOLENCE|INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS|FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT|HOST COUNTRY RELATIONS|PROSECUTION|EXTRADITION|RISK ASSESSMENT|DECLARATIONS|REPORT PREPARATION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ANGOLA
vote: yes
country: BULGARIA
vote: yes
country: CAMEROON
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: GUINEA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SPAIN
vote: yes
country: SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

                United Nations                                                                    S/RES/1502 (2003)
                Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                 26 August 2003




                Resolution 1502 (2003)
                Adopted by the Security Council at its 4814th meeting, on
                26 August 2003

                      The Security Council,
                      Reiterating its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international
                peace and security and, in this context, the need to promote and ensure respect for
                the principles and rules of international humanitarian law,
                      Reaffirming its resolutions 1296 (2000), of 19 April 2000, and 1265 (1999), of
                17 September 1999, on protection of civilians in armed conflict, and resolution 1460
                (2003), of 30 January 2003, on children and armed conflict, as well as other relevant
                resolutions, and recalling the statements of its President on protection of civilians in
                armed conflict 1 and on protection of United Nations personnel, associated personnel
                and humanitarian personnel in conflict zones, 2
                     Welcoming the adoption by the General Assembly of resolutions 57/28 entitled
                Scope of legal protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and
                Associated Personnel and 57/155 entitled Safety and security of humanitarian
                personnel and protection of United Nations personnel,
                      Reaffirming the obligation of all humanitarian personnel and United Nations
                and its associated personnel to observe and respect the laws of the country in which
                they are operating, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the
                United Nations, and underlining the importance for humanitarian organizations to
                uphold the principles of neutrality, impartiality and humanity in their humanitarian
                activities,
                     Emphasizing that there are existing prohibitions under international law
                against attacks knowingly and intentionally directed against personnel involved in a
                humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission undertaken in accordance with the
                Charter of the United Nations which in situations of armed conflicts constitute war
                crimes, and recalling the need for States to end impunity for such criminal acts,
                     Aware that the protection of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its
                associated personnel is a concern in situations of armed conflict and otherwise,

        __________________
               1 Presidential Statements S/PRST/2002/6 and S/PRST/2002/41.
               2 Presidential Statement S/PRST/2000/4.



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S/RES/1502 (2003)


                     Gravely concerned at the acts of violence in many parts of the world against
               humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its associated personnel, in
               particular deliberate attacks, which are in violation of international humanitarian
               law, as well as other international law that may be applicable, such as the attack
               against the Headquarters of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)
               in Baghdad on 19 August 2003,
                     1.    Expresses its strong condemnation of all forms of violence, including,
               inter alia, murder, rape and sexual assault, intimidation, armed robbery, abduction,
               hostage-taking, kidnapping, harassment and illegal arrest and detention to which
               those participating in humanitarian operations are increasingly exposed, as well as
               attacks on humanitarian convoys and acts of destruction and looting of their
               property;
                   2.    Urges States to ensure that crimes against such personnel do not remain
               unpunished;
                     3.   Reaffirms also the obligation of all parties involved in an armed conflict
               to comply fully with the rules and principles of international law applicable to them
               related to the protection of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its
               associated personnel, in particular international humanitarian law, human rights law
               and refugee law;
                     4.  Urges all those concerned as set forth in international humanitarian law,
               including the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Regulations, to allow full
               unimpeded access by humanitarian personnel to all people in need of assistance, and
               to make available, as far as possible, all necessary facilities for their operations, and
               to promote the safety, security and freedom of movement of humanitarian personnel
               and United Nations and its associated personnel and their assets;
                    5.    Expresses its determination to take appropriate steps in order to ensure
               the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its
               associated personnel, including, inter alia, by:
                    (a) Requesting the Secretary-General to seek the inclusion of, and that host
               countries include, key provisions of the Convention on the Safety of United Nations
               and Associated Personnel, among others, those regarding the prevention of attacks
               against members of United Nations operations, the establishment of such attacks as
               crimes punishable by law and the prosecution or extradition of offenders, in future
               as well as, if necessary, in existing status-of-forces, status-of-missions and host
               country agreements negotiated between the United Nations and those countries,
               mindful of the importance of the timely conclusion of such agreements;
                    (b) Encouraging the Secretary-General, in accordance with his prerogatives
               under the Charter of the United Nations, to bring to the attention of the Security
               Council situations in which humanitarian assistance is denied as a consequence of
               violence directed against humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its
               associated personnel;
                      (c) Issuing the declaration of exceptional risk for the purposes of article 1 (c)
               (ii) of the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, in
               situations where in its assessment circumstances would support such a declaration,
               and inviting the Secretary-General to advise the Council, where in his assessment
               circumstances would support such a declaration;



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                                                                                    S/RES/1502 (2003)


      6.    Requests the Secretary-General to address in all his country-specific
situation reports, the issue of the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and
United Nations and its associated personnel, including specific acts of violence
against such personnel, remedial actions taken to prevent similar incidents and
actions taken to identify and hold accountable those who commit such acts, and to
explore and propose additional ways and means to enhance the safety and security
of such personnel.




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