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This is enshrined in numerous instruments, including Article 12 of the UDHR, Article 17(1) of the ICCPR, and Article 16(1) of the CRC. At regional level, the principle is reflected in\u0026nbsp; Article 8(1) of the ECHR, Article 11(2) of the ACHR and Article 21(1) of the ArCHR. The\u202fright to family life\u202fis the right of all individuals to form a family and maintain family relationships. States are not only obliged to refrain from interfering with family life but are also required to take affirmative steps to protect it. In the context of forced displacement, this entails proactive measures to preserve family unity and to reunite families that have been separated. The ICCPR affirms the right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to found a family (Art. 23(2)). The Human Rights Committee has clarified that this right encompasses the ability to live together and requires appropriate measures to \u201censure the unity or reunification of families, particularly when their members are separated for political, economic or other reasons\u201d (General Comment No. 19). Similarly, the CRC underscores the importance of family unity for children and their parents, requiring States to process applications for family reunification \u201cin a positive, humane and expeditious manner\u201d (Art. 10(1)).\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInternational human rights law does not provide a precise definition of \u201cfamily.\u201d For the purposes of family reunification, the term generally includes at a minimum the so-called \u201cnuclear family,\u201d typically comprising spouses and their unmarried minor or dependent children. However, UNHCR promotes a case-by-case assessment of what constitutes a family, advocating for a broad and flexible interpretation that considers personal, cultural, emotional, biological, material, health-related, and economic ties. The Human Rights Committee recognises children under 18 as part of the family unit and has interpreted the concept of family to include all those regarded as such by the society of the State concerned (General Comment No. 19). This grants a degree of discretion in defining \u201cfamily,\u201d but obliges them to apply their definition consistently when addressing family unity and reunification claims.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAlthough the 1951 Refugee Convention does not contain a specific provision on family unity, Recommendation B of the Final Act addresses the issue. The drafters assumed that family members of a refugee would generally benefit from the Convention\u2019s protections and stated that \u201c[m]embers of the immediate family of a refugee should, in general, be considered as refugees if the head of the family is a refugee.\u201d While non-binding, the recommendation forms the basis of numerous resolutions of UNHCR\u2019s Executive Committee and is a principle observed by most States.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ERespect for the right to family life and the principle of family unity requires States to take sufficient and reasonable measures to restore family life through reunification. In some jurisdictions, family reunification procedures may be complex and lengthy. However, the conditions for reunification must not be so restrictive as to make reunification virtually impossible. Guidance on flexible procedures for family reunification is provided by international refugee and human rights standards, including UNHCR\u2019s Executive Committee Conclusions. These address key procedural elements such as documentary evidence of family links, sponsorship requirements, grounds for refusal of applications, procedural timeframes, and access to travel documentation and visas.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhile the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (1954 Convention) does not address family unity, States are nevertheless encouraged to facilitate the reunion of those with recognized statelessness status in their territory with their spouses and dependents. Whether dependents of a stateless person would be entitled to statelessness status is subject to an enquiry into the nationality status of each dependent to verify qualification as a \u201cstateless person\u201d under the 1954 Convention. Facilitating family unity, however, could also be achieved by granting residence rights to dependents of a stateless person in the territory of a State party, even where the dependents are not stateless.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor IDPs, the right to family life and the principles of family unity and reunification are reaffirmed in Principles 16 and 17 of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. Displacement often results in the separation of family members, weakening the protective role of the family \u2013 particularly\u0026nbsp; for children, the elderly, and other vulnerable individuals. To address this, the Guiding Principles require states to take measures to preserve family unity, facilitate family reunification, determine the fate of missing persons, and treat the dead with appropriate respect.\u0026nbsp; These protections are reinforced in regional instruments such as the Great Lakes Protocol on the Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons, which requires Member States to facilitate family reunification (Art. 4(1)(h)), and the Kampala Convention, which prohibits armed groups from separating family members (Art. 7 (5)(c)) and requires state parties to take necessary measures to \u201ctrace and reunify families separated during displacement and otherwise facility the reestablishment of family ties\u201d (Art. 9(2)(h). Finally, family reunification is one of the eight criteria used to determine the extent to which a durable solution has been achieved as outlined in the IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for IDPs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","dialogOptions":{"dialogClass":"general-guidance-popup","width":"50%","modal":true,"title":"General guidance related to this right category","classes":{"ui-dialog":"general-guidance-popup"}}}]