Resolving refugee problems: an introduction to the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner's Programme and its documentation

The number of refugees who flee their countries each year due to civil war and political persecution has steadily risen over the years, One of the maj or producers of information about the plight of these people is the Executi ve Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme (EXCOM), a United Nations body established to advise the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Very Lit tle has been written about EXCOM despite the prolific amount of documentati on that it generates each year. This article attempts to fill the Sap by in troducing the Committee and its work, reviewing its usefulness as an inform ation source on refugee issues, and highlighting the principal resources av ailable that provide access to EXCOM texts. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.