(d) Support Persons Where appropriate and with a view to facilitate their participation in the RSD process, Applicants should be given the option to be accompanied during interviews and other appointments with UNHCR staff by a support person, such as a family member, a caretaker or a professional working with them and whom they trust. STANDARDS & GUIDELINES MAIN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPPORT PERSONS FOR APPLICANTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN UNHCR RSD PROCEDURES: „ Accompany and support the Applicant throughout the RSD process by providing moral and emotional support; „ Support communication throughout the process and facilitate the expression of the Applicant’s will and preferences at all stages of the RSD process; „ Avoid any conflict of interest with the Applicant; and „ Respect the confidentiality and integrity of UNHCR RSD procedures and abide by existing data protection policies (see also § 4.3.4 – Attendance by Third Parties other than Legal Representative). The presence of a support person may be particularly beneficial during the RSD Interview to help create a comfortable and trusting environment and to encourage rapport building and disclosure during the Interview. The support person can also play a key role in helping Eligibility Officers and other UNHCR Protection staff understand the Applicant’s will and preferences relating to decisions affecting him/ her, such as the way the RSD Interview is conducted, referral to medical or psycho-social support or evaluation, or disclosure of personal data to the authorities of the host country/country of asylum. The support person can, however, neither testify on behalf of the Applicant nor otherwise intervene in a manner that it is disruptive or otherwise undermine the objectives of the interview. His/her role is limited to facilitating the expression of the Applicant’s will and preferences and he/she must not be asked to make decisions on the Applicant’s behalf. The Eligibility Officer should explain the role and responsibilities of the support person and obtain the consent of the Applicant to the participation of the support person, which should be duly recorded on the file. Where the Applicant cannot provide free and informed consent, the Eligibility Officer should seek the Applicant’s views regarding the participation of the support person in the Interview before determining whether the presence of such person is appropriate in a particular case. The Eligibility Officer should verify the identity of the support person and keep a copy of the relevant identity documents and contact details on file, as well as explain to the support person his/her duty to preserve the confidentiality of UNHCR RSD procedures. The presence of a support person in the RSD Interview may not always be appropriate or conducive to disclosure. In assessing the appropriateness of the participation of a support person in the interview, Eligibility Officers should consider the Applicant’s specific needs and vulnerabilities, the nature of the relationship between the Applicant and the support person, as well as any factors indicating that the attendance of the support person would be likely to promote or undermine the objectives of the RSD Interview. The reasons for refusing to allow a support person to attend the RSD Interview should be 88 Procedural Standards for RSD under UNHCR’s Mandate