The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is observed every year worldwide on August 30 to honor individuals who have been forcibly disappeared and to advocate for justice, truth, and accountability.
Exam Hints:
- What? International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
- When? August 30, 2025
- Purpose: To honor forcibly disappeared individuals and advocate for justice, truth, and accountability
- Proclamation: UNGA Resolution A/RES/65/209 adopted On 21st December 2010
- First Observance: August 30, 2011
- ICPPED Adoption: 20th December 2006, UNGA adopted A/RES/61/177
- Global Statistics: 61,500 cases recorded across 115 nations.
Background:
UN Resolution Adoption: On 21st December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution A/RES/65/209, designating 30th August of each year as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
International Convention Recognition: Through the same resolution, the UNGA welcomed the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).
First Observance: The first-ever International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed on 30th August 2011.
About International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED):
Adoption of the Convention: On 20th December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted resolution A/RES/61/177, titled “International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).”
Entry into Force: The Convention entered into force in 2010, after 20 States had ratified or acceded to it. It also established the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), a body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the ICPPED by State parties.
Obligations: The Convention obligates States Parties to prevent and punish the crime of enforced disappearances.
What Are Enforced Disappearances?
Definition: An enforced disappearance occurs when individuals are abducted or detained by state agents or affiliated groups, and the state refuses to acknowledge their fate or whereabouts.
Legal Definition: Article 2 of the ICPPED and the Preamble of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (1992) define enforced disappearances as the arrest, detention, abduction, or any deprivation of liberty by State agents or authorized groups, with the support or acquiescence of the State.
Characteristics:Enforced disappearances are characterised by three cumulative elements, as defined in A/HRC/16/48/Add.3:
- Deprivation of Liberty
- State Involvement
- Concealment and Denial
Refusal to Acknowledge: Enforced disappearances also include refusing to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or concealing the person’s fate or whereabouts, effectively placing them outside the protection of the law.
Universal Principles: The 1992 Declaration provides a universal set of principles applicable to all states regarding enforced disappearances.
Global Context: Sri Lanka has one of the world’s highest rates of enforced disappearance, which includes numerous cases across the country.
World Congress on Enforced Disappearances (WCED):
First-Ever Congress: The first-ever World Congress on Enforced Disappearances (WCED) held on January 15–16, 2025, at the International Conference Center Geneva (CICG) in Switzerland.
Organisers:The WCED is co-organized by the Convention Against Enforced Disappearances Initiative (CEDI), the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), the United Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Current Relevance of Enforced Disappearances:
Global Statistics:Since 1980, the UN has recorded nearly 61,500 cases of enforced disappearances across 115 nations.
Recent Cases: Between May 2024 and May 2025, 1,278 new cases were reported in 38 countries.
