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WORLD CONGRESS
ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

WORLD CONGRESS
ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

GENEVA I 15-16 JANUARY 2025

WORLD CONGRESS ON
ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

GENEVA I 15-16 JANUARY 2025

ORGANIZATION

The World Congress is co-organized by CEDI, the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), the United Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID),  and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

OHCHR SPs Logo blue - english_edited_edited.jpg

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OBJECTIVES
  • Raise  awareness  on  what  enforced disappearance  is,  its  extent  and  impact worldwide
     

  • Put  families and civil  society  back  at  the centre of joint efforts
     

  • Develop an action  plan  for the  protection of all persons from enforced disappearance and encourage related pledges from relevant actors
     

  • Promote  intergovernmental  dialogue within a community of practice
     

  • Initiate a process of direct cooperation between all actors to  implement joint strategies.

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EXPECTED OUTCOMES
  • International community further mobilized to protect all persons from enforced disappearance
     

  • Actors engaged in the global fight against enforced disappearance submit pledges related to the proposed Action Plan

  • All concerned actors are better connected to foster synergies against enforced disappearance

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LASTING POSITIVE
IMPACT

The WCED is part of a multi-actor process that aims to achieve lasting results for the protection of all persons against enforced disappearance.

Follow-up activities may include:

 

  • Technical assistance on ratification and implementation of the Convention
     

  • Strengthened capacity-building to ensure participation of families and victims’  associations in relevant international and national processes

  • Organization of events to address issues of common interest related to enforced disappearances.

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CONSULTATION PROCESS

Relevant actors were able to contribute directly to the World Congress through a broad consultation process.

The WCED provisional programme and proposed Action Plan are based on consultations held with relevant actors in all regions between May and September 2024​.

NEWS

TIME FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION

Where are they? This is the unbearable question that the relatives of the disappeared are left to wrestle with. Tragically, enforced disappearance remains widespread across the world, with devastating repercussions on entire societies. Following decades of mobilization to prevent and eliminate this heinous human right violation, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (the Convention) was adopted in 2006 thanks to the tireless efforts of States, associations of victims, human rights non-governmental organizations and experts.

Over the past 15 years, the number of States parties to the Convention has increased from 20 to 76. However, universal ratification and implementation is far from achieved and enforced disappearance is far from being eradicated.

It is time to join forces and intensify efforts in the global fight against enforced disappearance.

Nearly 20 years after the adoption of the Convention, the first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances aims to create an opportunity for concrete and ambitious commitments to eradicate enforced disappearance everywhere in the world, putting the voices of the victims at the core of the st