News - The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

14 September 2021

Ten years after the entry into force of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances, The Work of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances takes stock of what the United Nations (UN) Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) – in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Convention – has achieved and details its jurisprudence as it stands today.

Geneva Academy

Since its establishment ten years ago, the CED has progressively constructed its jurisprudence in the context of the examination of states’ reports, by addressing urgent action requests and individual complaints, and in daily support of victims and civil society organizations in the eradication and prevention of enforced disappearance.

Authored by Maria Clara Galvis Patiño – Professor of International Human Rights Law and a former CED member –, the publication details the CED’s jurisprudence on 32 issues and topics, including transnational disappearances, disappearances committed by non-State actors, the duty to investigate, the duty to search, the prohibition of secret detention, the right to truth, participation of victims in procedures or the gender dimension of the Convention.

‘This comprehensive presentation of our Committee’s jurisprudence and achievements is an excellent tool to show in detail how its work has developed. It can and should be used by ministries, civil society, judiciaries, and other actors alike in the daily struggle to prevent and eradicate enforced disappearances in every corner of the earth’ says Barbara Lochbihler, a Member of CED and rapporteur on this publication.

Niger, Yola, internally displaced settlement. A photo of a missing person.

ICRC

Launch at the CED

The publication was presented by the CED Chair Mohammed Ayat at the opening of the Committee’s 21st session that takes place in Geneva from 13 to 24 September 2021. A number of launch events are planned, both in presence and online, to ensure worldwide dissemination of the publication over the coming months.

The Chair launches the publication at the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances

Niger, Refugee site of Gamari. A restoring family links' volunteer from the Red Cross Society of Niger is showing to the family mother the first photos of her three daughters reunited in Diffa.

ICRC

This publication forms part of the Geneva Human Rights Platform’s support to UN treaty bodies via its Treaty Body Members’ Platform, a unique tool that connects experts in UN TBs with each other as well as with Geneva-based practitioners, academics and diplomats to share expertise, exchange views on topical questions and develop synergies.

‘For us, coordinating this publication is a perfect opportunity to confirm our support to the CED. The Geneva Human Rights Platform is precisely designed to enhance the functionality, but also the outreach and visibility of the Geneva-based UN human rights mechanisms, to which this new publication will greatly contribute’ explains Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.