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.

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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.

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

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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 strategy.

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