UN human rights chief concerned about rising number of missing persons worldwide

UN human rights Chief Volker Türk voiced concern about the increasing number of missing persons and called on states to ratify the international convention on forced disappearances.

He issued this call while addressing the UN General Assembly during an informal meeting of the plenary on April 2 on missing persons which has been initiated on the request of the Azerbaijani UN representation, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

"We need to commit to strengthening and implementing the human rights framework around missing people," the Austrian-born UN chief urged. He emphasized that the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, adopted in 2006, serves as "the key global agreement" on the issue yet only 77 states have ratified the document. "I urge all states to ratify it, to integrate it into their national laws, and implement it effectively, together with their other international human rights obligations."

Türk highlighted that the convention guarantees "the right to know the truth about the circumstances of enforced disappearances, the progress and results of investigations, and the fate of disappeared people. In short, exactly what family members need and demand."

Additionally, he stressed the importance of justice and accountability and has recalled that efforts within and between countries must urgently ensure justice for victims, while also addressing impunity, and preventing future violations. Reaffirming his office's commitment to supporting victims and assisting states in meeting their human rights obligations, Türk stated that victims must be "at the core of how we tackle this issue." "We need to listen to them, to hear them out and learn from them what is in their best interest. Their first-hand knowledge and experience are crucial to search and investigation efforts and to developing mechanisms for justice," he said. 

He also underscored the role of UN teams worldwide in promoting the convention’s ratification, ensuring its "effective, practical" implementation, and following up on UN human rights mechanisms' recommendations. 

By Nazrin Sadigova