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REPORT

CEDI is co-organizer of the World Congress on Enforced Disappearances

OVERVIEW

A multi-actor platform for collective action

At least 620 participants in person and 1,392 online, from 118 countries

310 civil society organizations, including 82 victim-led organizations

76 State delegations

23 partners

 

Pledges submitted by 16 States, 5 regional and international organizations, 25 civil society organizations, 2 national human rights institutions, and 4 professionals.

 

2 ceremonies, 12 panels, 2 workshops, 1 reception over 2 days.

125 speakers and moderators​

Voices from the world

Participants came from all regions of the world. Europe was the most represented region, with 37% of participants; followed by the Americas (21%), Asia-Pacific (13%), MENA (13%) and Africa (8%).

 

Amongst the 125 speakers and moderators, 56 (45%) came from Europe, 26 (21%) from the Americas, 15 (12%) from Asia-Pacific, 14 (11%) from Africa, and 13 (10%) from MENA.

The disappeared and their families at the centre

The disappeared and their families at the centre

The event highlighted the centrality of the voices of families, including the crucial role of women in addressing enforced disappearances. This was reflected in the number of participants representing civil society organizations, including victim-led organizations.

 

301 organizations (59%) represented at the Congress were civil society organizations, including 82 victim-led organizations.

 

77 speakers and moderators (62%) came from civil society, including 29 (23%) from victim-led organizations

 

54% of participants and 62% of speakers were women. Among representatives of victim-led organizations, there were twice as many women (107) as men (52), a reflection of the disproportionate impact of enforced disappearances on women and of their leading role in the struggle for truth and justice.​

Follow-up activities

Recommendations for action were identified throughout the various sessions and pledges submitted. The event concluded with a call to action and unveiling of key follow-up activities. These initiatives, most of which are supported by the Congress partners, were suggested during pre-Congress regional consultations:
 

  • The creation of a victim-led regional network in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • Organization of regular meetings of women searchers

  • Reporting on the sessions of the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances

  • Promotion of ratification of the International Convention

  • Strengthening the capacity of CSOs to engage with UN mechanisms

  • The creation of a global youth network against enforced disappearances

Common themes

Across the various sessions, common themes emerged, shedding light on key issues related to the fight against enforced disappearance:

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  • From victims to activists: stories and testimonies of resilience, empowerment and solidarity

  • Guaranteeing victim engagement and participation in relevant processes (legal proceedings, search and identification processes, legislative processes, etc.)

  • The need for tailored, integrated, holistic victim-centered approaches

  • The fight against impunity: need for robust and adequate legal framework, existing and emerging mechanisms, challenges to accountability and how to overcome them

  • The multifaceted impact of enforced disappearances on women and children: many powerful testimonies across the sessions (legal hurdles due to lack of status of the disappeared, impact on health, access to education, social stigmatization, etc.)

  • Ensuring protection of family members who search for their disappeared, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, amongst other professionals remains a major challenge

  • The continuing nature of enforced disappearance (continuing trauma and continuing crime)

  • The need for strengthened cooperation amongst relevant actors at all levels (national, regional and international): need to build coalitions and networks, need to strengthen existing networks. International cooperation is key due to the transnational nature of enforced disappearances

  • Different contexts and patterns, including: ED of women in war-torn Sudan and Mexico, in the context of migration, involvement of non-State actors (militias, terrorist groups and drug cartels), short-term enforced disappearances

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DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

1ST WORLD CONGRESS ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES REPORT
Publication date: 15 March 2025

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The report in Spanish, French and Arabic, will be available shortly. 

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