A/HRC/RES/36/6
Recalling the high-level meeting of the General Assembly held on 17 February 2017
to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for
the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, an opportunity to review the
positive impact of the Convention and to discuss ways and best practices to prevent
enforced disappearances and to combat impunity by, inter alia, promoting the universal
ratification of the Convention,
Welcoming the launch by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
of an international campaign for the universal ratification of the Convention,
Deeply concerned in particular by the increase in enforced or involuntary
disappearances in various regions of the world, including arrest, detention and abduction,
when these are part of or amount to enforced disappearances, and by the growing number
of reports concerning the harassment, ill-treatment and intimidation of witnesses of
disappearances or relatives of disappeared persons,
Recalling that the Convention sets out the right of victims to know the truth
regarding the circumstances of the enforced disappearance, the progress and the result of
the investigation and the fate of the disappeared person, provides for the guarantee of
access to information concerning the whereabouts of the person deprived of liberty to any
person with a legitimate interest in such information, and sets out obligations for the State
party to take appropriate measures in this regard,
Taking note with interest of the recommendation made by the Working Group on
Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances that more assistance should be provided to family
members and members of civil society in order to enable them to report alleged cases of
enforced disappearance to the Working Group, given that, in a large number of cases, the
underreporting of cases of enforced disappearance remains a major problem owing to
various reasons, including, inter alia, fear of reprisal, weak administration of justice,
poverty and illiteracy,
Taking note with interest also of the most recent thematic reports prepared by the
Working Group, including the study on enforced or involuntary disappearances and
economic, social and cultural rights1 and its report on enforced disappearances in the
context of migration,2
Acknowledging the fact that acts of enforced disappearance may amount to crimes
against humanity as it is defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,
Welcoming the decision of the General Assembly to declare 30 August International
Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, as well as the decision of the Assembly in
its resolution 65/196 of 21 December 2010 to proclaim, pursuant to the recommendation
made by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 14/7 of 17 June 2010, 24 March as the
International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and
for the Dignity of Victims, and its call upon Member States, the United Nations system and
other international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil
society and other relevant stakeholders to observe these days,
Acknowledging that many States cooperate with the Working Group, including by
responding favourably to its requests for visits to their countries,
Recalling Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, on institution-building of the
Council, and resolution 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate
1
2
2
See A/HRC/30/38/Add.5.
A/HRC/36/39/Add.2.
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