International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance A/RES/74/161 consider the option provided for in articles 31 and 32 of the Convention regarding the Committee on Enforced Disappearances; 3. Also welcomes the most recent reports of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention; 3 4. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to increase their intensive efforts to assist States in becoming parties to the Convention, including by supporting the actions of States to ratify the Convention, providing technical and capacity-building assistance to States and civil society and raising awareness about the Convention, with a view to achieving universal adherence; 5. Requests United Nations agencies and organizations, and invites intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to continue to make efforts to disseminate information on the Convention, to promote understanding of it and to assist States parties in implementing their obligations under this instrument, especially in the context of the commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the Working Group in 2020; 6. Recalls with appreciation the first Conference of the States Parties to the Convention, held in Geneva on 19 December 2016, and convened in accordance with article 27 of the Convention, and the decision adopted by consensus that the Committee would continue to monitor the Convention in accordance with its mandate; 4 7. Takes note with appreciation of the fifth meeting of the States parties to the Convention, held in New York on 25 June 2019, and its discussion of substantive matters related to the Convention, and encourages all States parties to the Convention to continue to include such a discussion in the agenda of the meeting of the States parties; 8. Welcomes the work achieved by the Committee, and encourages all States parties to the Convention to submit their reports, to support and promote the work of the Committee and to implement its recommendations; 9. Takes note of the guiding principles for the search for disappeared perso ns adopted by the Committee at its sixteenth session and developed in dialogue and broad consultations with Member States and other relevant stakeholders; 5 10. Recognizes the importance of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 6 as a body of principles for all States that is designed to punish enforced disappearances, to prevent their commission and to help victims of such acts and their families to seek fair, prompt and adequate reparation; 11. Welcomes the cooperation established between the Working Group and the Committee, within the framework of their respective mandates, and encourages further cooperation in the future; 12. Takes note with interest of all the general comments of the Working Group, including the comments on children 7 and women 8 affected by enforced disappearances, and recognizes in this regard that enforced disappearances have special consequences for women and vulnerable groups, especially children, as they most often bear the __________________ 3 4 5 6 7 8 19-22288 A/72/280 and A/74/213. See CED/CSP/2016/4. See CED/C/7. Resolution 47/133. A/HRC/WGEID/98/1 and A/HRC/WGEID/98/1/Corr.1. A/HRC/WGEID/98/2. 3/4