International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance A/RES/72/183 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 harassment, ill-treatment and intimidation of witnesses of disappearances or relatives of persons who have disappeared, Recalling that the Convention sets out the right of victims to know the truth regarding the circumstances of the enforced disapp earance, the progress and results of the investigation and the fate of the disappeared person, and sets forth State party obligations to take appropriate measures in this regard, Recalling also that the Convention defines the victim of enforced disappearance as the disappeared person and any individual who has suffered harm as the direct result of an enforced disappearance, Acknowledging that the widespread or systematic practice of enforced disappearance is recognized in the Convention as a crime against humanity, as defined in applicable international law, Stressing the importance of the work of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Recalling the high-level meeting of the General Assembly held on 17 February 2017 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, which provided 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, Acknowledging the valuable work of the International Committee of the Red Cross in promoting compliance with international humanitarian law in this field, 1. Recognizes the importance of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, 2 the ratification and the implementation of which will be a significant contribution to ending impunity and to promoting and protecting all human rights for all; 2. Welcomes the fact that 97 States have signed the Convention and 57 have ratified or acceded to it, and calls upon States that have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to the Convention as a matter of priority, as well as to 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 __________________ 2 3 2/3 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2716, No. 48088. A/71/278 and A/72/280. 17-23175

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