International Day of the Disappeared

International Day of the Disappeared, celebrated annually on August 30, fulfills an important task. It draws attention to the fate of people who find themselves in places of deprivation of liberty, in unsuitable conditions for life and without contact with their relatives (legal representatives). These people need help!

History

International Day of the Disappeared was established by the Latin American Federation of Associations of Families of the Disappeared (FEDEFAM). This is an NPO, organized in 1981 in Costa Rica. It brought together local and regional activists who spoke out against violence against people in Latin America. Abductions of people and their forcible imprisonment were widely practiced there (and today this phenomenon has not yet disappeared).

On August 30, an important event took place. On this day in 2007, hundreds of people from the Philippines, mostly activists and relatives of the missing – abducted or killed by Philippine security forces – took to the anti-government protest.

Interesting facts

Among the various organizations protesting against the disappearance of people, the International Committee of the Red Cross has additional privileges. In some cases, the ICRC is the only organization with access to prisoners, which provides contact and control over how they are treated. Affected families are often unable to obtain information about their fate except from the ICRC. But this is a chance to learn about the fate of loved ones.

This is an essential part of the ICRC’s privileges. Its mandate also extends to the missing victims of natural disasters, military operations and other tragic events. The ICRC is looking for detainees, those stranded abroad, those hospitalized, those who have died, using the forces of 189 Red Cross societies around the world. He advocates with governments and other groups for the right of families to know about the fate of loved ones. He also helps the families of these people – they often need psychological, social, legal and financial assistance.

How to celebrate

You can celebrate International Day of the Disappeared:

• by donating funds to organizations looking for the missing;
• spreading information about them on social networks.

When is International Day of the Disappeared celebrated in 2022?

International Day of the Disappeared is observed on August 30 each year.

Observations