Human Rights Council – 60th session.
Item 3 - Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on enforced disappearances or involuntary disappearances.
Joint Statement.
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16 September 2025
Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P).
The work of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is critical. Enforced disappearances are often indicators of atrocities being committed. They may in themselves constitute crimes against humanity, and in some contexts can form part of war crimes or genocidal campaigns. Their legacy perpetuates grievances, cycles of impunity, and the erosion of social cohesion.
We note the Working Group’s recent paper on universal criminal jurisdiction. Consistent advocacy by victims and families has driven innovation in accountability, including efforts to uncover the fate of the missing and to identify the perpetrators of the crime. Addressing enforced disappearances is therefore both a matter of justice for victims and a vital contribution to peace, stability, and atrocity prevention.
As we mark R2P’s 20th anniversary, we reaffirm States’ responsibility to prevent and respond to atrocity crimes, address their legacies, and act when such patterns emerge. We would welcome the Working Group’s reflections on how States can better integrate lessons from past disappearances into early warning, prevention, and accountability.
Thank you.