MEDIA ADVISORY
High-level meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
UNITED NATIONS, New York, 16 February 2017 — In accordance with UN General Assembly resolution 70/160, H.E. Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly, will convene a high-level meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), in UNHQ New York, on 17 February 2017.
The ICPPED, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 20th, 2006, is a landmark instrument in the fight against impunity. It raises awareness of the extreme seriousness of enforced disappearance, which constitutes a crime and, in certain circumstances defined in international law, a crime against humanity. The ICPPED foresees measures to prevent enforced disappearances and acknowledges the rights of victims and their families to truth and redress.
The one-day High-Level meeting will seek to stimulate reflection and raise awareness on the Convention in order to encourage ratifications by Member States of the United Nations. It will be divided in a formal segment in the morning and a panel discussion in the afternoon. Opening remarks will be delivered by President Thomson, H.E. Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, UNSG Chef de Cabinet, on behalf of the Secretary-General, Mr. Santiago Corcuera Cabezut, Chair of the Committee on Enforced Disappearance, and H.E Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (video message).
Key objectives include: a) Take stock of the achievements of the Convention in the past ten years, and discuss ways to ensure its effective implementation; b) Discuss priorities and strategies to expand the level/degree of ratification of the Convention; c) Offer a platform for the dissemination of information on the Convention and its procedures for the facilitation of the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and lessons learned.
The meeting is open to Member States and Observers, UN agencies, programmes and funds, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, members of civil society organizations, including families of disappeared persons.
WHAT One-day High-level meeting convened by the President of the General Assembly to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
WHEN 17 February, 10:00am-5:00pm
WHERE Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations HQ, New York
Hashtags #DISPARU
Watch live at webtv.un.org
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Media contacts
Office of President of the UN General Assembly
Dan Thomas daniel.thomas@un.org | Tel: +1 917 225 1913
Tomas Pico picot@un.org | Tel: +1 646 763 3709