International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Wednesday, August 30th. There are until the next observance.

Every year on August 30, the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearance is observed. This day is observed to bring attention to the global number of enforced disappearances. At various times, forced disappearance has been utilized to instill fear in society. This technique creates a sense of uneasiness not just in immediate family members but also in their communities. Forcible disappearance has become a worldwide problem that is not restricted to a particular area. Furthermore, certain groups of individuals are especially prone to this sad situation.

📆 When is International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances?

This year, International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is on August 30th. It is the 5th Wednesday in August; in 2024, it is on Friday.

Countdown to International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

Did you know: Enforced disappearance is especially perilous for children, women, and the handicapped.

You can also see all fun things you didn’t know about and facts about August 30, 2023.

📜 History of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

On August 30, 2007, the International Day of the Vanished, hundreds of Filipino families and sympathizers of the disappeared demonstrated in significant numbers against the government. Edita Burgos was one of them, remembering her missing son, Jonas, a member of the Peasants’ Movement in the Philippines. On August 30, 2008, the International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances, a global alliance of family members and human rights groups, joined forces in a joint initiative to urge ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Detention under questionable circumstances is considered a violation of human rights, and the United Nations General Assembly approved a Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance as a resolution in December 1992. In 2010, the United Nations expressed alarm about the escalating number of involuntary disappearances throughout the world, noting that hundreds of thousands of individuals have gone missing in at least 85 countries during wartime or times of dictatorship. During the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in 2011, the United Nations designated August 30 as the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearance.

☑️ International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances facts

Sri Lanka has a problem
Since the 1980s, more than 12,000 claims of forced disappearances in Sri Lanka have been sent to the United Nations. This is the second-highest number in the world.

Crime is a factor
More than 26,000 people were reported missing or disappeared in Mexico between 2006 and 2012, mostly as a result of drug cartel violence and security force deployments to combat organized crime.

The status in Africa
Amnesty International documented enforced disappearances in more than a third of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012.

Things to do on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

Get involved
By becoming a member of Amnesty International, you may participate in the event. Visit their website for a detailed overview of how to register and what you can do.

Educate yourself
Discover the history of enforced disappearances and how they harm families and communities. Educate yourself and the people around you, and use your voice to help others become more aware.

Spread the word
You can submit your own experience about victims of enforced disappearances if you or someone you know has had one. Use your social media handles or speak up at public gatherings specifically designated for this reason.

📅 International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2023 August 30 Wednesday
2024 August 30 Friday
2025 August 30 Saturday
2026 August 30 Sunday
2027 August 30 Monday

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