IJM Speaks at the First UN World Congress on Enforced Disappearances
Police Abuse of Power
The first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances was held in Geneva on January 15-16 in recognition of the impact on societies and loss of trust in institutions when States are responsible for enforced disappearances. The event brought together hundreds of participants from all regions, including survivors and family members, high-level government representatives, human rights organizations, legal experts, underscoring the universality of this critical issue. Joseph Kariuki, Communications and Media Lead for IJM in Kenya attended the event and delivered remarks about the importance of strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations' ability to engage with UN mechanisms.
The UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances defines enforced disappearance as "the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, which place such a person outside the protection of the law.” (Article 2 of the ICPED and Preamble of the Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance)
It is characterized by three cumulative elements:
1. Deprivation of liberty against the will of the person;
2. Involvement of government officials, at least by acquiescence;
3. Refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person.
Joseph Kariuki, Communications and Media Lead for IJM in Kenya attended the event and delivered remarks about the importance of strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to engage with UN mechanisms during the close.
“Despite the prevalence of these cases, many remain unreported to UN mechanisms due to inadequate documentation and capacity building…There exists a critical gap between the vital work conducted on the ground and the ability to report these incidents to international bodies due to a lack of capacity in evidence gathering, understanding the reporting pathways, and recognizing the roles and procedures of these mechanisms. It is essential to invest in building civil society capabilities through targeted training sessions and providing opportunities for activists to engage directly with international mechanisms in Geneva. Together, we can enhance our advocacy efforts and ensure that voices of the disenfranchised are heard and acted upon at the international level.”
Joseph has spent years working with families who have lost loved ones to enforced disappearances in Kenya, including supporting them to share their stories through publications like the Missing Voices report. He shares, “a disappearance has a doubly paralyzing impact: on the victim, who is removed from the protection of the law, frequently subjected to torture and in constant fear for their lives; and on their families, ignorant of the fate of their loved ones, their emotions alternating between hope and despair, wondering and waiting, sometimes for years, for news that may never come.”
Joseph highlighted that currently in Kenya enforced disappearances are not recognized as a criminal offence, and therefore offenders are charged with a lesser crime of abduction. He calls on Kenya to ratify the UN Convention on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances that it signed in 2007 to criminalize this serious violation.
###
About International Justice Mission
IJM partners with local authorities in 33 field offices in 19 countries to combat slavery, violence against women and children, and other forms of abuse against women, children and men living in poverty, and IJM works to rescue and restore victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and help strengthen public justice systems.
