The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has been set up to investigate cases in which persons are detained or killed by states in secret prisons and the corpses are disposed of so that nothing can be proven to them.

The UN mandate The UN Human Rights Commission created this body on 29 February 1980 by means of a resolution, which also defined the mandate. This UN mandate is limited to three years and is regularly renewed. After the UN Human Rights Commission was replaced in 2006 by the UN Human Rights Council, Der Menschenrechtsrat löste die Menschenrechtskommission ab, die bis 2006 das wichtigste Gremium im Menschenrechtsschutz der Vereinten Nationen gewesen war, sich jedoch zunehmen Kritik an ihrer Effizienz ausgesetzt sah. this latter is now in charge and exercising oversight. An extension of the mandate took place on 6 October 2020, and a further extension was adopted by the Human Rights Council in October 2023.

The members of the working group are not United Nations staff but are mandated by the UN, and the UN Human Rights Council has adopted a code of conduct. The independent status of elected representatives is crucial for the impartial performance of their duties. The term of office of a mandate is limited to a maximum of six years.

The working group prepares thematic studies and develops guidelines for the improvement of human rights. The group makes country visits and can make recommendations in an advisory capacity. Its tasks include examining communications and proposing to States how to remedy any abuses. It also makes follow-up procedures, in which it reviews the implementation of the recommendations. To this end, it draws up annual reports to the attention of the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

Members of the WEIGD Name Country Since Ms. Aua Balde 2020 Ms. Gabriella Citroni 2021 Ms. Grażyna Baranowska 2022 Ms. Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez 2023 Mr. Mohammed Al-Obaidi 2024

Relevant international human rights instruments Refer to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

References

External links Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances