Enforced Disappearance
Enforced disappearances constitute a cluster of serious human rights violations with an enormous impact not only on the people directly affected but also on the community and social sphere. In some countries, its practice is so widespread that it has become a real challenge for coexistence and reconciliation.
Even though states have a legal obligation to prevent and investigate enforced disappearances, hundreds of thousands of cases everywhere remain unsolved. In these contexts, the families – especially wives, sisters and daughters – of the missing persons assume search functions, often in conditions of danger and precariousness. Their demands for truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-repetition have triggered large mobilizations against violence and have promoted a culture of peace.
ICIP has set itself the goal of deepening, together with women seekers, the conceptualization of the link between the fight against enforced disappearances and the construction of peace, valuing the contributions of family groups in peacebuilding and collecting and transferring knowledge and tools that can strengthen their struggles.
In recognition of the important role played by women searchers in peacebuilding, the ICIP awarded the 2012 ICIP Peace in Progress Award to the Mothers of Soacha (Colombia) and the 2019 ICIP Award to SOS Disparus (Algeria).
Work with women seekers
From March 6 to 10, 2027, Barcelona will host an International Gathering of Women Searchers, bringing together women from around the world who are searching for missing loved ones to exchange experiences and strengthen the fight against enforced disappearances. The call for participants is open until September 13, 2026.
With the aim of creating a space for exchange and mutual learning among women searchers from diverse backgrounds, the ICIP is organizing this gathering as part of the BCN4Peace project, in collaboration with a broad network of organizations and institutions. The initiative seeks to foster the sharing of knowledge, challenges, and common strategies regarding a phenomenon that affects thousands of people worldwide.
On this webpage, you will find information on the context behind this initiative, the gathering’s objectives and features, the application form, and various ways to collaborate and contribute to the event’s success.
In November 2023, the ICIP organized a meeting in Barcelona with searchers of missing persons from different social, cultural and geographical contexts. The meeting responded to the objective of creating a space to share experiences and knowledge, to reflect on the role of search engines in building peace, to propose tools that facilitate and strengthen the work of peacebuilding, to give visibility to the phenomenon of disappearances enforced disappearances and the need to have prevention mechanisms and mechanisms to give effect to the rights to truth, justice and reparation, and to collect observations for the World Congress on Enforced Disappearances that is expected to be held in 2025 in Geneva.
The impact of enforced disappearances on women
ICIP participated in the 1st World Congress on Enforced Disappearances, held in Geneva on January 15 and 16, 2025, with a round table titled “The Impact of Enforced Disappearances on Women.” The session addressed the multidimensional and lasting impact of enforced disappearances on women, as well as their role as social agents and peacebuilders. Participants shared experiences and best practices from women-led groups involved in the search for missing persons and proposed measures to guarantee the rights of women searchers. The session was moderated by Sabina Puig Cartes from ICIP.
