The resolution on missing persons initiated by Azerbaijan was adopted by consensus at the 41st plenary meeting of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan reported that 63 UN member states from various regions joined the resolution as co-sponsors.
This initiative, first introduced by Azerbaijan in 2002, reaffirms obligations under international humanitarian law, as well as international human rights law where applicable, regarding missing persons.
"The resolution emphasizes a call for states that are parties to an armed conflict to take all appropriate measures to prevent the disappearance of individuals and to determine the fate of those who have gone missing. At the same time, the document recalls that cases involving missing persons may be linked to acts constituting criminal offenses, and the importance of ending impunity for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law related to missing persons is emphasized" the statement reads.
The resolution calls upon states to cooperate in addressing issues concerning missing persons, including through the identification, mapping, and preservation of burial sites. In this context, the resolution makes explicit reference, for the first time, to individual, collective, and mass graves.
Furthermore, the resolution incorporates new provisions that underscore the significance of addressing the issue of missing persons within the framework of peace and peacebuilding processes, encouraging the integration of this issue into such processes to help determine the fate of those who have gone missing.
The resolution also expresses concern regarding the ways in which landmines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices hinder efforts to locate missing persons. Furthermore, the UN Secretary-General is requested to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation of the resolution to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
