International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2023: Every year, the United Nations celebrates it on March 25 to mark the anniversary of the kidnapping of Alec Collett, who was a journalist and died while working for the UN. Take a look at the origin of it, the purpose behind the observation and more.
“Together, we must do everything we can to ensure that those doing life-saving work around the world have the protection and conditions they need to fulfill their vital mission.” – UN Secretary General, António Guterres
In 1945 the United Nations was created and, since then, hundreds of brave men and women have lost their lives in its service. During the 1990s, the increasing number and scale of UN peacekeeping missions put several of them at risk. More people died in the 1990s than in the previous four decades combined.
Therefore, at that time, awareness began to grow among Member States and staff that the more active the UN was in the future, the more targeted it was going to be.
Thus, in September 1993, the UN Security Council adopted the first resolution on personnel security.
Complex negotiations on an international legal convention to protect UN personnel took place in the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the General Assembly.
And the result of those negotiations was the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel. In December 1994 it was adopted by the UN General Assembly.
International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2023: History
The day is celebrated on March 25 to mark the anniversary of Alec Collett’s kidnapping. He was a former journalist who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). In 1985 he was kidnapped by armed men. In 2009, his body was found in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.
International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Personnel 2023: Objective
The United Nations (UN) initially commemorated the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members in 1993. In recent years, the day has taken on greater importance as attacks against the United Nations have intensified. This day honors the achievements of UN employees and the risks they take in providing humanitarian aid, as well as those who have died while working for the organization. And also, the day is observed to mobilize action, demand justice and strengthen resolve to protect UN staff and peacekeepers, as well as non-governmental colleagues and the press.
The UN Secretary General publishes a statement each year to remember people who have been imprisoned or disappeared and demand their release and safe return.
Source: un.org
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Source: ptivs2.edu.vn