On October 21st, Counsellor Dr. Michael Espiritu addressed the Third Committee on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
The Third Committee of the General Assembly held a combined briefing on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, hearing from Mr. Juan-Pablo Albán Alencastro, Chair of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, and Ms. Gabriella Citroni, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
Both experts painted a grave picture of the global situation, noting that enforced disappearances remain a widespread and evolving violation of human rights, affecting thousands of families across regions and contexts, from armed conflict and migration to political unrest and environmental defence. They warned that the crime continues to spread through new patterns of repression, with families of the disappeared enduring years of uncertainty, fear, and trauma.
The Special Rapporteurs underscored the urgent need for universal ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and called for stronger accountability mechanisms at both national and international levels. They also highlighted the severe resource shortages faced by UN human rights mechanisms, noting that the ongoing liquidity crisis has led to reduced sessions, postponed visits, and an alarming backlog of unresolved cases, leaving victims without answers.
Among key developments, the experts also emphasized the need to address gendered impacts of enforced disappearances, particularly on women and girls, and to combat acts of intimidation or reprisals against those seeking justice.
Counsellor, Dr. Michael Espiritu, delivered an intervention reaffirming the Order’s solidarity with victims and families of the disappeared. He described enforced disappearance as “one of the most painful affronts to human dignity,” recalling that it not only robs individuals of liberty and life but also inflicts generational suffering on families left without answers.
Dr. Espiritu urged all Member States to reaffirm their commitment to international human rights law, to strengthen accountability mechanisms, and to use all diplomatic means to locate the disappeared and bring truth and justice to their families. Quoting Pope Francis in Fratelli Tutti, he underscored that every human being has the right to live with dignity and to aspire to lead a fulfilled life.
The intervention reaffirmed the urgency of preserving humanity at the heart of justice. The Sovereign Order of Malta remains steadfast in its mission to accompany victims, defend human dignity, and promote a world where truth, and accountability prevail over silence and impunity.
