MEMBERS AND LINKS

Number of Coalition members: 42

Latest members:

Jardin des Disparus

COALITION NEWS

On December 8-9, 2008 the Steering Committe of the ICAED held its annual meeting in Geneva. One of the major agreements was to set as a goal for 2009 to reach 20 ratifications of the Convention.

On September 26 2008 the ICAED and its international campaign for the convention completed their first anniversary. In this year the ICAED has proven its value. Membership increased from 11 organisations to 34. NGOs as well as governments acknowledge the ICAED more and more as an essential coordinating and binding element for an effective campaign. The challenges of the ICAED that lie in the near future focus on realising national campaigns on the convention, increasing knowledge on the convention and establishing a sustainable basis for the ICAED.

STRENGTHEN THE COALITION WITH DESIGNATION OF NEW FOCAL POINT

The ICAED Steering Committee(SC) met in Jakarta , Indonesia (May 27-29) with the participation of representatives from AFAD (Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearance), FEDEFAM (Latin American Federation of Families of the Disappeared), FEMED (Mediterranean Federation of Families of Disappeared), ICJ (International Commission of Jurists), HRW (Human Rights Watch), FIACAT (International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture ) and We Remember (Belarus). The main aim of the meeting was to evaluate the campaign for ratification of the Convention and for strengthening ICAED. The Charter was revised to give a greater participation of all actors who have traditionally participated in international campaigns against enforced disappearances such as family associations, international NGOS , human rights experts and concerned States. On the initiative of AFAD and FEDEFAM the focal point was rotated from Linking Solidarity/Aim for Human Rights (Netherlands) to Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Founding Line) , Argentina and Patricio Rice (former Executive Secretary of FEDEFAM 1981-87) was designated coordinator. He later sent a message to SC members: “I want to thank my predecessors Dave Hardy and Marjan Stoffers for all the work done in getting ICAED up and running and feel especially privileged to work on an issue that has concerned me for over thirty years. Working together in solidarity I have no doubt that ICAED can commit States to ratify the Convention and make important steps towards ending enforced disappearances.” Although transition to the new focal point was formally made effective on July 1st responsibility was transferred already in June when all files and publications were moved to Argentina. The new focal point is hosted by the Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Founding Line) association. The Madres led by their president Marta Vasquez are enthused about the prospect of taking a more active role in ICAED especially since Marta played a key role in the drafting process together with the late Ambassador Bernard Kessedjian of France who chaired the drafting working group. The concluding message from the Jakarta SC meeting is to call on all members and friends“ to redouble efforts to make the Convention a reality as soon as possible”.

JOIN THE COALITION

The International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED) invites all organisations of family members of disappeared and independent non governmental organisations concerned with the issue of human rights and the struggle against enforced disappearances to join the efforts of ICAED by becoming a member.

WHAT IS THE COALITION

History

: Lobby visit from family members from all over the world to Geneva during negotiations for the convention in 2005

The history of the ICAED starts more than 25 years ago. From the early eighties onwards families of disappeared and NGOs laboured together for a Convention on disappearances. Read more

The coalition

The principal objective of the Coalition is maximising impact of the activities carried out by its members in favour of an early ratification and effective implementation of the Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

The Coalition exists to strengthen and coordinate activities of its members in favor of the Convention. The Coalition will offer the opportunity for its members to gather and exchange experiences and information, combine the different skills and expertise, coordinate plans, make effective use of resources and identify and carry out possible joint actions.

Read the Charter of the Coalition for a detailed description of the ICAED

: First meeting of Steering Committee of ICAED, Paris 2007

Steering Committee

The Coalition is headed by a steering committee consisting de jure of regional and subregional organizations of families of disappeared and of a maximum of 8 representatives of NGOs which will be elected by the members of the Coalition for a mandate of two years. Read more

Focal point

The functioning of the Coalition is facilitated by a focal point. The focal point is based at one of the member organisations. The main goal of the focal point is to enable other organisations in reaching the objectives of the Coalition in a more effective and coordinated manner.

The focal point is currently based at AFAD (Asian Federation Against Disapperances)

Rooms 310-311 Philippine Social Science Center Bldg. Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Tel: 00-63-917-792-4058

Fax: 00-63-2-4546759

Mail: afad@surfshop.net.ph