International concern about the phenomenon
International Day of the Disappeared is held annually on the 30th August and gives the chance to draw attention to the worrying phenomenon of peoples’ disappearance.
The impulse for the day came from the Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of Detained-Disappeared (Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones de Familiares de Detenidos-Desaparecidos, or FEDEFAM). The organization founded in 1981 in Costa Rica as an association of local and regional groups actively working against secret imprisonment, forced disappearances and abduction in a number of Latin-American countries.
International Day of the Disappeared, is an opportunity to sensitize more people to the concerning phenomenon, increase public awareness and call for donations and volunteers.
Also is an opportunity to highlight the work of several organizations, such as international bodies and organizations in the fields of human rights activism and humanitarian aid, including for example Amnesty International (AI), Red Cross (ICRC) και η Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The phenomenon of missing people has taken great dimensions at local and global levels. In both Europe and Greece there is an increase of the percentage of missing persons of all ages. The severe social and economic problems, crime, migration, etc. are just some of the reasons why the phenomenon is growing.
In view of this alarming increase, p-consulting in cooperation with eight partners from Europe, are implementing the European project «LOST» (Erasmus + KA2), which aims to tackle the disappearance phenomenon.
An important point is giving emphasis to the training of professionals working in organizations and services responsible for finding missing people.
