Commemorating the 2024 International Human Rights Day

International Human Rights Day, observed annually on December 10th, is a significant global moment to reflect on fundamental human rights and address the challenges that remain in protecting and promoting them. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, remains a foundational document symbolizing the commitment to dignity, justice, and freedom for all people.

To mark this day, the Resource Center for Missing Persons, in collaboration with the organization Kosovski Stradalnici, organized two significant meetings – one in Pristina and one in Belgrade. These meetings focused on the rights of families of missing persons – a group that endures the pain of losing loved ones and the uncertainty of their fate.

Key messages and conclusions from the meetings:

  1. Families emphasized that their fundamental right to know the fate of their loved ones is being violated daily, intensifying their pain and suffering, which has persisted for more than two decades.
  2. The lack of cooperation between the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade is a major obstacle to progress. Families are the ones who bear the brunt of this lack of coordination.
  3. Families sent a clear message: greater efforts and intensified investigations are needed to uncover the fate of the missing because for these families, reuniting with their loved ones is all that matters.
  4. International actors and global organizations, while committed to human rights, often fall short in fulfilling promises to guarantee fundamental rights for all.
  5. The politicization of the process remains a significant concern. The issue of missing persons should not be a political matter but should be addressed as a core human rights issue. Families seek only one simple right: to know the location of their loved ones, to have a grave where they can honor and remember them with dignity.

Family members’ demands:

  1. Restoring cooperation between commissions and working groups in Pristina and Belgrade, prioritizing human rights in this process.
  2. Transparent processes and regular reporting to families, ensuring they are informed of any new developments.
  3. A unified commitment, regardless of ethnic, religious, or racial differences, to ensure justice and uncover the fate of over 1,600 missing persons in Kosovo.

Our commitment continues

As activists and representatives of the families, even though we lack executive power, we will continue to advocate and demand accountability from institutions in Belgrade and Pristina. We will not stop raising our voices to support every initiative that helps uncover the fate of the missing. Every individual has the right to know the truth about their loved ones and to place flowers on a grave – a fundamental right that must not be denied to anyone.

December 10th is a day for reflection and action

This day reminds us of our responsibility to protect human rights, not only for ourselves but also for those who continue to suffer in silence. Let us come together to build a fairer, more humane future, illuminated by justice for all.

This project is supported by the financial assistance of the British Embassy Pristina through United Nations Development Programme – UNDP.