The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, also known as the International Day of the Disappeared, is observed worldwide every August 30. This annual United Nations observance was officially declared by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. It highlights the issue of enforced disappearances, a human rights violation where individuals are secretly abducted or imprisoned, often by state or political organizations, and held in unknown locations outside the protection of law. Such practices are particularly prevalent in military dictatorships and are used to instill fear and repress political opponents during internal conflicts. On this day, Member States, international organizations, NGOs, and concerned individuals are encouraged to organize events to draw attention to the plight of those who have been forcibly disappeared.