UN Marks Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing UN Staff

Kathmandu. Today is the Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing United Nations Staff. This day is being observed in various countries around the world to demand justice, ensure security, and express commitment to the protection of staff engaged in life-saving work globally.

According to the United Nations, this day is observed every year on March 25 in memory of Alec Collett, who was abducted in 1985. Collett was a journalist associated with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). He was abducted by an armed group. His body was found in 2009 in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon.

Since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, hundreds of staff members serving the organization have lost their lives. Especially with the expansion of peacekeeping 'missions' in the 1990s, the risk increased, resulting in more staff deaths in that decade compared to the previous four decades.

On this occasion, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that the international community must unite to ensure necessary security and a conducive working environment for staff and peacekeepers working in hazardous situations.