War & law

Missing persons

In war, many people go missing, causing anguish and uncertainty for their families and friends. People have the right to know what happened to their missing relatives. Governments, the military authorities and armed groups have an obligation to provide information and assist efforts to put families back together. Read full overview

Highlights

Treaty Law

Customary law

Reference documents

Domestic Law

International Review of the Red Cross More articles

- Managing the dead in catastrophes: guiding principles and practical recommendations for first responders
- The missing and transitional justice: the right to know and the fight against impunity
More

Special issue of the Review

International Review of the Red Cross, 2002, No. 848 – Missing persons

In images More images

Publications More publications

Hateymalo: psychosocial support program

The ICRC launched the Hateymalo program in 2010 to help the families of missing persons (FoM) cope with the ambiguity of their loss through the provision of psychological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal/administrative support.
The need to know: restoring links between dispersed family members

This publication explains how the Family Links network operates and why its services are so important.

Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine

I’m alive
The importance of uniting families separated in times of crisis is becoming increasingly central to the Movement’s response — from Indonesia, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti. Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine, No 1, 2010.
More
- The Missing: a hidden tragedy

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All related pages

Latest News

Iran/Iraq: Efforts continue to clarify fate of missing from 1980-1988 war

06.05.2013
Iraq: ICRC responds to needs caused by unrest following events in Hawija

01.05.2013
Kuwait: ICRC chairs meetings on missing persons

05.12.2012

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Related sites

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Last update: 07-05-13