These tracing tools help reconnect families who have lost contact as a consequence of migration.
‘Snapshot’ programme, South Sudan. This online and print-based project is run by the ICRC and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. Where access to the internet is limited, the initiative helps people find missing relatives by having their own photos published in booklets that are circulated by the National Societies in camps and communities. If a family member recognizes the photo of a relative and the relationship can be confirmed by the National Society, contact can be restored by means of phone calls or National Society messages. The photos are also published online on familylinks.icrc.org in order to reach a global audience. Overall, 3,133 people have registered in camps for the Snapshot programme and 553 positive identifications have been made as a result.
‘Missing persons’ radio programme, Somalia. The ICRC, in cooperation with the BBC, broadcasts the names of missing Somalis at the request of their families on this radio programme six times a week. In cooperation with the Somali Red Crescent Society, the ICRC maintains a list of people whose names have been broadcast and for whom tracing requests have been opened by the Red Cross Red Crescent network. This list is also available online on familylinks.icrc.org. Between October 2015 and March 2016, 4,292 names have been aired on the radio.
Missing Persons recorded 37,292 page views between December 2012 and April 2016; Snapshots recorded 20,550 page views between April 2015 and April 2016.
Design. [P1] Focuses on the need of migrants to relocate missing family.
Implementation. [P7] National Societies and the ICRC collaborate along the migratory trails to optimize their humanitarian action, including restoration of family links.
- Insufficient awareness among beneficiaries of the services and limited access to the internet among some beneficiaries.
- Complex tracing processes, due partly to the fact that people sometimes use different names.
- It is important to extend the programmes where relevant.
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