Reuniting families: here in Kosovo ©ICRC/ref. yu-n-00376-06h

The ICRC’s activities in Europe have three main objectives: to promote international humanitarian law (IHL) and encourage its adoption into national law; to ensure that humanitarian concerns figure on the political agenda; and to provide support for people still suffering the consequences of the Balkan conflicts of the early 1990s.

Over the past decade the ICRC has also established a presence in Brussels, Budapest, London and Paris. In addition to government and diplomatic circles, their network of contacts includes universities and schools, the military and the media. The ICRC has placed growing emphasis on raising awareness about IHL and the ICRC’s role among members of the armed forces.

In Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and neighbouring countries touched by the conflicts of the 1990s, the ICRC maintains its support for the families of the more than 17,000 people who are still listed as having disappeared during the hostilities. The ICRC assists in registering those who are unaccounted for and urges the authorities to take action to establish their fate.

The ICRC’s presence in Turkey dates back to 2003 and is directly linked with the events in neighbouring Iraq.

In all countries of the region, the ICRC cooperates closely with the national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, particularly in those countries affected by conflict.

See also: Missing persons on the territory of former Yugoslavia, April 2008