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Reuniting families
Conflict and disasters leave more than physical wounds: in the turmoil, panic and terror, family members can be separated in minutes, sometimes leading to long years of anguish and uncertainty about the fate of children, spouses or parents. Trying to locate people, and put them back into contact with their relatives, is a major challenge for the ICRC and the national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The work includes tracing people, exchanging family messages, reuniting families and seeking to clarify the fate of those who remain missing. Highlights
Guatemala: Mother and son reunited after decades apart
South Africa/USA: ICRC and American Red Cross reunite sisters after 50-year separation
Uganda: Congolese refugees use ICRC service to call home
Getting back in touch, every 45 seconds
Refugees in Uganda: lost boys looking for a better life
Libya: Reunited after 43 years of exile
DR Congo: 70 children, one aircraft and many happy familiesFacts and Figures
In 2010, the ICRC:
- handled more than 305,000 Red Cross messages enabling family members to exchange news – 51,000 of these messages were to or from detainees;
- facilitated 21,000 phone calls between family members;
- registered over 2,000 unaccompanied/separated children, including 627 former child soldiers;
- reunited more than 1,600 children with their families;
- published the names of more than 64,000 people via www.familylinks.icrc.org who were either trying to contact relatives and friends or being sought by relatives.
Over 832,000 people contacted ICRC offices around the world for advice or services related to protection and family links.
Reference documents
In images More images
Photo galleryCentral African Republic: Fourteen former child soldiers reunited with their parents
VideoAfghanistan: Life in Lashkar GahPublications More publications
Accompanying the families of missing persons: A practical handbook 
Professional standards for protection work carried out by humanitarian and human rights actors in armed conflict and other situations of violence International Review of the Red Cross More articles
Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine
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