Jordan: International Day of the Disappeared - Supporting Syrian families of missing persons
Geneva/Amman (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), under the patronage of His Excellency Mr Kim Pil-Woo, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan, commemorated the International Day of the Disappeared, held each year on August 30th, by organizing a public event in Amman on August 27th to honor missing persons and recognize the lasting impact of disappearances on families and loved ones during and after conflicts.
The event included a live theatrical performance featuring monologue readings by talented artists. These stories came directly from the mothers, daughters, sisters, fathers, brothers, and sons of the missing — giving voice to the emotional and psychosocial challenges they endure each day in the absence of their loved ones. The event also featured a poignant exhibition of memory boxes, crafted by families of the missing. Each box held cherished belongings of their missing relative and stories of love, resilience, and enduring hope.
The ICRC Delegation in Amman supports Syrian families of missing persons residing in Jordan by guiding them in exercising the right to know the fate and whereabouts of their missing loved ones, helping them obtain the information they need. ICRC’s support also includes providing psychosocial group sessions for emotional support, offering relief aid and livelihood support, ensuring access to healthcare through emergency cash aid, and assisting with legal and administrative challenges resulted by having a missing relative.
Yann Fridez ICRC’s Head of Delegation in Jordan, emphasized that “families of the missing grapple with a myriad of challenges beyond the ambiguity surrounding their loved ones' fate. Economic hardships, health concerns, psychological distress, and legal and administrative barriers compound their suffering, particularly when the missing individual was the primary breadwinner.”
In Jordan, over 3,400 missing persons have been registered with the ICRC by families searching for their loved ones. Most of these cases are related to the Syrian conflict, along with other conflicts around the world as well as issues related to migration.
His Excellency Mr. Kim Pil-Woo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan, stated: "The issue of missing persons carries profound meaning for Koreans, as the division of the Korean Peninsula in the early 1950s left millions of families torn apart. With this experience in mind, the Korean government joined the ICRC’s 'Protection of Family Links' project last year to support the families of those who went missing during more than a decade of conflict in Syria." Reaffirming Korea’s unwavering commitment to stand with the families of the missing and to uphold the principles of humanity, he called on more partners to join this important endeavor.
Aurelie Benete, ICRC Protection Coordinator in Jordan, said, " Recognizing that the issue of missing persons and their families is one of the most complex humanitarian challenges today. Addressing this issue requires the collective efforts of many actors, each bringing different roles, approaches, and areas of expertise.”
About the ICRC
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by armed conflict and other violence, doing everything it can to protect their lives and dignity and to relieve their suffering, often alongside its Red Cross and Red Crescent partners.
