NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Bahamas Red Cross National Society’s (BRCS) three-day subregional meeting on Restoring Family Links (RFL) kicks off today in Nassau.
The meeting will bring together 28 participants from 14 National Red Cross Societies, four overseas branches, and four ICRC delegations from the Americas region from July 27-29.
During the meeting, participants exchanged experiences and shared good practices that have been
implemented in the region aimed at strengthening RFL preparedness and response.
“Every year, natural disasters and migration split up countless families in the Caribbean where we
see the suffering of people when they lose contact with their loved ones and don’t know where they
are or whether they are safe,” said Susana Lopez, ICRC Protection of Family Links Regional Advisor for the Americas.
“The number of families separated, and missing persons reported remain a humanitarian challenge that we collectively, in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, continue to address.”
The meeting tackled issues related to the implementation of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s RFL strategy for 2020-2025, the current challenges that the separated, missing persons and their families face, the required assessment of RFL needs and capacities, the response to the needs of migrants and their families, as well as the protection of data of the individuals benefiting from RFL services.
Terez Curry, President of the BRCS, said: “To alleviate human suffering, the International Red
Cross and Red Crescent Movement must unify and intensify its efforts to strengthen the Family
Links Network in order to protect family unity and prevent family separation.”
The ICRC and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies work together around the world to
locate people and put them back into contact with their relatives. This work includes looking for
family members, restoring contact, reuniting families, and seeking to clarify the fate of those who
remain missing.
