August 30 | International Day of Missing Persons

International Day of Remembrance of Missing Persons, observed every year on August 30, is a good moment to draw attention to one of the most painful problems of the modern world. This is the issue of people going missing in armed conflicts, natural disasters, during migration, and in other circumstances. According to the International Red Cross data, in 2023, over 65,800 people were reported missing, which increased the number of those sought to more than 239,000. These numbers only reflect a part of the reality. Behind each of them lies a personal tragedy, and its consequences often affect entire families and communities.

Disappearances are one of the hardest humanitarian issues to resolve. Armed conflicts, natural disasters, and forced migrations cause thousands of people to go missing each year without a trace. For the families of missing persons, the uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones is a source of suffering that often lasts for months, or even years. Families struggle not only with emotional pain but also with legal, administrative, and economic problems. Their everyday life is filled with uncertainty. They await any news that could bring at least a glimmer of hope or – in the worst case – confirm the death of the missing person.

The Polish Red Cross, participating in the Restoring Family Links [RFL] program, works every day to find missing persons and restore family ties. The National Information and Search Bureau has been operating continuously since 1919. The existence of the Bureau is based on the applicable Geneva Conventions. "The International Day of Remembrance of Missing Persons is an opportunity to remind us that disappearances cannot be viewed as just an individual problem. It is a challenge for society as a whole, which must face the consequences of conflicts, migration, and natural disasters," emphasizes Katarzyna Kubicius, head of the National Information and Search Bureau of the Polish Red Cross.

The Geneva Conventions and additional protocols impose an obligation on parties to armed conflicts to prevent disappearances, conduct searches for missing persons, and inform families about the fate of their loved ones. Unfortunately, despite these commitments undertaken by all countries in the world, disappearances remain one of the most difficult challenges for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the Polish Red Cross. Helping the families of the missing is not only about searching for their loved ones. It is also about providing psychological, legal, and social support that allows them to cope better with the difficulties that come with the uncertainty regarding the fate of their loved ones.