The participants to the February 2003 conference of governmental and non-governmental experts on missing persons and their families affirmed the magnitude of the problem and adopted a set of recommendations aimed at preventing and resolving cases of disappearances as well as responding to the needs of families left behind.

The 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in December 2003 confirmed its commitment to these objectives. Adopting by consensus the Agenda for Humanitarian Action, conference participants undertook to "Respect and restore the dignity of persons missing as a result of armed conflicts or other situations of armed violence and of their families". The Agenda includes various activities to be taken to achieve this objective.

In order to promote best practices among all relevant actors, the ICRC has drawn up a plan of action for the years ahead. The plan is being implemented progressively, with the support of an internal Taskforce. It includes activities in the following areas:

• Promotion of existing international law, development of legal guidelines for non-international armed conflict, and support to the development of a new international instrument to effectively protect persons from enforced disappearances;
  
  
• Support for the enhancement of domestic law;
  
  
• Cooperation with armed forces and regional military organizations, and facilitating contacts between them, in order to ensure, for instance, the wearing by military personnel of identification means, their regular exchange of news with their families, and the proper handling of information on the dead and of human remains on the battlefield;
  
  
• Enhancement of family news networks and capacities to manage information;
  
  
• Promotion of standards regarding the proper handling of the dead, for use by non-professionals, such as staff from humanitarian organizations, and by forensic professionals;
  
  
• Promotion of guidelines regarding the specific needs of families and the means to support them.