Families from Bougainville join International Conference for Families of Missing Persons
19 participants from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville joined the Second International Conference for Families of Missing Persons, organized by the International Committee of Red Cross’s Central Tracing Agency’s Missing Persons Project.
The Conference marked 100 years of service, helping families find closure over the fate of their loved ones who went missing during conflict, disaster, migration and other situations of violence.
CTA International Conference for Families of Missing Persons 2021 from ICRC on Vimeo.
The two-day event held from 6 to 8 September brought together families representing 35 regions around the world, including Bougainville. Participants shared stories and experiences on the plight of their loved ones and provided opportunities to learn from each other about their rights, how to participate in the search process, be part of identification mechanisms, and advocate for a better response to their needs.
The 19 participants from Bougainville represented families whose loved ones went missing during the Bougainville crisis. The occasion was an eye-opener for many of them, who were able to interact with other families of missing person around the world for the first time.
Participants also discussed issues related to psychosocial support, financial assistance, legal support and various other ways to advance the cause of the families of the missing.
