Outcome: Thematic Meeting on Family Separation and Missing Persons in the Context of Migration

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Technical meetings
Details: 17 October 2023

Around 100 participants from 31 European and African countries came together on 20-21 September 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Rabat Process Thematic Meeting on Family Separation and Missing Persons in the Context of Migration that centred on prevention, tracing and reunification. This marked the first time the topic of missing migrants was discussed in the framework of the Rabat Process. The meeting resulted in 32 concrete recommendations addressed at the Rabat Process partner countries.

Co-chaired by Switzerland and The Gambia, the meeting was held within the context of Cadiz Action Plan 2023-2027, the current multi-annual cooperation programme which is the first to include the issues of family separation and missing migrants in its Domain 3 on protection and asylum. Host country Switzerland has played a particularly active role in this Domain, also acting as reference country for Domain 3.

Overarching focus on prevention, tracing and reunification

The meeting brought together partner countries and organisations to explore concrete avenues for collaboration in the prevention and resolution of cases of family separation and missing migrants in the context of migration. Panel discussions and working groups delved into the topic from different angles, always guided by the overarching focus on prevention, tracing and reunification.

Session 1 provided the global and regional context surrounding the issues of missing migrants and family separation by drawing on the expertise of international organisations and NGOs.
Session 2 focused on the search for missing migrants and efforts to reconnect families. It provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges involved in tracing missing migrants and restoring family links. This session also offered a platform to present a number of tools aimed at facilitating and improving the search for missing migrants and their families.
Session 3 concentrated specifically on unaccompanied and separated migrant children, unveiling the specific risks linked to their disappearance along migration routes. It discussed the appropriate measures that states could take in accordance with the best interests of the child, along with possible cooperation mechanisms.
In session 4, participants divided into different working groups in order to work out specific recommendations addressed at the Rabat Process partner countries. The working groups discussed the prevention of disappearances and family separation along migration routes, the search and identification of missing persons in the context of migration and the support and information provided to families of missing migrants.
A field visit to the Central Tracing Agency of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the ICRC museum gave the participants the opportunity to learn more about its activities and history.

32 recommendations for addressing family separation and missing persons in the context of migration

The meeting resulted in the formulation of 32 recommendations on separation of families and missing persons in the context of migration, addressed at the Rabat Process partner countries. These recommendations, contained in the meeting’s outcome document, address the following areas thematic areas, in addition to cross-cutting recommendations:

Prevention of migrants from going missing and family separation in the context of migration
Search and identification of missing migrants
Support and information to families of missing migrants
Unaccompanied and separated migrant children

The meeting concluded with the official endorsement of the following two recommendations:

Continue to discuss the issue of international protection and asylum, and more specifically the question of missing migrants in the context of a follow-up meeting in The Gambia in 2024. Switzerland and The Gambia will report back to all Dialogue partners on the Geneva thematic meeting at the upcoming Senior Officials Meeting in Rabat (date to be confirmed).
Consider setting up a network of Focal Points in the partner countries of the Rabat Process responsible for issues relating to missing migrants and the separation of families.