Separated from your family by war, conflict, disaster or migration?
Today is International Day of Families, and we’re celebrating the importance of the family, in all its various guises, around the world. We’re also joining in the call for the widest possible protection and assistance for the family, in terms of human rights and social justice.
On this day we’d like to acknowledge those people who are separated from their family members through war, conflict, disaster or migration. Not knowing where your loved ones are, or even whether they are safe, can be traumatic and stressful.
If you live in Australia and have lost contact with family members because of war, conflict, disaster or migration, there is something you can do to try and find them by using Find My Family – The Tracing Service.
Find My Family is part of the International Red Cross Red Crescent global tracing network, which aims to help people find family and re-establish contact between separated and long lost family members and clarify the fate of people who are missing.
The services can help you to:
- find a family member who’s missing because of war, conflict, disaster or migration;
- send a message to a relative when there is no formal way of communicating;
- check the welfare of a relative overseas that you can’t reach because they are ill; and
- confirm your detention overseas if the International Committee of the Red Cross visited you while in detention.
The services are free and confidential. No information about you will be given to other people without your permission.
For more information:
- Search online here
- Download an information flyer about the service, available in 18 languages here
- Call the Red Cross on 03) 8327 7849
