The Missing Persons Digital Matching Project: Faster and Better Answers

One of the most significant obstacles encountered in the search for missing persons – whether in situations of violence, armed conflict, natural disasters or migration – is the lack of compatibility and exchange of information between different databases.

Through the Missing Persons Digital Matching project, we can now quickly and easily search for missing persons in the ICRC’s, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’, and our partners’ databases (i.e. certain non-governmental organizations, international organizations and government databases). In line with established agreements, at the click of a button the search engine will flag a match for further investigation without accessing the whole of these databases.

The project, which is built to the highest data protection standards, is harnessing the latest technological advances – as part of the Central Tracing Agency’s Digitalization Programme – to bring better and faster answers to families who have lost contact with their loved ones.

The project is currently being rolled out for use in ICRC delegations and a pilot is scheduled to take place with National Societies shortly.