First Restoring Family Links (RFL) Sub-regional Caribbean Meeting “AmerCAR” in Bahamas

#TheBahamas, August 4, 2022 – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Bahamas Red Cross National Society (BRCS) organized a three-day subregional meeting on Restoring Family Links (RFL) in Nassau, from 27-29 July 2022. The meeting brought together 28 participants from 14 National Red Cross Societies, four overseas branches and four ICRC delegations from the Americas region. Mrs. Candianne Williams, Director of TCI Red Cross was one of the meeting participants from the overseas branches.

During the meeting, participants exchanged experiences and shared good practices that have been implemented in the region aimed at strengthening RFL preparedness and response.

“Every year, natural disasters and migration split up countless families in the Caribbean, where we see the suffering of people when they lose contact with their loved ones and don’t know where they are or whether they are safe. The number of families separated and missing persons reported remains a humanitarian challenge that we collectively, in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, continue to address”, said Susana Lopez, ICRC Protection of Family Links Regional Advisor for the Americas.

The meeting tackled issues related to the implementation of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s RFL strategy for 2020-2025, the current challenges that the separated, missing persons and their families face, the required assessment of RFL needs and capacities, the response to the needs of migrants and their families, as well as the protection of data of the individuals benefiting from RFL services.

TCI Red Cross Director Candianne Williams said “Restoring Family Links forms an integral part of our disaster response mechanism. The branch will benefit tremendously from the sharing of knowledge and support during the meeting, which was aimed at strengthening our ability in the region to respond to the needs of our communities.

The ICRC and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, including, work together around the world to locate people and put them back into contact with their relatives. This work includes looking for family members, restoring contact, reuniting families, and seeking to clarify the fate of those who remain missing.