Protecting of Family Links is a range of activities aimed at preventing family separation and disappearance of persons, restoring, and maintaining contact between family members, reuniting families, and contributing to clarifying the fate of persons reported missing.
The practice of Protecting of Family links (PFL) in Iran has a long history, dating back to the Iran-Iraq war and the exchange of thousands of Red Cross Messages between prisoners of war and their families.
In addition, the ICRC promotes cooperation with medico-legal systems and forensic services to address the needs of people affected by migration.
The Iranian Red Crecent Society (IRCS) is the main service provider for RFL in Iran, covering the entire country through RFL focal points in 32 provinces. The ICRC primarily provides technical support and works jointly with the IRCS on prevention of separation through awareness-raising and promotion of the IRCS RFL services. The ICRC also organizes capacity-building workshops for the IRCS staff and volunteers and facilitates family reunifications.
The Family Links Network, comprised of all members of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, works together to enable the delivery of RFL services.
The network provides these services in the context of armed conflict, natural or man-made disasters, migration, and other humanitarian situations where families have been separated and need assistance to reconnect.
In 2024, the ICRC in cooperation with the IRCS:
- Successfully facilitated the reunion of 12 individuals (including 2 children) who were separated on the migratory route.
- A total of 125 individuals, whose families had reported them as missing, were successfully found and their whereabouts identified.
- Maintained the family links via exchanging more than 200 Red Cross Messages between family members to restore or maintain contact with their loved ones.
