Mexico City.- In recent years, the number of migrants in Mexico has reached unprecedented levels and with it the number of separated families and missing persons in immigration processes has also increased. Faced with this context, it is urgent and essential to establish the immediate search processes under the presumption of life as a national priority.
To contribute to the construction of effective mechanisms for the search, location and identification of people, as established by the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (PMM), the National Search Commission (CNB), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) joined forces to hold the first National Meeting of Search Commissions on March 28 and 29 in Mexico City.
“Thousands of people in the region have disappeared along migration routes, causing immense anguish to their families by not knowing what has happened to them or where their loved ones are,” said Miguel Ramírez, head of operations in Mexico for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “States must do everything in their power to prevent disappearances, prevent families from losing contact with each other, search for missing persons and mitigate the related humanitarian consequences. It is imperative that efforts to provide a forceful response are not further postponed to this human tragedy”.
At the event, IOM Mexico Deputy Chief of Mission, Jeremy Mac Gillivray, called for establishing coordination channels at the transnational level to facilitate life searches and information channels with families, and to examine the effects of policies and laws related to migration so that they do not increase or create risks of migrants going missing.
“It is necessary to strengthen collaboration with States and relevant international organizations to detect risks and establish effective mechanisms to prevent and address disappearances on migratory routes: address the phenomenon at the local level considering the particularities of the dynamics, taking into account the central role of consulates and their participation with a regional and cross-border approach”, Mac Gillivray added.
Both international organizations recalled that, in accordance with the provisions of the Approved Protocol for the Search for Missing and Unlocated Persons, it is necessary to carry out searches with a differentiated approach, taking into account the particular needs and vulnerability conditions of this migrant population. This means that the search for migrants must take into account their specific context (they are far from their support network, financial situation, the way they travel, etc.) and deploy actions that respond to it, such as in-depth interviews with their families. and track the person considering spaces such as migration stations, shelters, refuges and other places to which they usually go for services, attention or information.
“Developing differentiated and immediate search strategies, with a deep understanding of the problems related to the disappearance of migrants and with a strengthened network of actors, can contribute decisively to the prompt and diligent location of these people who are in a already vulnerable situation,” explained Miguel Ramirez.
During two days, representatives of 23 state search commissions and the National Commission met with the purpose of aligning efforts to consolidate search strategies for migrants, reflect on the challenges they face when carrying out differentiated search actions, and generate rapprochement plans. key interlocutors to respond to families who do not know the whereabouts of any of their members. This exercise will continue through three regional tables that will take place in April in Baja California, Mexico City and Chiapas.
The ICRC, founded in 1863, is an independent, neutral and impartial international humanitarian organization that provides protection and assistance to victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence. It has 20,000 employees working in 100 countries around the world. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian network, and works hand-in-hand with its national Red Cross partners to expand its work.
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Ana Olivia Langner, public communication officer: 52 5537176427
Cesia Chavarría, OIM Communications Assistant: +52 55 4523 3123