Kingston, Jamaica – April 2, 2025. In light of the growing humanitarian consequences of natural disasters in the Caribbean, the Caribbean English and French-speaking Restoring Family Links Network (RFLN), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are convening a key meeting to enhance Restoring Family Links (RFL) coordination, preparedness, and response to emergencies, including disasters.
The Restoring Family Links Network of the Caribbean subregion (AmerCAR), together with the ICRC, will engage in a three-day in-person working session at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston, providing RFL technical focal points from each National Society the opportunity to strengthen workflows, communication, and coordination across their respective societies.
A total of 20 National Red Cross Societies from the region and the English and French-speaking countries of the continent—including Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, Curaçao, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States of America — are in attendance at the meeting, from April 2-4.
“All too often, disasters and crises leave families separated, not knowing where their loved ones are or how to reach them. Restoring Family Links is a fundamental part of our humanitarian mission, ensuring that no one is left without hope of reconnecting,” said Allasandra Chung, President of the Jamaica Red Cross. “We are honored to host this significant Meeting in Jamaica, in partnership with Red Cross Aruba, as we work together to strengthen RFL services across the region.”
Participants will share experiences, challenges, and best practices in RFL preparedness and emergency response, including the protection of personal data, the prevention of family separations and disappearances, and strategies to mitigate the impact of disasters on communities.
Natural phenomena, exacerbated by climate change and the increase in storms and hurricanes in the South Atlantic and the Caribbean, cause significant material losses, family separations, disappearances, and deaths each year. These disasters severely impact basic services and communications, leaving communities vulnerable, uncertain about the fate of their loved ones, and reducing their ability to recover and prepare for future extreme events, as evidenced by the active 2024 hurricane season in the region.
Globally, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s Restoring Family Links programme plays a critical role in helping individuals reconnect with their loved ones. In 2023 alone:
• 16,000 people were located through tracing services.
• 7,800 individuals were reunited with their families after periods of separation.
• Over 2 million calls were facilitated between family members whose contact had been disrupted by conflict, disasters, or migration.
The Meeting is expected to enhance the delivery of RFL services in the AmerCAR region by strengthening regional coordination, improving technical capacity, and fostering closer collaboration among National Societies. By reinforcing preparedness and response strategies, the region will be better equipped to support families affected by disasters and other humanitarian crises, ensuring that no one is left without the means to reconnect with their loved ones.
The IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, dedicated to preventing and alleviating human suffering in all circumstances. Its mission is to protect life and health, uphold human dignity, and provide essential support during crises such as armed conflict, violence, and natural disasters. The Movement comprises the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 191 National Societies operating in countries worldwide.
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