The main strength of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, particularly relevant to its task of tracing relatives and restoring family links, is that it consists of a single worldwide network which can apply the same principles and working methods in every country where needs arise regardless of the legal status of those concerned (prisoners of war, civilians internees, local communities, internally displaced persons, refugees, asylum seekers, etc.)

The Jordan Red Crescent carries out its humanitarian activities in conformity with its own status and national legislation in compliance with the Movement status (Article 3.1). In conjunction with the public authorities, it organizes emergency relief operations and other services to assist the victims of armed conflict as provided by the Geneva conventions, and the victims of natural disasters and other emergencies for whom help is needed.

Tracing missing people regarding in particular the right of families to know their relatives’ fate, the JRC has been involved in collecting, recording and forwarding information for the purpose of locating missing persons, and reassuring their families on their whereabouts and conditions.

And that of individuals to receive news from relatives, the JRC maintain family links by receiving and sending Red Cross Red Crescent messages.

The JRC has also been involved in family reunification in particular measures for the reunion of dispersed families, and the transfer or repatriation of protected persons.

Since 1948, the JRC in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross has been carrying out tracing activities and during the last Gulf war in 2003, it opened a tracing post in the third country national camp for four months, and held two training workshops for JRC volunteers who later carried out the tracing activities in the UNHCR and JRC camps at Ruweished.

The JRC works closely with the ICRC delegation in Amman in the field of training staff and volunteers on tracing activities, building the capacities of the JRC Tracing department and supporting it’s activities, as well as equipping tracing posts in times of emergency with modern technology (e.g Sat phones) that would facilitate the work of restoring family links.