Guiding principles for the dignified management of the dead in humanitarian emergencies and to prevent them from becoming missing persons

The Guiding Principles for the dignified management of the dead in humanitarian emergencies and to prevent them from becoming missing persons were launched in 2021. The substantial achievement of the principles is the direct link that is made between the dignified management of the dead and their identification. The direct link between dignified management of the dead and identification extends beyond the immediacy of the humanitarian disaster. It is the common experience of domestic forensic services that they are not consulted and are left out of disaster response planning. Each humanitarian emergency is unique, and the response is therefore logistically demanding as detailed requirements cannot be completely anticipated. The Guiding Principles apply at all stages and at all times in the process of managing the dead up to and including their final disposition - and beyond, when that management is still required to help prevent people from becoming missing persons.