Guiding Principles for Dignified Management of the Dead in Humanitarian Emergencies and to Prevent them Becoming Missing Persons

When large numbers of people die because of humanitarian emergencies, their remains are often managed with little consideration for their dignity. When this occurs, the capacity to identify the deceased and to prevent them from becoming missing persons is reduced. The Guiding Principles for Dignified Management of the Dead in Humanitarian Emergencies and to Prevent Them Becoming Missing Persons aim to remind decision-makers, managers and practitioners responding to humanitarian emergencies of the importance of dignified management of the dead, including respect for their families, and complying with applicable law. The Guiding Principles also complement and underpin existing technical guidelines and manuals on the management of the dead. Implementing them effectively will help decision-makers, managers and practitioners achieve the reliable identification of large numbers of fatalities in humanitarian emergencies, including to prevent them from becoming missing persons.