The Red Cross facilitates the reunion of 215 families
What you need to know:
- 12,662 people who needed the services were contacted, and 155,865 phone calls were made to link asylum seekers and those living in the refugee camps to relatives and loved ones
Dar es Salaam. About 215 refugees living in camps located in western Tanzania have been reunited with their families between 2020 and March 2024, thanks to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS).
TRCS director, Dr Hilary Ngude, shared the data here on May 8, 2024, during the 75th anniversary commemoration of the Geneva Convention.
The convention was endorsed on August 12, 1949, and that, together with its additional protocols, form the core of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which regulates the conduct of armed conflict and seeks to limit its effects.
“About 12,662 people who needed the services were contacted, and 155,865 phone calls were made in linking asylum seekers and those living in the refugee camps to relatives and loved ones,” he noted.
Dr Ngude said the partnership between the ICRC and TRCS played a pivotal role in the reunion of refugees and their families, as well as relatives.
The event was attended by students, humanitarians, representatives of civil society organisations, and members of the diplomatic community.
It aimed at enhancing the understanding of the Geneva Convention and the proper implementation of international humanitarian laws in society.
The Swiss Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Didier Chassot, underscored the collective responsibility of states and stakeholders in preventing and halting violations of international humanitarian laws.
“Concrete actions to be taken at the national level include ratification of the additional protocols and the adoption of laws for the implementation of the Geneva Conventions, as well as their dissemination within the armed forces and the civilian population,” he said.
He lauded Tanzania's esteemed position regionally and globally, affirming its capacity to significantly influence adherence to the IHL.
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) law student, Joseph Masangula, emphasised the importance of youth engagement and understanding of the Geneva Conventions.
"If young people decide to seize the opportunity to learn and understand these laws, it will be part of employment for the country to be able to employ the youngsters as legal advisors to assist with conventions’ compliance as well as the current global trends,” said Masangula.
