In 2019, Amal Center for Advocacy and Recovery, in partnership with ICMP, launched the “Truth and Justice” Campaign to bring together the voices of families of the forcibly disappeared and missing in Syria, turning them into clear demands directed at decision-makers and official bodies to uncover the fate of the missing, ensure accountability, and secure the release of detainees.

Background and Motivation

Families of the missing face a legal and procedural vacuum that prevents them from accessing their basic rights, from civil status documentation to guardianship, property, and social security. They also lack clear channels for reporting and follow-up, and encounter weak coordination among relevant authorities. The campaign was launched to unify efforts and present a practical pathway based on evidence and documented testimonies.

General Objective

• Amplify the voices of families to the international community and the Syrian government, demanding the disclosure of the fate of the forcibly disappeared and missing.
• Advocate for the release of detainees and the protection of the legal and human rights of affected families.
• Promote principles of truth, justice, and reparation through an approach sensitive to protection concerns.

Main Activities

• Joint Statement Signed: 120 families signed a unified statement submitted to relevant international bodies, outlining specific demands for uncovering the fate of the missing, ensuring accountability, and releasing detainees.
• Official Submissions to ICMP: Supporting families in filing and technically following up on reports, including documenting information and potential links to aid in identification efforts.
• Awareness Sessions and Artistic Activities: Organizing legal awareness workshops, purposeful theater performances, and poetry evenings that reflect the human impact of loss, help break stigma, and strengthen community solidarity.
• Referrals and Support Services: Connecting families with providers of legal, psychological, and social assistance through safe referral pathways that respect privacy and the family’s best interests.

Core Advocacy Messages

Truth is an inalienable right for families of the disappeared and missing. Justice begins with official recognition of the situation, followed by effective measures to uncover the fate, ensure accountability, and provide reparation.

• The urgent need to develop clear, simplified procedures for reporting and follow-up, and to guarantee access to records and information.
• Protection of families’ privacy and prevention of exploitation, along with ensuring fair and free legal support.
• Incorporating the needs of women and children into policies and decisions to safeguard their legal and living security.

Expected Outcomes and Impact

• Strengthened visibility of families’ demands at both international and national levels through documented statements and practical recommendations.
• Increased number of reports filed with ICMP and improved quality of data submitted by families.
• Greater public awareness of the issue of the missing, and the establishment of safer, more effective referral pathways.

Sustainability

The campaign builds on its outcomes by updating the database of reports, institutionalizing legal and psychological referrals, developing awareness materials tailored for families, and monitoring official responses to recommendations. This ensures the transition from a one-time event into a sustained, rights-based process.