Syria Not Alone in Locating Missing Persons and Addressing Displacement Challenges with Global Support

International Collaboration Strengthens Syria’s Recovery Efforts

A Turning Point for the Nation

Qinilo.com – During Secretary-General António Guterres’s first official visit to Syria, international observers noted that the country is not alone in locating missing persons and managing displacement. The challenges facing Syria today mirror those experienced by numerous nations worldwide, particularly regarding the hundreds of thousands of citizens whose whereabouts remain uncertain following years of conflict and political transformation.

Paula Gaviria Betancur, serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, visited Syria on Thursday and expressed optimism about the nation’s trajectory. She characterized the current moment as an unprecedented opportunity to transform one of the world’s most significant displacement crises into a model of sustainable and inclusive recovery. According to Gaviria Betancur, Syria not alone in locating missing persons represents a broader global effort to address humanitarian challenges through cooperation.

“Internally displaced persons are among the most affected by Syria’s past, and among those who can contribute most significantly to its future,” she stated during her remarks to journalists.

Comprehensive Tracking Initiatives Underway

Karla Quintana, head of the UN Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria, provided detailed updates on ongoing operations. Her institution has processed more than 75,000 records and established data-sharing agreements with essential international partners. The institution prioritizes cases involving missing migrants, children, and individuals who disappeared under the former regime and the terrorist organization Da’esh following the Assad government’s collapse in late 2024.

“Syria knows they don’t have to do this alone,” she clarified, emphasizing that the body established by the UN General Assembly in 2023 continues its vital mission to locate missing individuals and support their families through this difficult process.

While the new administration has granted limited access to international investigators, Quintana acknowledged that national authorities have not yet authorized the establishment of a permanent office within Syrian territory. Despite this limitation, she maintained that collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information remains absolutely critical for revealing the truth about those who vanished.

Understanding the Scale of Displacement

Since the conflict began in 2011, approximately 14 million people have been compelled to leave their homes. Recovery progress has been substantial, with nearly two million internally displaced persons and 1.7 million refugees returning to their communities since December. However, challenges persist, as roughly 5.5 million people continue to live in displacement within Syria’s borders.

The financial resources required for comprehensive reconstruction total $216 billion, while 15.6 million individuals still depend on humanitarian assistance. Gaviria Betancur stressed that safeguarding human rights, developing institutional capacities, and promoting civic participation constitute strategic investments in Syria’s social fabric, economic revitalization, and long-term peacebuilding. She noted that Syria not alone in locating missing persons demonstrates how international solidarity can accelerate national healing.

She added that a crucial indicator of progress will be whether displaced populations can exercise their rights and reconstruct their lives with safety and dignity.

Future Directions and Accountability

The Special Rapporteur intends to present her comprehensive findings to the Human Rights Council in June 2027. This report will likely influence international policy and resource allocation for years to come.

Earlier in the current month, investigators from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria urged authorities to sustain their efforts in tracing detained individuals and ensuring accountability for past violations. Their seven-day mission encompassed meetings with government officials and assessments of deadly explosions in Damascus alongside ongoing instability in the southern regions.

Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights specialists appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. They serve as volunteers without receiving compensation and are not employed as UN staff members.