- info@migrant-dvi.eu
- info@migrant-dvi.eu
Migrant Disaster Victim Identification (MDVI)
The MDVI project aims to develop new practical methods for identifying deceased migrant disaster victims and to create a collaborative process between identification professionals and families of missing migrants, addressing both technical and political challenges.
WG1: Physical Evidence
WG2: Digital Evidence
WG3: International Policy
WG4: Continued Professional Development
Who we are
Migrant Disaster Victim Identification (MDVI)
Thousands of migrants attempt to cross bodies of water and inhospitable land masses between their countries of origin and arrival. Sadly, many migrants lose their lives during the migratory route and their identities may never be established. It is an international moral necessity to attempt identification for each deceased person for legal and/or family matters, and this can be especially challenging in mass fatalities. This is a global humanitarian crisis.
Current migrant disaster victim identification processes appear to be inadequate and under-funded – approximately 22% of deceased migrants are ever identified. This is partly caused by a lack of communication between countries of origin and relevant stakeholders – policymakers, forensic practitioners, humanitarian groups, families and government bodies – and partly by advanced technologies that have not delivered their full potential in this field.
In this Action, interdisciplinary research and coordinated initiatives (meetings, training schools, short term scientific missions and online resources) will drive the development and validation of international processes and resources, including the utilization of innovative craniofacial, drone, AI and social media methods.
Objectives
This MDVI Action aims to develop new and practical methods for AM and PM data collection, analysis and reconciliation, and co-design a collaborative process for past, present and future migrant disasters. In the MDVI Action, interdisciplinary and intersectoral research and coordinated initiatives will drive the development and validation of international processes and resources, alongside policy enterprises, humanitarian action and transnational cooperation. The MDVI Action will include humanitarian groups, in order to tackle patterns of discrimination, gender inequality, economic and social exclusion, and perceptions of grievances and injustice, and will plan to establish European policies and standards for MDVI.
The specialist hubs of forensic expertise from across the European continent will be linked through this MDVI Action to provide professional and research training. An international network of training modules will be established, and mobility facilitated to build and maintain capacity for early career researchers, practitioners and innovators. This will build capacity across Europe for future MDVI activity and retain and empower young researchers.
In addition, the proposed Action will create a policy group to work alongside government organisations, humanitarian groups to respond to the challenges and opportunities created by the global migrant crisis. In this way, the MDVI Action will lobby for the inclusion of migrant disasters under the umbrella of DVI, to enable international cooperation and shared responsibility for this humanitarian crisis.
Migration Routes
The image depicts a map of Europe and the surrounding regions, highlighting major migration routes. The orange dashed lines represent major maritime routes, primarily across the Mediterranean Sea, used by migrants traveling from North Africa and the Middle East to Southern Europe. The solid blue lines indicate major land routes, showing paths taken through the Middle East, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. This map illustrates the complex network of pathways utilized by migrants seeking to reach various destinations in Europe, often involving perilous journeys by sea and overland.
Scan this QR code to access detailed information on the Migrant Disaster Victim Identification (MDVI) project, including methodologies, challenges, and collaborative efforts to improve the identification process of deceased migrant victims.
