Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 4: Restoring Family Links while respecting privacy, including as it relates to personal data protection (33IC/19/R4) – Swedish Red Cross

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
política
plan operativo

A nacional nivel

Explicación:

The spirit of the resolution is incorporated in the National Society Strategy.
The three-year National RFL Strategy includes concrete elements aimed at applying the resolution.
The National Advocacy Strategy included one objective on accessing personal data from concerned authorities for humanitarian purposes.
The RFL Code of Conduct is implemented in internal procedures on processing and protecting personal data.

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
gobierno y/o autoridades públicas
CICR/Federación Internacional
otras Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja

Ejemplos de cooperación:

Over the years, the Swedish Red Cross (SRC) has brought the issue of data protection to the attention of the leadership of the Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) through its regular humanitarian diplomacy, reminding the authority that the SRC has no obligation neither to initiate a tracing request upon request by a third party, nor to provide any information to a third party, in order to be able to fulfil its mandate of meeting the needs and rights of all, without discrimination. The SRC also stressed that the organization only processes personal data for strictly humanitarian purposes. This standing was further strengthened with the adoption of this resolution and the constructive dialogue continued and resulted in a MoU between the SRC and the SMA, with an ambition of exploring the possibility to get direct access to contact details to asylum seekers in their database and reaching a common understanding of SRC’s RFL mandate and activities. Activities such as establishing common procedures for SRC requesting personal data and for the SMA providing such data. To increase the understanding of the SMA regarding the humanitarian mandate of the Movement, information material, including a short film, was developed. In addition, regular meetings to follow-up the MoU have been set up.

In 2023 a dialogue with the Swedish Tax Agency, managing civil registration of private individuals, was initiated with the purpose of exploring the possibility to get direct access to the population register.

Based on the “spirit” of the resolution, the dialogue with the Swedish Police Authority regarding the search and identification of missing migrants at sea has been strengthened

Exchanges with other national societies and ICRC on this topic have taken place.

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
falta de capacidad y/o de apoyo (técnico, financiero o de otra índole)

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

While no major challenges have been encountered, technical challenges mean that measures taken by the Swedish Migration Authorities and the Swedish Tax Authority to facilitate access, take time to implement.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
aumento de la eficacia y la eficiencia de los programas y operaciones
desarrollo y uso de herramientas o metodologías innovadoras
otros asociados

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

Dialogue with Swedish Migration Agency, Ministry of Justice and Swedish Police Authorities has improved.
The concerned authorities’ general understanding of the RFL-service and its humanitarian mandate has improved, case management procedures in terms of asking for and receiving personal data has become more efficient.
Internal data protection procedures have been improved and updated as a consequence of the implementation of the RFL Code of Conduct globally.

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?

Describa las repercusiones:

The case handling time has shortened as a consequence of the improved dialogue with the Swedish Migration Authorities and, in turn, benefits the affected population in search for their missing loved ones.