ICMP DG on #IWD2021: Women’s leadership key to efforts to account for missing persons

By ICMP Director-General Kathryne Bomberger

The Hague, 8 March 2020 – Women are the main drivers in securing human rights in relation to the issue of missing persons who disappeared due to conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized violence, global warming and other causes. Their engagement is often motivated by necessity: as most disappeared persons are men, those who are left to fight the battle for justice, truth and reparations are often women.

Women and women-headed organizations have been key partners for the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) since its foundation 25 years ago.

With the number of persons who go missing around the world rising as a result of global warming, increased levels of migration, internal displacement, conflict and other causes, including the COVID-19 pandemic, effective female leadership is needed more than ever. This leadership is spearheaded by women whose engagement began with a family member disappearing. Their relentless work benefits not only themselves, but all families of missing persons.

To mark International Women’s Day 2021, ICMP invited partners to share their thoughts on good leadership, their achievements and the challenges they face as female leaders.

Feride Rushiti, Executive Director of Kosovo Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, Kosovo

On leadership: “Good leadership is grounded in a sense of responsibility towards others around us, especially the most vulnerable ones. It is essential to think of ourselves as larger than our individual selves in order to effect positive change in our communities through addressing the needs of the unheard voices. Looking back to the beginning […]

Dijana Strujić, President of Association of Families of Killed and Missing Veterans of Bugojno, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On leadership: “A good leader should have qualities such as self-confidence, personal integrity, emotional stability and maturity. One of the most important is emotional competence, which contributes to building relationships, listening and understanding someone else’s position.” On achievements: “I am most proud of the community contributions I have made together with my colleagues. As the […]

Marcela Granados, activist leader, Colombia

On leadership: “A good leader remembers our ancestors, our guides, our legacies. A good leader always has in mind those who have worked tirelessly for the rights and the search for the disappeared; in this country rights are no longer violated. Good leaders always remember and fight for the goal: a country where one can […]

Dragana Đukic, Suza association of families of the missing and dead, Serbia

On leadership: “For me, good leadership is if we reach results together as a team. It takes a lot of dedication, patience and perseverance to achieve at least some success. I don’t think there is success if we still have large lists of missing persons. Our problems are very complex, the problem of missing persons […]

Enrida Ndroqi, Head of the Institute for Activism and Social Change, Albania

On leadership: “In my professional career I have been surrounded by very talented and inspirational people that have been able to challenge what I already had built. For over 23 years I have been working for civil society sector, and this work has formed my profile as a human rights practitioner. In all these years, […]

Miranda Fabiola Córdova, forensic expert, Mexico

On leadership: “Good leadership inspires the team in the activities and the objectives pursued; a leader motivates productivity and proactivity; the search to improve methods and develop strategies; gives and receives feedback, seeks the improvement of each team member, including herself; identifies and channels the capabilities and emotions of her group in favor of the […]

Noura Ghazi, Executive Director of Nophotozone, a Lebanon-based Syrian organization

On leadership: “What makes me a good leader is several things: The most important is love – my love for what I do, my love for the families I work with, my love for Syria, my love for my family, and certainly my love for my husband. Also my faith: my belief in what is […]

Slavica Marinović, Union of Croatian Civilian Victims of the Homeland War, Croatia

On leadership: “What makes me a good leader is my strength and motivation in achieving goals, the trust of the people I represent, knowledge of problems and perseverance in trying to solve them. Good leadership implies a democratic way of communicating and decision-making, teamwork, mutual trust, vision, planning and the ability to make decisions in […]

Margoth Valencia, Director Association of Women Victims of Enforced Disappearance of Nariño (AMVIDENAR), Colombia

On leadership: “I like to help others, it makes me happy to see others happy. It is also important to acquire new knowledge and prepare oneself to be able to interact with others. It gives us the opportunity to grow in the society as well as at our Association of Women Victims of Forced Disappearance […]

Semina Alekić, Chairperson of Regional Coordination of Families of the Missing from the Former Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On leadership: “What makes me a good leader is that I take on tasks responsibly and dedicate myself fully to them. Also, my deep knowledge of the issues I represent makes my work easier in the sense that I’m better committed to their solution. My willingness to adapt to challenges, political or other challenging circumstances […]

Lamia Al Sulaiman – Director of Khatawat, Syria

On leadership: “What makes a leader a good leader is a set of qualities, the first and most important of which is organization. Chaos is the first enemy that any successful person should fear. A good leader must also have the ability to influence and challenge others in addition self-confidence. As for good leadership, it […]

Kafa Al Bachir – Founder of Lasting Peace, Syria

On leadership: “A successful leader is someone who changes the fate of her environment, her homeland, or her people to break the bonds of slavery and rebel to demand her legal right to live in peace and dignity.” On achievements: “My steadfastness and giving an incentive to the people around me to continue the march […]

Smilja Mitrović – President of the Association of Families of Missing Soldiers and Civilians of Semberija and Majevica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On leadership: “I consider myself a good leader because I respect the people around me. Success in achieving the goals of my association has not harmed anyone.” On achievements: “I wish no harm to anyone. No matter who the people are, they are still, first and foremost, human beings. On challenges: “Everything I do regarding […]

Mona Barakah – CEO of Syrian Women Survivors Association, Turkey

On leadership: A good leader needs: “humility, good communication, self-confidence and humanity.” A good leader should “act intensely, be able to accept criticism and be ready to struggle for survival to achieve the goals.” On achievements: My achievements are “my love for humanity and my confidence in my goal, which is advocating for truth, advocating […]

Ghada Abu Mesto – Executive Director of Dammah-Hug Foundation, a Lebanon-based Syrian organization

On leadership: A good leader needs: “good communication, self-assurance, a good sense of humour, humility, humanity and persistence in humanitarian values and principles, an ability to act and adapt, and to listen well.” On achievements: My best achievement is “continuity despite the circumstances and challenges; Forming a team that works in a harmonious manner which […]

Media Al Abdallah – manager of Adaleh Organization, a Turkey-based Syrian organization

On leadership: “My determination and will to achieve my goal with consistency, accuracy, and courtesy plus my love for others makes me a good leader.” On achievements: An achievement is “when I was detained and took over the supervision of my prison cell (Shawish), supervising 33 women and girls from all governorates with prisoners from […]

International Commission on Missing Persons