The main aim of the article is to test how states implement international humanitarian law (IHL) with regard to the families of missing persons. The article shows relevant IHL shortcomings and compares them with rules applicable in cases of enforced disappearance. The national legislation collected in the section titled ‘The Missing and Their Families’ of the National Implementation Database of the International Committee of the Red Cross is then examined. The analysis addresses three core questions that are particularly relevant for families of missing persons: (1) Who is considered a missing person under each law? Approaching this question allows the testing of whether states follow the understanding of ‘missing persons’ under IHL treaty law. The second and third questions address two issues that are crucial for families of missing persons that are not addressed in IHL: (2) How is the legal status of the missing person regulated? (3) Are family members provided with measures of reparation and/or assistance? This approach reveals that states rarely apply the IHL understanding of ‘missing persons’ and predominantly exceed IHL by addressing some of the identified shortcomings. It further shows that states provide families of missing persons either with reparation measures – in cases of human rights violations – or, less often, with measures of assistance in post-conflict situations.

本文的主要目的是检验各国如何针对失踪人员家属实施国际人道法 (IHL)。该文章显示了相关的国际人道法缺陷，并将其与适用于强迫失踪案件的规则进行了比较。然后审查收集在红十字国际委员会国家执行数据库“失踪人员及其家属”一节中的国家立法。该分析解决了与失踪人员家属特别相关的三个核心问题：(1) 根据每项法律，谁被视为失踪人员？处理这个问题可以检验各国是否遵循国际人道法条约法对“失踪人员”的理解。第二个和第三个问题涉及国际人道法未涉及的对失​​踪人员家属至关重要的两个问题：(2) 如何规范失踪人员的法律地位？(3) 是否向家庭成员提供赔偿和/或援助措施？这种方法表明，各国很少适用国际人道法对“失踪人员”的理解，并且主要通过解决一些已确定的缺陷来超越国际人道法。它进一步表明，国家向失踪者家属提供赔偿措施——在侵犯人权的情况下——或者在冲突后局势中提供援助措施，这种情况较少见。（二）失踪人员的法律地位如何规范？(3) 是否向家庭成员提供赔偿和/或援助措施？这种方法表明，各国很少适用国际人道法对“失踪人员”的理解，并且主要通过解决一些已确定的缺陷来超越国际人道法。它进一步表明，国家向失踪者家属提供赔偿措施——在侵犯人权的情况下——或者在冲突后局势中提供援助措施，这种情况较少见。（二）失踪人员的法律地位如何规范？(3) 是否向家庭成员提供赔偿和/或援助措施？这种方法表明，各国很少适用国际人道法对“失踪人员”的理解，并且主要通过解决一些已确定的缺陷来超越国际人道法。它进一步表明，国家向失踪者家属提供赔偿措施——在侵犯人权的情况下——或者在冲突后局势中提供援助措施，这种情况较少见。