A/HRC/14/42 either on the battlefield or on enemy-controlled territory, and hence of easing the anguish of their families and relatives. 22. Administrative rules and regulations should be adopted in keeping with the internationally recognized norms regarding such matters as arrest, detention, imprisonment and captivity. The security and physical integrity of all those who are not or no longer taking part in the hostilities, in particular, persons deprived of their freedom should be ensured. Delivery of news and mail between members of armed forces/groups and their families at least once a month should be ensured. For this to function effectively, clear responsibilities should be established on all levels of military, police and other relevant State agencies, with a clear-cut information and reporting system established before armed conflict starts. IV. Missing persons and the restoration of family links 23. Families have the right to communicate with their family members and to know the fate of their relatives. Respect for the right to exchange family news is essential to prevent individuals from becoming unaccounted for. 24. The population groups most at risk of losing contact with their relatives are members of the armed forces and armed groups, isolated civilians in conflict areas, displaced people and refugees, persons deprived of their liberty and vulnerable persons such as children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. In armed conflicts, when the usual means of communication are disrupted, the ICRC together with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies help to maintain and restore contact between family members through the worldwide Red Cross and Red Crescent Family Links Network. 25. This network facilitates the exchange of personal news between family members everywhere in the world, using all available means, subject to agreements with the authorities: Red Cross messages are collected and distributed, satellite/mobile phones are provided to those who have the telephone number of their relatives and Internet is used to trace people via the ICRC Family Links website. With the consent of those concerned, lists of people either providing news or looking for news from relatives are published in hard copies (in newspapers or ad hoc) and on the ICRC website, and broadcast on radio or television. 26. In order to facilitate searches, the parties to an international armed conflict must transmit all relevant information concerning people reported missing by an adverse party and their requests concerning their own missing persons. This information must be transmitted directly to the Central Tracing Agency established by the ICRC under the 1949 Geneva Conventions. 27. During an armed conflict, ICRC and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies collect tracing requests and all available information on people unaccounted for and the circumstances under which they disappeared from their families, direct witnesses, the authorities and any other reliable source. This information is crucial when tracing a person and establishing his or her fate. The information is stored centrally and managed in accordance with the legal provisions applying to the protection of personal data. 28. Using this information, ICRC tries to locate the person in places of detention, hospitals, internally displaced person and refugee camps, morgues, remote villages, etc. Tracing activities also include supplying the authorities with lists of people unaccounted for, together with information on the circumstances in which they disappeared, requesting information on location of graves and asking authorities to allow the recovery and identification of human remains. The tracing process also involves maintaining a constant GE.10-12433 7