MISSING PEOPLE HOTLINE - CHILDREN & ADULTS
Hotlines for reporting missing people worldwide, organized by country/region.
IMPORTAT NOTES:
• Always report to local police first (using the national emergency number) as soon as possible.
• Many countries do not have a dedicated national missing persons hotline — they use police or emergency services.
• For children, specialized hotlines are more common.
• Numbers are for the country where the person went missing (or your current location).
Africa
| Country | Emergency / Police | Missing Persons / Children Hotline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 10111 (Police) | 116 (Children) or Missing Children SA: +27 72 647 7464 | Rising cases of missing children |
| Kenya | 999 / 112 | 116 (Child Helpline) / 0800-22-33-44 (Missing Child Kenya) | Toll-free for children |
| Nigeria | 112 / 19 | Local police / NAPTIP (trafficking) | High conflict-related missing persons |
| Egypt | 122 (Police) | National Council for Childhood & Motherhood (hotline varies) | Report to police first |
| Ethiopia | 911 / Local | Local authorities / Red Cross | - |
International / Cross-Border Support
• INTERPOL: Contact your local/national police — they can issue a Yellow Notice for missing persons.
• U.S. Citizen missing abroad: +1-202-501-4444 (U.S. State Department) or nearest U.S. Embassy.
• Red Cross / ICRC: Family Links service for conflict/disaster zones (familylinks.icrc.org).
• Global: Always start with the local emergency number (112 in Europe, 911 in Americas, 000 in Australia, etc.).
Would you like me to expand this list for specific countries (e.g., more in Asia, Latin America, or Africa), or focus on missing children vs. adults? Let me know!
Here's the expanded list of hotlines and contact points for reporting missing people, with a focus on Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Key reminders:
• Always report to local police immediately using the national emergency number.
• Many countries lack a dedicated national missing persons hotline — police are the primary channel.
• Children often have specialized lines (e.g., Childline or 116 000 in Europe).
• For international/cross-border cases, contact local police for INTERPOL Yellow Notice support.
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) Missing & exploited children globally; works with law enforcement & INTERPOL icmec.org National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Primarily US but international reach (hotline, databases) missingkids.org Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) Forensic investigation of missing persons & human rights cases worldwide eaaf.org Colibrí Center for Human Rights Missing migrants on US-Mexico border colibricenter.org ITAKA Foundation (Poland) Support for families, database, 24/7 helpline; founder of Missing Persons International Network itaka.org.pl Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) Enforced disappearances in Asia afadsecretariat.wordpress.com Families of the Missing (IFFAMPAC / FOM) Support for families of missing from armed conflicts; UN consultative status familiesofthemissing.org Amnesty International Advocacy on enforced disappearances amnesty.org Missing People (UK-based, international links) Support for families & awareness missingpeople.org.uk