Today, January 13 is International AMBER Alert Awareness Day. On this day, AMBER Alert initiatives around the globe are highlighted.
In Europe, the border is always near. It’s estimated that 37,5% of Europeans live in border areas. However, sharing of information on endangered missing children often stops at national borders.
During the past year, AMBER Alert Europe undertook numerous efforts to enhance cross-border sharing of information on endangered missing children:
- AMBER Alert Europe is the only European organisation that collects and publishes data on AMBER Alerts & endangered missing children in Europe, feeding into apps such as Google’s navigation app Waze that automatically informs drivers once in the neighbourhood of an endangered missing child
- Joint Operation with Frontex and UNHCR to provide border guards with practical guidance on protection of children that may be at serious risk of harm
- Expansion of its Police Expert Network to include 35 members representing 12 EU countries, allowing for quick and targeted exchange of information
- Life- saving partnership with Facebook whereby all mobile Facebook users automatically receive AMBER Alerts. First used in the Netherlands- child found
- Launch of AMBER Alert Slovakia: Europe’s first cross- border child alert mechanism
Join the search & support AMBER Alert Europe
Every extra pair of eyes that is on the lookout can make the difference! On International AMBER Alert Day, AMBER Alert Europe calls on citizens and organisations to join the search for endangered missing children in Europe:
Why January the 13th?
The date January 13 marks the day on which the 9 year old Amber Hagerman from Arlington, Texas, was abducted in 1996. A few days later she was found murdered. The death of the little girl led to the creation of the US AMBER Alert plan, which has helped recover more than 794 children.
