Forensic Human Identification Co. and Locate International have announced a strategic international partnership to support the establishment of a community-led approach to locating, identifying and returning disappeared First Nations people to their families and Country.

The two organisations noted in their announcement on Wednesday that countless unidentified and missing persons cases remain unresolved worldwide, with First Nations communities "disproportionately affected and historically underserved by existing systems".

Australia, like several other countries, is facing a crisis of missing and murdered First Nations people, yet there is no national database to record, search and link these cases, and no reliable measure of how many Aboriginal men, women and children have disappeared, the joint statement said.

Forensic Human Identification Co. is an Australian-based global social enterprise dedicated to providing forensic services to identify unknown decedents, locate missing persons and reunify separated families through accessible, innovative and ethical scientific approaches.

Locate International is a UK-registered charity dedicated to locating missing persons and identifying unknown individuals through expert review, volunteer mobilisation and investigative support with law enforcement and international partners.

The two organisations have pledged to combine their expertise, technology and resources across joint casework and targeted initiatives, "enhancing access to specialised database and forensic capabilities to improve outcomes for cases impacted by systemic inequities, investigative constraints and community distrust".

The first initiative under the partnership will support The Disappeared Project, an Indigenous-led organisation dedicated to supporting families of disappeared First Nations people in Australia through culturally appropriate services and advocacy, in developing Australia's first centralised database documenting cases of disappeared First Nations people, alongside a voluntary family reference DNA collection program to help family members identify and reunite with their missed loved ones.

"No comprehensive dataset currently captures how many First Nations people have disappeared, the circumstances of their disappearance or the status of reference DNA sample collection from biological relatives," the partnership noted.

"Available data are incomplete, fragmented and held in systems with limited visibility and trust, contributing to gaps in case reporting, forensic sampling and investigative outcomes."

The partnership aims to address these gaps by building an independent, community-driven pathway through which families can voluntarily contribute case information and DNA samples in a culturally safe setting - information that, for many families, has never been captured before.

"Comparing these records with available unidentified human remains and missing persons cases creates new opportunities to generate investigative leads, identify the disappeared and provide answers to families," the two groups said.

Dr Amy McQuire from The Disappeared Project noted that "one of the challenges that we face when fighting for First Nations families whose loved ones have been disappeared, is the apathy from not just police, but also the media, and the courts and the state".

"Rather than waiting for this to change, this partnership allows us to do critically important work alongside families, harnessing the expertise of both Forensic Human Identification Co. and Locate International," she said.

"It's the first of its kind in this country and it will assist us in not only breaking the silence around the issue of disappeared Indigenous men, women and children, but help us actively support families in finding their loved ones."

Timothy and Minnie Clubb, siblings of missing Aboriginal woman, Monique Clubb, issued a joint statement to support the announcement of the partnership.

"We know what it's like to spend years searching for a missing sister. That's why this partnership is so important. It brings new possibilities, new ways of looking at cases and renewed hope for families who have been waiting far too long for answers," they said.

"Too many families live with unanswered questions.

"As the siblings of a missing woman, we know that every new opportunity matters no matter the cost. New technology brings hope because it allows old cases to be viewed in new ways. Advances in forensic science, DNA analysis and artificial intelligence have the potential to uncover information that may not have been available years ago.

"For families of missing loved ones, that means hope, hope that new leads can be found, hope that unanswered questions can finally be addressed and hope that one day we may learn what happened to the people we love."

Timothy and Minnie Clubb said they are "incredibly grateful to The Disappeared Project for their unwavering dedication to Monique's case".

"Their commitment to exploring new opportunities, embracing emerging technologies and continuing the search for answers, which gives our family renewed hope," they said.

Forensic Human Identification Co. director Dr. Jodie Ward said the initiative establishes critical new infrastructure to improve investigative and identification outcomes for unresolved cases of unidentified and disappeared First Nations people.

"Together, we are integrating a centralised case database, dedicated DNA program and community capacity building aligned with Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles," she said.

It's also the starting point - my aim is to co-design a purpose-built forensic service to give First Nations families access to the culturally safe forensic capability they have never had."

The partnership said the initiative - beyond providing advanced database infrastructure and forensic technologies - places First Nations communities "at the centre of decisions about how their data are collected, used and managed".

"It represents an Indigenous-led approach to restoring names, reuniting families and resolving cases involving disappeared First Nations people, delivered in collaboration with two global for-purpose organisations."

The partnership said that through this collaboration:

• Locate International will provide access to its secure, purpose-built QUEST database to centralise the collection, storage and analysis of case data relating to unidentified and disappeared First Nations individuals.
  
  
• Forensic Human Identification Co. will launch a secure DNA sample collection program for consenting relatives of disappeared First Nations people to create a dedicated reference DNA database that can be compared against unidentified human remains.
  
  
• Both databases will operate independently of government systems and will be governed in collaboration with The Disappeared Project, consistent with principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
  
  
• Analytical and laboratory training will be delivered to Indigenous students, scientists and specialists to support community-led data management, case analysis and DNA services.
  
  
• All organisations will remain available to support investigating agencies, providing case review, forensic analysis and cultural guidance to assist in progressing cases.