The United Nations migration agency has called upon governments to improve support for tens of thousands of missing migrant families who are often forced to rely on smugglers and other informal networks in tracing loved ones.

The International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) published a report on Wednesday, entitled "Families of Missing Migrants: Their Search for Answers and the Impacts of Loss – Lessons across four countries," which outlines the struggles families of the missing migrants have endured in the search for their loved ones.

The report is based on research with 76 families of missing migrants in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Spain and the United Kingdom. It proposes ten recommendations for authorities, international organizations and other actors to improve the response to cases of missing migrants and support for their families.

"The study aims to amplify the voices of people with loved ones missing on migration journeys, and to better understand their challenges," said GMDAC Director Frank Laczko. "Sharing these findings with the public is but a first step in improving the support mechanisms for migrants and the people they leave behind."

The report noted that families of the missing migrants resorted to using informal networks, including other migrants, community-based associations and smugglers, in their searches.

It reveals how inequalities shaped by factors such as gender, age, class, race, and migration status impede search efforts.

Despite the numerous risks involved, hundreds of thousands of migrants still make the treacherous journeys across the Mediterranean and other regions in search for better lives. Most of them flee wars and violence in their countries, natural calamities and poverty.

IOM's recommendations include that states and relevant international actors establish specific roadmaps for managing cases of missing migrants and also implement safe and accessible ways for families to report their missing relatives.