In partnership with:
↝ Family reunification
Family reunification is the process of reuniting family members who have been involuntarily separated. Family reunification procedures are the legal, rights-based and State provided avenues that allows individuals, including refugees, to access their right to family unity, regulated by national, regional or international law.
Well-designed family reunification procedures constitute a safe pathway and durable solution for refugees, providing an alternative to dangerous journeys to reunite with family members abroad. Family reunification promotes positive integration outcomes for all family members.
The Global Family Reunification Network (FRUN) is the first global platform devoted to family reunification for refugees and other beneficiaries of international protection.
Launched in December 2020, the FRUN draws together key stakeholders, experts and academics in the realm of family reunification with the collective purpose of promoting and facilitating greater access to family reunification procedures.
The FRUN provides States and other stakeholders with a common space for advocacy, sharing good practices and exchanging ideas, promoting State-to-State engagement, capacity building and resourcing of relevant operational actors, testing pilot programmes and information sharing.
Spotlight
Reuniting Families Crucial for their Survival and Happiness
Everyone has a right to family unity and family life. Families separated by conflict and forced displacement often endure years of uncertainty before they can reunite. Born in Rwanda just before the genocide, Bahati fled with her family and spent years displaced across borders before they settled in Nairobi, where hopes for resettlement did not materialize. Through perseverance and a focus on education, new opportunities eventually emerged. Bahati later relocated to Canada, reunited with her sister, rebuilt her nursing career, and began establishing stability. In 2025, after more than a decade apart, her parents and brothers were finally able to join the family in Halifax, opening a new chapter of unity and hope. Today, Bahati works with RefugePoint to help ensure that refugee voices shape the programs and policies that affect their lives.
New resources
Updates on family reunification
