Runners across Belgium can now join efforts to find missing children through the 'Miles for the Missing' running initiative, the Brussels-based child protection agency, Child Focus, announced on Sunday.
The launch of the project coincides with both International Missing Children's Day and one of Belgium's biggest sporting events, the Brussels 20km.
The virtual "running club" is a new permanent feature within the running application Strava. Runners who follow the club can receive notifications when a child goes missing, allowing them to stay vigilant of any sightings of a missing minor while they run.
The aim is to boost the search efforts across the country by enlisting the help of over 1.3 million Strava members in Belgium. "Belgians run millions of kilometres every year. They go to places where Child Focus needs eyes when a child goes missing," said Child Focus CEO, Nel Broothaerts.
Brussels' headquarters of Child Focus, a Belgian foundation that investigates child abuse. Credit: Belga/Siska Gremmelprez
The initiative follows a reported increase in cases of missing children in Belgium. According to Child Focus, a total of 2478 new missing person files were opened last year, a 22% increase compared to 2023. Missing children are more vulnerable to falling prey to several dangers, including sexual exploitation.
In addition to the missing persons' notifications, runners can generate alternative exercise routes in their neighbourhood based on the location and time of disappearance of missing children. Using artificial intelligence, the platform can help direct runners through places where there is a greater chance of finding the missing minors.
Runners who find any relevant information regarding a missing child case can use the 24/7 Child Focus 116 000 helpline. This free emergency number allows for an easy collection of witness statements which can be passed on to the relevant authorities.
Despite only being launched on Sunday, the 'Miles for the Missing' club already has the support of some well-known Belgians. This includes Bazart's lead singer Mathieu Terryn and the Belgian athlete Hilde Dosogne, who previously ran 366 marathons to raise money for cancer research.
Picture of runners at the 44th edition of the Brussels' 20km run, Sunday 26 May 2024 in Brussels. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
The campaign to promote the initiative will be under the spotlight during the 20km run across Brussels on Sunday. Members of Child Focus and the Federal Police will be present at the same stand during the event to encourage participants to join the new club. "By mobilising them, we can give the search for missing children an extra boost,” said Broothaerts.
Child Focus is a Belgian organisation for missing or sexually exploited children. Since it was founded, it has actively cooperated with Belgian authorities to facilitate the resolution of cases involving minors, including missing cases.
The 116 000 helpline is part of a network of helplines across Europe dedicated to gathering information about missing cases, as well as providing support for missing children or relatives of those who have gone missing. The helpline can also be used for cases concerning sexual exploitation of minors.
