When large numbers of people die as a result of humanitarian emergencies their bodies and remains are often managed with little consideration for their dignity. This may impact the capacity to identify the deceased and prevent them from becoming missing persons. Many of the existing guidelines for managing the dead in emergencies, including those published by the International Police Organization, the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross, are accomplished from a technical point of view, but offer little or no specific guidance on guaranteeing the respect of the deceased and their remains. The Missing Persons Project of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Right to Truth, Truth(s) through Rights Project of the University of Geneva convened a meeting of experts to discuss the need for developing guidance for guaranteeing the dignified treatment of the dead in humanitarian emergencies. Participants identified the need worldwide for a set of general principles to guide practitioners and decision-makers for ensuring the respect of dead persons and human remains in humanitarian emergencies and recommended their development.