purpose
our purpose.
In Australia and around the world, the remains of unidentified individuals, including missing persons, murder victims, war casualties, foreign citizens, institutionalised children, unclaimed bodies and Indigenous ancestors, are denied identity, dignity and justice. They are stored on institutional shelves, buried in unofficial or concealed graves, lying in crisis zones or former battlefields, found along migration routes, illegally traded online or uncovered during everyday activities. These individuals often remain unidentified due to low case prioritisation, under-resourced death investigations, inadequate scientific testing or poor historical records, with underserved communities disproportionately affected.
We insist that every decedent receives timely, consistent and respectful forensic treatment to establish their identity and fulfill their human, cultural and legal rights, regardless of demographic factors, location discovered or time elapsed. Driven solely by this humanitarian purpose, our social enterprise invests its efforts, resources and profits to strive for equal access to forensic human identification (HID) services that align with global needs, human rights, international standards, technological advancements, cultural beliefs and families’ wishes. By bridging gaps in forensic HID expertise and resources, we increase the likelihood that these precious cases are solved, remains are scientifically identified, justice is equitably served, families learn the truth and nations begin to heal.
Our forensic HID capabilities can also benefit living persons by verifying their identity when unknown or reunifying them with their biological relatives. This includes adult survivors of institutional care systems, such as the Stolen Generations, Forgotten Australians and Child Migrants in Australia, victims of modern slavery or human trafficking, displaced individuals from conflicts or disasters and children forcibly separated from their families during humanitarian crises. Using advanced DNA technologies, we can confirm biological relationships to reunite disconnected families, while ensuring independent facilities, impartial testing and secure databases safeguard genetic privacy, data security and public trust.
our vision.
A world where no one, living or deceased, is denied their identity, their family or their justice.
our mission.
To restore names, reunite families and resolve cases by providing independent forensic human identification services accessible to all.
our founder.
Over the last decade, Dr Jodie Ward PSM CF has been committed to advancing forensic HID capabilities in Australia, in response to the humanitarian challenges, scientific limitations and resource barriers hindering the resolution of long-term unidentified and missing persons cases.
She has generated significant public benefit by researching and implementing best practice guidelines and technologies to establish an interdisciplinary forensic HID framework for investigating both cold and current unidentified human remains cases.
These efforts have improved the systemic failures, historical injustices, social inequalities, cultural insensitivities, case backlogs, suboptimal methods and resource shortages that have long denied many deceased Australians the recognition, respect and redress they deserve.
Driven by these impactful achievements, Jodie founded Forensic Human Identification Co. in 2024, a pioneering social enterprise reimagining the delivery of forensic HID services on a global scale. This universal resource is staffed by dedicated experts, equipped with advanced technologies and guided by family-centred approaches.
Its core mission is to support the timely identification and dignified repatriation of human remains from storage facilities, unmarked graves, former institutions, conflict zones and disaster sites worldwide. As a profit-for-purpose business, it challenges the traditional reliance on government, investor or donor-funded forensic services, offering a sustainable and scalable solution focussed on addressing an enduring humanitarian issue.
With 20 years of experience spanning government, academic and non-profit sectors, a demonstrated ability to spearhead national forensic capabilities and a proven track record of addressing social injustices, Jodie is perfectly positioned to lead this revolutionary impact-driven initiative. Through its disruptive business model, innovative forensic services and transformative industry partnerships, Forensic Human Identification Co. is creating lasting societal change.
Drawing on her authentic leadership, technical expertise, collaborative mindset, international reputation, public credibility and unwavering commitment to humanitarian action, Jodie is helping make the world a better place for deceased persons, grieving families and underserved communities.
