Working with former war victims in a post-conflict setting can be one of the most challenging aspects while investigating human rights violations. Helping people who were victims of violence and injustice and hearing about their sufferings is often an important step in returning to normal life. An honest quest for the truth, which will ultimately identify the harm done to people, is a powerful remedy for the victims.

I have been working as human rights violations researcher in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina for almost two years. I work closely with former civil war victims, prisoners of war and former camp detainees. During these two years, I have met with a significant number of victims who, in majority of cases, still suffer from the consequences of the abuse, sexual violence and torture they have been through during the period of conflict. My job is to record their stories and testimonies and eventually write report about each case of human rights violations. The job is at the same time both satisfying and hard. To be given an opportunity to record stories that have never been recorded before is truly an amazing thing.

However, working with former war victims can often be frustrating. There are multiple traps that you as a researcher have to be aware of. This is particularly a matter of concern if you are working in your local community because it can be very difficult to maintain objectivity in the situation when you know the victims on personal level and see the effect war crimes have taken on them. The best way to help victims is to keep your objectivity indispensable for conducting an investigation and finally write down a report on the abuse they have experienced. Therefore, in this article I offers five crucial tips that you have to keep in mind if you consider working with former war victims.

1. Be Careful About the Promises You Give

As someone who works closely with war victims, you have to be very careful about the promises you give. The first thing that the victim will evaluate when they meet you is the value of your words. If you promise something and you do not complete it, the victim will, in the worst case, consider you a liar. Even if you do not explicitly promise something, you need to keep in mind that your words are not interpreted as a promise. The words you say during the interview with the victim are very important, because in many cases the victim will give you their full trust by risking their own safety and security of their family.

For example, in my work I meet with a lot of former inmates and war victims who want to remain anonymous for their safety. If I promised them that their identity will remain protected, I have to fulfill that promise. Otherwise, I play out their confidence which can further affect my work in a particular local community, as other victims will see me as an unreliable person. Therefore, it is important to be cautious about the promises you give to the victims. Learn to commit yourself to only those things that you can guarantee. If a victim asks for something that you cannot fulfill, be completely honest with him or her saying that you cannot fulfill it. The victims with whom you will most likely meet are accustomed to the crude reality of a tough life. They prefer to hear the unpleasant truth that is certain rather than pleasantly spoken words in which they have little faith.

2. Be Professional

It is very important that you pay attention to what you say to the victim. Professional standards in documenting serious human rights violations require that you, as someone who moderates and conducts conversation, carefully choose your words in a conversation with victims. The person you are interviewing is not your colleague or your friend. Once you begin an interview you enter in a professional relationship with them. It is best to avoid jokes and sarcastic remarks. Experience has shown me that every additional comment is superfluous. For example, many times it happened that the victims were cursing and saying ugly words about the perpetrators. This is quite understandable and should not be surprising given that many victims still carry anger and fear in themselves for all the injustices they encountered. Many of them suffer from the effects of PTSD and simply cannot control their words. However, as someone who is in charge of conversation you need to be able to listen, but not to comment.

It is very important to know how to “return” the victim to the right conversation. If the victim turns from the topic and begins to talk about other things, you need to ask him or her the question from the interview in order to “return” him or her to their focus. Many times it happened that during the interview the victim turned away from the topic and began to talk about his or her current state and life. Then it is best to ask questions and sub-questions so that the conversation would not go in the wrong direction.

3. Helping Out the Victims – Yes or No?

Many of the victims you encounter will be in a difficult economic state or will live in bad conditions. It’s a very difficult question whether you need to offer your direct help as a researcher. Very often you can be in a situation to help the victim, but, unfortunately, providing such assistance to victims can affect the integrity and credibility of the research. The moment the victim accepts your help he or she loses their credibility. For example, if you offer money to the victim or some other kind of material assistance, this can be considered as a bribe. Your intention was probably not to bribe the victim but to help. However, your credibility as a researcher will fail. In some cases, the victims may give false testimonials in order to gain your sympathies and thus get more help.

The best you can do in these situations is to send the victim to appropriate organizations that can help them. If the organization in which you work is the one that offers help, then it would be most suitable if that is done by another person, not you. If your organization does not offer direct help to victims, then it should collect data and make a list of organizations dealing with this type of work and the rights of victims. This type of assistance to victims is acceptable, but direct material help from you is not.

4. Create a Safe Space

When you are arranging an interview with a victim, it will take some time until he or she does not give you their trust. Many victims need encouragement and some guarantees before they agree to talk. You may need a little skill to persuade the victim to hear your explanation of why it is important for them to work with you and you should be able to explain the importance of this cooperation. Start by presenting yourself and your organization. You need to explain what is that you are researching and why it is important for you to talk to him or her about it. Most victims will usually have additional questions which you should answer honestly and completely.

When you arrange an interview with a victim, it is important to ensure there is a safe space where they feel comfortable enough to talk. A safe space will also enable you and the victim to talk without distractions. Approach the victim to the moment and place where they will not be seen in order to eliminate their fear of talking to you. Avoid coming to their workplace, unless you have previously agreed with them to do so. Experience has shown me that it is best to adapt to the victim and ask her or him where they would feel most comfortable to talk. It is very important to choose a place where you can talk and negotiate a time when the victim is not in a hurry. Most often the victim will usually choose his or her house because it is the place where they feel most at ease, and as a researcher you must always adapt to their desires related to the place.

5. Treat Each Victim Equally

This tip is very straightforward – you must treat each victim equally and with the same respect. Many times you can find yourself in a situation where you think that one victim suffered more than others or that one victim went through the worse abuse than other victim. Of course, the cases are not the same because these are individuals who have a very different experience. However, your opinion on who suffered more or less is not important. What is important is to treat each victim equally.

During the interview, the victims must see that you respect them. Each victim should be carefully approached and treated professionally, sympathetically and with respect to their human dignity. Victims must be given space and opportunity to express their opinions, concerns or objections to your work. The opinions of the victim need to be carefully considered and given the importance they deserve. The victim’s concerns should always be taken into regard, unless this raises the question of the integrity of the research.

The post 5 Crucial Tips About Working With Former War Victims appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

The investigation of human rights violations is important for accountability, as it holds perpetrators responsible for their actions and seeks justice for victims. It serves to document evidence, deter future abuses, raise awareness, and advocate for policy and legal reforms. Investigations contribute to supporting victims, upholding international human rights standards, and creating a culture of accountability and respect for human rights. The investigation of human rights violations requires a systematic and thorough approach. Before we dive into it, consider taking a look at the following more comprehensive resources.

• Human Rights Monitoring, Fact-finding and Investigation by the United Nations (OHCHR)
• The Handbook of Human Rights Investigation (Dermot Groome)
• Handbook on Civil Society Documentation of Serious Human Rights Violations (PILPG)

Note that in some cases you will not be able to follow the sequence of the steps outlined below. When I took photos and videos of human rights violations during the Egyptian Revolution, there was no time to define the scope or research applicable laws as outlined below. I had to start directly with step 4 which is collecting evidence.

#1 Define the scope

Define the scope of the investigation, including the broad human rights violations, affected individuals or groups, and the geographic and temporal boundaries.

In the first step, identify the alleged human rights violation that forms the basis of the investigation. This involves understanding the specific rights that may have been violated as defined by international human rights law or national laws. For example, the violation could relate to torture, freedom of speech, the right to life, or discrimination, among others. Part of defining the scope, is to narrow down the temporal scope of the violation. It could be a specific date, a time span or a range of dates. You may adjust the time frame as the investigation progresses, when new information is uncovered. The scope of your investigation also includes a geographic dimension. Specify the geographic boundaries of the investigation. This could be a specific location, a broader area, or even multiple areas in different regions or countries.

#2 Research applicable laws and standards

Familiarize yourself with relevant national and international laws, treaties, and human rights standards that apply to the specific violations being investigated.

To ensure the validity of your investigation, researching applicable laws and human rights standards is essential. This process includes reviewing international human rights treaties, regional human rights documents, domestic laws, customary international law and – if the violation occurred during armed conflict – international humanitarian law such as the Geneva Conventions. Remember, while laws and standards provide the framework for determining what constitutes a human rights violation, they do not replace the importance of thorough fact-finding, objective analysis, and sensitive handling of victims and witnesses in any investigation.

#3 Establish a methodology

Develop a clear methodology for the investigation, including data collection methods, interview techniques, and protocols for ensuring the safety and confidentiality of witnesses.

Investigating human rights violations requires a systematic approach to ensure findings are accurate, verifiable, and can withstand scrutiny. The choice of methodology will often be dictated by the context and circumstances. It may include desk research, field research, witness interviews and document/media analysis. Desk research may include media reports, academic articles, reports from human rights organizations, legal documents, and other secondary sources. Interviews, observations, surveys, and collection of physical or digital evidence may be part of field research. Field research should be planned and executed with care to ensure the safety and security of the investigators and those they interact with. Interviews with victims, witnesses, and other relevant individuals are a critical part of many human rights investigations. Interviews should be conducted in a sensitive and respectful manner, in a safe and private environment, and with the informed consent of the interviewee.

#4 Collect evidence

Gather evidence through various sources, including documents, photographs, videos, eyewitness testimonies, expert opinions, and forensic analysis. Ensure proper documentation and chain of custody for all evidence collected.

Collecting evidence during human rights investigations is a sensitive process that must be handled with utmost care and integrity. Different types of evidence may be relevant, including testimonial evidence (such as witness statements), physical evidence, documents, and digital evidence. The quality of evidence is often more important than the quantity. Meticulous record-keeping, preservation of original documents or items, and robust analysis and interpretation are crucial to ensuring that the evidence collected can effectively contribute to achieving justice and accountability. Verify and cross-reference the collected information and evidence to establish its credibility and reliability. Seek multiple sources and perspectives to ensure a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the violations. Consult and engage with relevant stakeholders, including human rights organizations, legal experts, and affected communities. Seek their expertise, input, and collaboration throughout the investigation process.

#5 Analyze and interpret data

Analyze the collected data and evidence to identify patterns, trends, and potential connections. Look for underlying causes, perpetrators, and potential systemic issues contributing to the human rights violations.

Start by compiling all the collected data and organizing it in a manner that facilitates easy retrieval and analysis. This could include creating a database or using specialized software. All data should be handled with care to maintain confidentiality and integrity. Depending on the nature of the investigation, it may be helpful to categorize the data. Categories might include types of human rights violations, geographical locations, time stamps, or perpetrators and victims. Once you’ve understood the factual patterns, you must analyze the data within the framework of applicable human rights laws and standards. This involves assessing whether the facts amount to a violation of specific rights.

#6 Document findings

Prepare a detailed and well-documented report of the investigation findings, including the methodology used, the evidence collected, and the analysis conducted. Present the findings in a clear, objective, and compelling manner. 

A well-structured and comprehensive report enhances the transparency, credibility, and impact of the investigation. Describe in detail the methodology used in the investigation. This should include the methods of data collection and analysis, any challenges faced, and how these were overcome. Be transparent about any limitations of the methodology. Explain the legal framework used in the investigation. This should include the international, regional, and national laws and standards relevant to the alleged violations. Present your findings in a clear and structured manner. This could be organized by type of violation, location, perpetrator, victim group, or any other relevant categorization. For each finding, describe the evidence and how you arrived at your conclusion. Use direct quotes, case studies, or specific examples where appropriate.

#7 Advocate for justice and accountability

Utilize the investigation findings to advocate for justice, accountability, and remedial actions. Share the report with relevant authorities, human rights organizations, media outlets, and other stakeholders to raise awareness and support efforts to address the violations.

Once you’ve conducted a thorough human rights violation investigation and documented your findings, advocating for justice and accountability is the next important step. This process can take many forms depending on the context, the nature of the violations, and the available resources. You may want to make the investigation report public and ensure it reaches key stakeholders. This could include government officials, human rights organizations, the media, and the general public. Using various platforms (online, print media, public forums) can increase the reach and impact of the report. You may also want to advocate for policy changes to prevent future violations. This could involve changes to laws, regulations, or practices that contributed to the violations. Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to engage with international bodies like the United Nations or regional human rights bodies. This could involve submitting reports, participating in reviews, or lobbying for resolutions or other actions. Raising public awareness and understanding of the violations can generate public pressure for accountability and change. This could involve public forums, educational programs, social media campaigns, or other awareness-raising activities.

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Working in human rights areas can be challenging and intense. One of the disciplines, that organizations use in their approach to strengthen social justice, is research, which is often concerned with on-site investigations and report writing on human rights conditions.

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Ada Hasanagić has been working as human rights researcher in the post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina for several years. She does extensive research about the massive violations of human rights that were committed during the war period. We caught up with Ada to find out what is necessary to become a human rights researcher and what is it like to work in such settings.

1. Hello Ada, could you please introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you and what are you doing?

I am a pre-war child. I was born in 1990 which makes me 26 years old now. I was only two years old when the conflict in B&H broke out. My family was forced to leave Grbavica, a part of Sarajevo that was under the control of the Serbian army during the entire war. We became refugees in our own hometown finding a shelter in our extended family’s homes throughout the city. Being a child in war was not easy, simply because you were not able to understand what was actually going on and no one would answer simple questions such as ‘how come I cannot go out and play?’ or ‘why the TV is not working?’. Luckily, we all survived the siege and were able to go back to our home in Grbavica.

During my years of education I was fortunate to be able to study at one of the most prestigious private universities in the country. I received my degrees in Political Science and International Relations from the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology and the University of Buckingham in 2013. The same year I was offered a scholarship to study at the European Regional Masters in Democracy and Human Rights in South-East Europe, which I completed in 2014.

I have been actively working as human rights violations researcher at Association Transitional Justice, Accountability and Remembrance (TJAR) in Sarajevo since September 2015. My job concerns recording human rights violations of the ex-detainees in detention camps that existed in the country in the period from 1992 to 1995. I travel across B&H in order to interview the former war victims who were abused, tortured and deprived of their basic liberties during the war. Once I collect enough information about each detention camp I compile it in the form of a narrative report in which I describe the ways human rights of each victim were violated. The job is very challenging sometimes; however, I am proud to be given the opportunity to provide the society with objective facts so that these terrible human rights violations would never occur again.

2. How did you get this job? What was the ‘’one thing’’ that set you apart from other applicants?

Actually, I did not get this job in a traditional way-you apply, get invited to the interview, “rock it” and get a job. When I finished my master’s program I started looking actively for work. Unfortunately, the job market in B&H is very bad and it is really hard to find one since the institutions are highly corrupted and you often need to have what we call “štela”-someone to whom you are going to pay in cash or service and who, in return, is going to score you a job. Since the beginning I knew that was not the path I want to follow. I had firmly decided that I wanted to work within the civil society sector since I saw it as the only opportunity to be involved in the human rights area. TJAR was one of the organizations that I contacted asking whether I could volunteer and help them out without requesting to be paid. If you want to work in the human rights area you have to show that earning vast amounts of money is not your ultimate goal.

I started volunteering at TJAR in January 2015. I gave my best to be at their service all the time and learn from more experienced people. Ultimately I was told that “once the first donation comes in” the job is mine since they saw me as someone who is devoted to work. It took me around 8 months to score a contract and become one of the researchers. So once I formally started I was already an independent researcher and have been one since then.

3. Do you have any tips for job seekers who would love to work in a similar field?

If you want to work as human rights researcher or within the human rights area in general you have to set your goals and priorities. You need to decide what area and which vulnerable groups in the society interest you the most. Once you set your goals you should start applying and contacting different civil society and international organizations offering them your expertise and knowledge. Most often you will receive negative answers; therefore, it might be good if you start as an intern or a volunteer. You have to have an open heart to be able to work in these areas and your ultimate goal should be related to helping those in need.

Working in the human rights area can be tough emotionally. You could find yourself interviewing all sorts of people- uneducated, poor, people with physical and mental disabilities, victims of torture and sexual violence etc. Therefore, you need to be prepared, especially in cases where you are going to meet people who live in terrible and poor conditions. As human rights violations researcher you have to treat each victim equally and with the same respect. This is a must!

My ultimate tip is that you should always stay true to yourself. Work hard and be passionate about your goals.

4. Can you describe a typical day in your work?

My work consists out of two parts. The first part concerns the typical office work. I work with a team of five human rights researchers. During the time spend in the office I do desk research which mainly consists of reading through the court judgments, various reports of international organizations, books and media articles that relate to detention camps I am currently researching. I usually do this in order to extract as much information about the human rights violations as possible. The time I spent in office I use to contact the ex-detainees and write the narrative reports about detention camps. I am also in charge of checking the work of other researchers in the team and trying to solve any issues that may arise.

The second part of my work is concerned with travelling across the country and interviewing the former ex-detainees. I always make sure to plan the trips in much detail as I can in order to use my time in the best possible way. I spend a lot of time preparing psychologically for interviewing the victims since I never know what type of people I am going to meet. I always strive to interview as many victims as possible in order to get the full picture of what was happening in a certain town or village.

The situation on the field differs from town from town. For example, it is much harder to work within municipalities that territorially belong to the entity of the Republic of Srpska. There are very few Bosniak returnees there and in case we do manage to reach them, they are often afraid to talk since they’re concerned about their existence. It is, however, easier to work within the territory of the Federation of B&H where people seem to be more relaxed to talk about their experiences during the conflict period. Nevertheless, I have encountered numerous situations on the field that range from people telling me to go away to those where they were anxious to tell their stories.

5. What are the biggest challenges and highlights in your job?

My job can be described as challenge after challenge. One of the biggest challenges is actually reaching out to the ex-detainees. Today, there are three large Associations of ex detainees in B&H, which gather three groups of former detainees-Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs. These Associations refuse to cooperate with each other since they firmly believe that the number of victims and sufferings that each victim went through cannot be seen as equal. I agree with this, but again I think every victim should be attributed his or her status as such. Therefore, our organization works with all victims irrespective of their ethnic or national affiliation.

Given that the Associations do not communicate with one another, no single database has ever been created to date on how many detention camps existed in the country and how many people were detained. It has been roughly estimated that around 1.500 camps existed and that around 100.000 people were detained. However, the lists of camps that have been released by all three Associations are, in some cases, inaccurate. Also, many people who have been detained have not been registered by these Associations so it is very difficult to reach them. All three Associations refuse to cooperate with our organization since we are working with all victims. This further aggravates the situation in the research, but our ultimate goal is to document all detention camps so we can get a complete view of what really happened.

Reaching out to victims can be frustrating especially because many people have left the country and many of them had been displaced from their homes during the war. Another challenge is also getting victims to talk. Many of them are afraid to talk because the war criminals that abused them and tortured them have never been prosecuted. This especially relates to the victims of sexual abuses. The work is also psychologically draining since I am working with people who often suffer from the post-traumatic stress with visible physical scars from the abuse.

However, the biggest satisfaction I get from this job is when I discover new detention places and record the human rights violations that have never been recorded before. For example, I base the majority of my work in the region of Krajina, which is about five hours drive far from Sarajevo. The first time I visited the Sanski Most municipality, I interviewed Reuf Hadžić, the man whose story fascinated me. Namely, he was detained in three detention camps during 1995. However, from 1992 until the beginning of 1995, he was mobilized by Serb officials in Sanski Most as he was the only man who had been trained to work in the then bookkeeping programs. During the years he was forced to work with Serbs who had taken advantage of him, maltreated him and discriminated him on national basis. He did not receive paycheck and he was not allowed to celebrate holidays as others were. After all, he went through three detention camps, but I will not talk about his torture in that period. At the end of the interview, he told me that I was the first person to record his story and to help hear his voice. This gave me great pleasure in the business I am dealing with.

The fact that I am able to record these types of stories stimulate me to continue working hard because I know that my work will contribute to the prosecution of war criminals one day and that the memory of the victims and their sufferings will be preserved.

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