In today’s world of global communication and social media, having a powerful logo is more important than ever. For organisations and entities that are devoted to advancing human rights, it is a way to spread awareness, represent the brand, and make a statement. Designing a human rights logo is a personal and meaningful task. It requires creativity and thoughtfulness, as you must find a way to accurately and effectively communicate an impactful message in a single image.

In this article, I would like to share with you seven things to consider beyond technical design theories, when creating a human rights logo.

#1 Colour – culture and symbolism

When selecting a color it is important to take into account the cultural context, symbolism, and personal preferences that are associated with it. Think about your corporate identity and values and who you are trying to reach.  Do you have any specific fields or ethnic groups that your logo is aiming to reach? If you are creating a logo for an international audience, be mindful of how colors may be interpreted differently in particular cultures. If you feel unsure, seek out local people’s opinions or designers. Careful consideration and a mindful approach will help ensure that you pick appropriate and powerful colours for your human rights logo.

#2 Colour – Accessibility

When designing a human rights logo you can help persons with colour vision deficiency or visual impairment by choosing the right colour combination. Consider using colours that have high contrast, such as black and white which has the highest possible contrast ratio of 21:1, or colours that are opposite one another on the colour wheel. This will make your design more accessible and easier to navigate for those with limited vision.

Adobe’s Color Contrast Analyzer makes it easy to check your contrast ratios and see how people with color vision deficiency view your hues and shades. With this tool, you’ll get detailed information about potential color conflicts so you can make sure your designs are more accessible. You can design more inclusive online spaces and logos by following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines provide comprehensive information on how to create accessible designs.

#3 Use shapes and symbols to support your message

The basic building blocks of any design are shapes. Context, colour and positioning of these shapes can make a huge impact on how we perceive them. Pointy edges and lines often give off a sharp, stingy vibe, whereas round shapes appear softer and less hazardous. The same triangle can appear unstable and warning, pointing downwards, or solid and firmly grounded, pointing upwards. A square is a very balanced shape, but it is less dynamic and can feel a bit boring.

If your organisation’s focus is activism and challenges of human rights, dynamic shapes with strong, saturated colors and powerful symbols, could be a great choice. If you are working in the field of reconciliation and healing or trauma, a more calming look with gentle colors and balanced shapes could be the way to go. It is essential to take the time to explore the social and cultural meanings behind the shapes and symbols you use and the context you are using them.

#4 Use design to create associations and contrast

We all have our own unique perspectives when it comes to interpreting the things we see. Those perspectives are based on our individual experiences, feelings, or backgrounds. You can craft a design that evokes particular associations. Consider the connotations of the words or images you use. Additionally, the use of space, positioning, colour, and shape can reinforce your visual message. The following example uses the same word and typeface but by applying different design choices, the associations are very contrasting and evoke distinct emotions.

The bold font of the word “freedom” gives it an airy, breathy feel, while the arch shape of the letters adds a sense of strength. Its top position in the teal square with plenty of room around it provides visual support for the concept, and the peaceful yet lively hue of the background radiates positive energy.

The cramped typeface with little spacing between the letters gives the word a tight, uncomfortable feel. The distortion creates an uneasy sensation and a sense of being pushed. Placed too close to the bottom edge of the grey square, it appears to be unsure of its position or crammed into the corner. Muted colors give a dismal feel.

Contrast is great for helping the viewer focus on what is most important. Think of it beyond just colour—you can create contrast with opposites, for example, big vs. small, bold vs. thin, narrow vs. wide, serif vs. sans-serif or traditional vs. modern.

#5 Choose a typeface that supports your message

In today’s world the amount of available typeface choices can be overwhelming. In order to make an appropriate selection be mindful of shapes, contrast, and context. Think about what you want to say with your typeface. You can make your search easier by using filter functions on online font sources, which allow you to narrow down your choices by selecting tags such as geometric, playful, or friendly.

Think of accessibility, it should be easy to read and understand, while still being visually appealing. I highly recommend looking for a typeface with high-quality characters and a range of fonts, such as thin, italic, regular, semi-bold, and bold. Make sure that the typeface you use is licensed for your project or check out if you can support the designer in case the typeface is free.

#6 Tell your story 

Storytelling can be used to convey a certain message, as well as evoke emotions from viewers. By weaving a narrative into your design, viewers will be able to connect with the logo on a more personal level. This connection ensures that the logo is more than just a symbol. It becomes a representation of the mission and the values of the brand. To ensure that the message is clear, determine what story you want to tell. What is your logo for? Put it in your specific context and use the above mentioned tips on colour, shapes and symbols, associations and typeface to help you crafting a visual story.

#7 Get feedback

Seeking feedback on your design can be daunting, as your logo is the result of hard work, dedication and passion. The response you receive may not be the one you anticipated and it can feel disappointing. However, see it as a learning experience. Constructive feedback is a great opportunity to change your own perspective and it can trigger fresh ideas. You gain valuable insight into how the logo is perceived and how it can be improved. You also learn a lot about yourself.

You can approach experts in the field of human rights and people who are not familiar with the topic. I would suggest asking friends and family first. Make clear what kind of feedback you are looking for. This could include questions like, “What is the logo telling you? Does the logo tell you what it is? What could be done to make the logo stand out more?”

I hope the seven tips will assist you on your human rights logo design journey and make it easier for you to start the exciting process.

Sabine Mann is the creator of the Human Rights Careers logo. She has worked as Programme Coordinator for the Vienna Master of Arts in Human Rights at the University of Vienna for nine years, where she developed essential skills and sensitivity in dealing with human rights topics. This valuable experience has had a profound impact on Sabine’s work as a designer. If you want to learn more about Sabine’s work, visit her website.

The post 7 Things to Consider When Designing a Human Rights Logo appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

Human rights can often seem abstract. The dry phrasing of conventions and court decisions can feel far away from the lived reality of people around the world. Photography is important because it brings these texts to life – it takes them off the page and into the reality of people like us. This is all the more so in a world where our attention spans feel ever shorter and the scroll of a social media feed needs to grab us in seconds, before we move on. 

Turning images into powerful human rights stories isn’t always easy. In this article I want to give you eight tips that I’ve found to be helpful in my own work, taking photographs for human rights and humanitarian organisations around the world. 

Hopefully these will be useful to you, regardless of whether you want to take better pictures yourself or are commissioning or selecting images to illustrate human rights stories.

#1 Think about your objectives

Before you go out and take photos or contract someone to take them for your organisation, spend some time thinking about what kinds of images you need and what you’ll need to get them. Think about what you might want someone to think or to feel or to do after they see your images. Then you can ask: what kinds of shots might help you achieve these objectives? Doing some planning in advance can also help you save time, so you just go out and try to get the one or two images you need to tell your story. Planning can also help you figure out what you’ll need to do to get the shots you want. Whether you can do it yourself, with your phone. Or whether you need dedicated time or equipment or professional help. 

#2 Remove distractions 

Once you know what your objectives are, try and take photos that show only the thing that’s important to your story. Phone cameras, in particular, are quite wide angle, so this might mean getting really close to your subject, so that it is obvious to the viewer, scrolling past, what your image is of. You can also use things like subframes (other objects in your photo that make a new, smaller, frame around your subject) to help focus attention on the subject of your story. Getting rid of distractions also means looking at the edges of your photo and behind people, to make sure there isn’t a pot-plant sticking out of someone’s head or other distraction at the edge of the frame. 

#3 Pay attention to the light

How you use light can make a big contribution to the kind of mood you convey through your shot. Bright sun or indoor overhead lights will make harsh and deep shadows, while morning or evening light or light diffused through a window is going to be much softer (and more flattering). None of these choices are wrong but decisions about them help tell particular kinds of stories, so be intentional about your lights, depending on what kind of human rights story you want to tell. 

© Ben Buckland

#4 Use composition to set the mood

Thinking about things like the direction your subject is looking or walking or pointing in your image can help you tell your story. From my western perspective, if something is going left to right or bottom to top then it suggests progress or hope (and vice versa). In the same way, if your subject has space in front of them or above them, then this can help the viewer imagine them moving forward into the future. So this kind of picture is more likely to convey a hopeful mood. 

The so-called “rules” of composition – the rule of thirds for example – are a good starting point. But by using them we create balanced images. And maybe the mood or story you want to tell isn’t one of balance and harmony – so intentionally ignoring the rules can help us tell particular kinds of stories as well. 

© Ben Buckland

#5 Get consent

Because the people we are working with in human rights contexts are often in situations of vulnerability, questions of ethics and consent are all the more important. 6 principles should guide all of our work in this area. These are: Take the time to understand the situation and people you’re working with. Be clear with everyone involved about who you are and how and why you are using their image. Get consent and ensure that people can withdraw it later.  Build trust, including by being clear and accurate. Find creative solutions, including by taking photos of objects or places when photographing people doesn’t work. And do no harm by sometimes not taking a photo at all. 

#6 Stay away from cliches

We are often attracted by the dramatic. In human rights contexts this means we often focus on images that show the pain and suffering of victims. But sometimes stepping back, showing the context, the lived reality, can be even more powerful. People expect to be shocked by human rights photography and by staying away from cliches or biases that reinforce negative stereotypes, we can often surprise and engage them in unexpected ways. 

#7 Get up high or stay down low

Often when we pick up a camera we are standing. And so we stay standing when we take the shot. But more interesting compositions can very often be found if we crouch down or climb up high. This can also help us tell particular kinds of human rights stories. By getting down low, we make our subjects look bigger and more powerful. By getting up high and shooting with a wider angle, we make them look smaller and maybe more vulnerable. Thinking about the story you want to tell in advance and then getting up high or down low can really help us tell it. 

© Ben Buckland

#8 Take the time

The final piece of advice is to take the time. All the tips here, from planning to ethics and consent require some dedicated time. It doesn’t have to be much but making sure that there is dedicated time in your agenda for just this can really help. And most importantly, taking the time with your subjects is going to help you understand and tell their stories in a far more compelling way. 

Get in touch with Ben here: www.benbuckland.photo

The post 8 Tips for Human Rights Photography appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

Human rights content encompasses a range of social, political, economic, and environmental topics. Race, gender, sexuality, climate change, and international law represent a handful of the subjects a writer might cover in articles, newsletters, blogs, podcast scripts, books, and more. If you’re writing about human rights – or want to start – here are ten tips to store in your toolkit:

#1. Identify your audience

No matter what you’re writing, knowing your audience matters. It determines the appropriate tone, style, and information you’ll present. For human rights content, your audience could be people well-versed in human rights. They don’t need a primer on foundational information like what human rights are or why they matter. For this audience, a more academic tone with more advanced terms might be appropriate.

On the other hand, your audience could be readers only starting to learn about human rights. They’ll need background on things like human rights history, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and human rights activism. An easier reading style that defines essential concepts and terms would be more appropriate for this audience.

#2. Think about a piece’s scope

How much detail is your piece of writing going to get into? What’s your planned word count? Answering these questions helps you determine how much ground you’ll need to cover and how much research is needed. If it’s a short piece, you won’t cover much beyond the basics, so research will be more limited. If it’s long-form, you’ll need to write a more in-depth piece supported with more research. Thinking about a piece’s scope also helps you estimate how long the writing will take, so you can plan accordingly and meet your deadline.

Need to expand a piece’s scope to meet a word count? Avoid padding the piece with more complex language or irrelevant tangents. You can add more examples to flesh out your points if they strengthen your argument. If possible, you can also address other perspectives. This is an especially useful method if you’re writing about something contentious. Depending on the nature of the piece, you can further clarify why your position makes more sense. If this kind of analysis isn’t appropriate, you can describe other perspectives without adding your own opinion.

#3. Outline

For writers who struggle with starting a piece, outlining is very helpful. Outlines focus the mind and give you something more than a blank page to work with. Because outlines don’t have to be pretty, there’s often less pressure and a writer is freer to just scribble. Depending on the length and style of your piece, outlines can look very different. Maybe yours includes just an Introduction, Point #1, Point #2, Point #3, and a Conclusion. An outline can also help you organize all your research, so you know exactly where a specific piece of information will go and what point it will support.

Transitioning from the outline phase to the writing phase looks different for each writer. Some writers use the outline as a very general guide while others stick very closely to the structure they’ve chosen. There’s no “correct” way. Sometimes an outline is just that – a bare-bones structure with a few points – while other times, an outline is a skeleton that a writer adds meat to until the piece is practically finished.

#4. Use narratives to make your writing interesting

Most human rights content is non-fiction, but that doesn’t mean it must be dry. Instead of only including statistics, look for narratives in the information you’re writing about. That can include describing historical examples or being specific about what an issue like sexism can look like. If you’re interviewing a person, make them come alive by describing where the interview took place, what time of day it was, and so on. Describing a subject’s physical appearance can be tricky. A 2019 blog from ProPublica Illinois discusses how if done well, descriptions can add “useful information about a person’s character.” Descriptions can distract from the main point, however, and even instigate prejudices based on race, class, and gender. Your job as a writer is to consider this and be intentional.

#5. Stick to reliable research sources

A lot of research goes into human rights content. In some cases, most of a writer’s time is spent researching, not writing. Knowing which sources are reliable is essential. UN agencies, major news organizations, organizations and universities with good reputations, and books by experts are good places to start. Ideally, you should cross-reference because even reliable sources make mistakes. If an article or blog cites a report or study, find the original piece and read at least the summary (or do a word/phrase search for the piece of info you’re checking) to make sure the source says what the article claims it says. These original sources often contain other relevant information you can use in your piece, too.

#6. Know when to cite information

Academic citations are complex and taken very seriously, but let’s assume you’re writing content like blogs or articles. Things are a little looser in this space, so most of the time, you aren’t expected to add detailed footnotes or bibliographies. The general rule is that if something is fact-based and accessible to the public (like UN stats on poverty), a link to the source and writing something like “According to a UN report from 2019” is sufficient, and proves you’ve done your research.

If you’re adding someone else’s opinion, analysis, or quote on a topic, you do need to tell your reader where it came from. Again, you’re showing your reader you’ve done your homework, but more importantly, you’re abiding by good writing ethics.

#7. Understand the appropriate terms

Language matters. Terms and phrases can empower or harm individuals or groups, so choosing the appropriate ones is important. As an example, you might wonder if it’s better to use the term “victim” or “survivor” when discussing sexual violence. Different sources use different terms. You’ll often find “survivor” linked to empowerment, but some people who’ve experienced assault prefer “victim.” In general, unless you know for sure what the subject of your writing prefers, “survivor” is likely the better term.

This doesn’t mean there’s no place for the term “victim,” but it depends on the context. As an example, this article about gender prejudice discusses the harmful phrase, “She was asking for it.” When describing those targeted by the phrase, the term “survivor” feels out of place. Since victim-blaming is the topic, the term “victim” makes more sense. “Victim” is also appropriate if the subject died as the result of a human rights violation.

#8. Consider the flow of your writing

Depending on where you work, you might have an editor, but even then, it’s important to polish your work before you send it off. That includes examining the flow of the piece. Think about the order of your points or arguments. Are they impactful in their current order? Is your strongest point buried or highlighted? Even if you’re writing listicles, you can usually order the points in a way that feels natural. As an example, in this article about the ten causes of gender inequality, uneven education access, employment inequality, and job segregation are listed in a row due to their thematic connection.

Flow applies to how the piece reads, as well. Reading your work aloud or using a text-reader gives you a good idea of a reader’s experience. They’re much more likely to keep reading the piece – and remember what’s in it – if it flows nicely.

#9. Use critical thinking when approaching human rights media

When you’re writing human rights content, you’ll interact with news, books, podcasts, films, photography, and so on. As you’re exploring, don’t simply absorb information. Question it. Assume that the media you engage with can’t tell the whole story. Acknowledge that things may be more complicated than they appear and that biases – yours and whoever created the media – influence the presentation. Critical thinking encourages a deeper look.

While all media should be scrutinized, movies and podcasts demand special attention. Why? These are often produced for entertainment as well as education. Creators employ methods to draw a consumer’s attention, which can come at the cost of good ethics or even accuracy. Additionally, complex issues might be flattened for the sake of clarity, time, or “a good story.” Human rights photography also presents unique considerations as images can be stripped of context or exploitative. Keep these things in mind when researching and writing.

#10. Read a lot

In his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King wrote, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” King mostly writes fiction, but his advice applies to all writers, including human rights content writers. You’ll get the most direct benefit by reading books, articles, and blogs on human rights, social justice, and related fields. Not only will you learn what good (and bad) writing looks like, but you’ll get lots of content ideas and sources you can use for research.

Don’t limit yourself to academic texts or dense non-fiction. There are many memoirs, poetry books, novels, and even graphic novels that focus on human rights issues. Creative works illuminate stories through a unique lens, capturing emotions and nuances that a textbook or journalistic endeavor can miss. You most likely won’t directly reference everything you read in your writing, but reading deepens your understanding and expertise.

The post 10 Tips for Human Rights Content Writers  appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

Seeking asylum means asking another country for protection. This means that the government of the country of origin is unable to ensure the security of the person which may result in exposure to persecution in case of return to the country. Thus, the “manifestly well-founded nature of the asylum application” must be justified, which must therefore be based on an explanation of the reasons for fearing persecution if returned to the country of which one is a national. In order to gather all the required information and take a proper decision on the asylum claim, caseworkers are required to apply the relevant legal instruments during the refugee status determination and the assessment of each case. Although it might seem like a complicated task, it is actually very simple as long as the caseworker follows specific rules. In this article, I am providing a few of the easiest ways to apply international and regional refugee law instruments in refugee status determination procedures. Whether you are an asylum caseworker with UNHCR or with the government, the following tips are useful and applicable.

When in doubt, re-read the refugee definition:

Before applying any legal instrument in the asylum context, it is crucial to be fully aware of the definition of a refugee, first in the 1951 Geneva Convention and then in other regional legal instruments like the OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa or the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees which covers South America.

The 1951 Convention is the key legal instrument that directs the work of an asylum caseworker and especially the work of UNHCR and its partners. It defines a refugee as someone who ““owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.” It is based on this definition that an asylum eligibility officer can take a decision on the refugee claim at hand and thus apply any other relevant legal instrument. People flee their countries for an infinity of reasons, which is also what makes the difference between a refugee or asylum seeker and a migrant. The first and most important element an asylum caseworker needs to focus on is the REASON why the asylum seeker left his/her country of origin. To make it even simpler, the first way to apply refugee law instruments in status determination interviews is to determine the convention grounds, in other words whether or not there is a nexus between the reason why the claimant left his/her country and one of the five grounds for refugee status mentioned in the 1951 Geneva Convention. It is as easy as that!

Now, in some regions of the world like Africa and South America, Refugee Status Determination might not stop at the 1951 definition. These two regions of the world have their own additional conventions on refugees, which are somewhat adapted to the reality of each of these places and to the actual reasons why people leave their countries. For example, the African Union Convention extends the definition of a refugee to a person fleeing “aggression, occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order” which includes, therefore, people fleeing general conflicts or civil wars. This means that an asylum caseworker in an African country would have to be aware of the additional definition of the OAU Convention and to apply this legal instrument before taking a final decision, by first trying to establish a convention nexus and, in the absence of such nexus, by determining whether the refugee claim is related to one of the grounds mentioned in the regional legal instrument of the African Union.

Prepare for the interview:

One common misconception that asylum caseworkers might have is that all refugees from a certain nationality for example have the same background, same journey and eventually the same reason why they are seeking asylum. However, this is one of the most dangerous misconception you might have as an Eligibility Officer in the asylum context as it prevents you from fully grasping the gist of the asylum seeker’s story. It also usually prevents you from preparing for the interview, which is a crucial step in conducting a fair interview and in taking the right decision on the case.

Therefore, it is highly important to ALWAYS prepare yourself for any interview and any new applicant. Preparation is the key to understanding the full context and to selecting the relevant legal instruments to use in any case. Let us take for instance the example of an adult male from a Middle Eastern country seeking asylum in any given country other than his own. When preparing for the interview, you would have to search at least basic information on the situation in his country of origin and his area of habitual residence in particular in order to properly assess his nationality (especially in the absence of identity documents) and to ask questions about his whereabouts during the conflict. When checking his registration file, which is the very first file containing basic information and biodata on any applicant, you realize that he has been politically affiliated with a party that you suspect is a perpetrator in the country. This will be extremely important to probe further with the applicant during the interview to understand whether or not he was affiliated in any way possible with war crimes or human rights violations, which would also mean using a different set of laws and conventions related to the Exclusion Acts of the 1951 Refugee Convention to determine whether or not he can still be recognized as a refugee.

On the other hand, if we take the example of an unaccompanied minor from Eritrea who is seeking asylum as he has fled forced military service and human rights violations in his country of origin, we would be definitely looking at different legal instruments to prepare for the interview and be able to take a decision on the claim. Such instruments include the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC), Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime…

Gather Country of Origin Information (COI)

Country of Origin Information are any data and updates you might research on a specific country, region or even village for your refugee status determination assessment. They include national laws in the country of origin of the asylum seeker. Why would you need national laws from the country of origin? Because part of the job of an asylum caseworker is to determine whether or not the applicant can obtain the protection of his state in his home country in the case of return. State protection is a key component of any given refugee claim. In fact, refugee status is a form of international protection given by a country rather than one’s own in the case of absence of protection from one’s own country of origin, especially when the state is the actual agent of persecution. Therefore, by researching national laws in the country of origin, a caseworker is able to see the full picture and determine whether the asylum seeker is in actual need of international protection. For example, when working with Eritrean nationals, the first thing a caseworker should do is familiarize him/herself with the laws on military service and illegal exit from the country. Knowing that people might face lifetime military service or imprisonment in the case of return to Eritrea is a crucial component of the refugee claim.

As a conclusion, it is always important to base your assessment on the relevant international and regional refugee law instruments. However, expanding your research by using human rights conventions and other human rights instruments to support your case is always a good practice.

The post How to Apply Refugee Law Instruments in Status Determination Interviews appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

Research shows that diverse workplaces are more successful than homogenous workplaces. At the same time, diversity in the workplace can also cause more conflict. Why? Diversity isn’t a magic bullet for a productive, successful organization. There needs to be inclusion. Inclusive work cultures celebrate differences and commit to making the environment safe and welcoming to everyone. Here are seven tips on creating that kind of workplace:

#1. Make your vision clear

Employees (and potential employees) should understand the importance of inclusiveness right away. Websites, social media channels, workshops, and meetings should promote inclusion as a company value. Policies and practices need to back that up, too. Clarity and intentionality will draw new talent, strengthen trust, and guide an organization’s path to specific, effective steps to inclusion.

#2. Establish a D&I committee

Diversity and inclusion committees have four main responsibilities: advise on D&I efforts, integrate the initiatives through the whole organization, assess how effective the initiatives are, and ensure accountability. Membership should represent diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and age. All stakeholders – including employees at each level and senior managers – should have a place on the committee. Without a committee, it would be very difficult to develop inclusive practices that work and monitor how well practices are working. Successful D&I committees have full support from leadership, clear expectations, and the resources they need to track progress.

#3. Set goals and monitor progress

It’s one thing to say a workplace is inclusive, but without specific goals and a way to measure progress, inclusiveness will remain a pipe dream. Goals can include improved pay equity, a target number of attendants at internal trainings, or rewritten job descriptions with inclusive language. Collecting information is very important when monitoring progress, so companies should commit to high-quality data. Not all progress can be tracked or reported in the same way, but steps like regular employee surveys and other ongoing feedback help a workplace stay on track. The D&I committee plays an essential role in this process.

#4. Provide training to managers

Managers implement the policies and practices that turn a vision of inclusiveness into a reality. They demonstrate values, identify priorities, mentor other employees, and bring concerns to executive staff. If a company wants a more inclusive workplace, they need to make sure their managers are on the same page. This goes beyond simple discussions about inclusion; managers need diversity workshops, training on unconscious bias, cultural training, and more. Managers should receive consistent support, tools, and resources to help them build inclusiveness into their daily work routines. The role of a manager is difficult and while the benefits are clear, leading a diverse workforce comes with challenges. Providing high-quality, ongoing training to managers helps them – and the workplace as a whole – successfully create an inclusive culture.

#5. Promote inclusive language

When shaping a work culture, don’t underestimate the importance of language. Language – both spoken and written – drives communication. Certain words and phrases can confuse or clarify values and priorities. Promote gender-inclusive language, normalize pronouns in email signatures, and take harmful language seriously. Inclusive language can also mean avoiding company acronyms or clichés, which often aren’t accessible to new employees and employees from other cultures. Adjusting to more inclusive language can be tricky at first, but with practice, it gets easier.

#6. Ensure physical and digital accessibility

Navigating a workplace with physical barriers is challenging or even impossible for people with disabilities. Organizations should prioritize safety and comfort for everyone, which means having elevators, wheelchair ramps, wide hallways, and more. Many places require compliance to certain standards – like the Americans with Disabilities Act – but organizations can go further to ensure accessibility. That can mean having a home office budget, so remote workers can buy comfortable chairs, standing desks, or whatever else they need. Digital accessibility is another way to become more inclusive. Websites and other digital materials should support text and screen-readers and video captions.

#7. Encourage open communication and accountability

Organizations won’t hear about inclusion problems if people feel uncomfortable speaking up. The first step is making sure that expectations are clear. This is an ongoing process as new employees come in, policies are updated, and new practices are embraced. When problems arise – and there will always be problems – employees need to feel confident going to their managers. That trust is only gained when managers consistently respond with respect and accountability. A lot of organizations fail at this stage. They spend a lot of time creating practices and talking about inclusion, but when it comes to employee feedback and responding to issues, there’s a lack of understanding and action. Open, ongoing communication that’s rewarded with concrete accountability is a must.

The post How to Create a More Inclusive Work Environment appeared first on Human Rights Careers.

Your heart races. Your breath catches in your throat. You feel as if the walls might close in on you. Anxiety is one of the most uncomfortable (and sometimes painful) feelings a person can experience. Many experience anxiety in a few situations, but what if you start feeling it as you approach your computer? Email anxiety is not as uncommon as you might think. The pandemic most likely worsened it for many people as they worked from home and spent long hours staring at their screens. What can you do about email anxiety?

Why does email make people anxious?

Before we talk about managing your anxiety, why does something as “normal” as email cause such discomfort? Emails create a lot of work. Most employees can receive over 100 emails a day. The thought of reading and answering them all is overwhelming. Many people also worry about misunderstanding emails or writing in a way that confuses others. Tools like emails can make life more convenient, but communicating is more complicated.

The link between anxiety and technology is still being studied, but there’s evidence that being so dependent on our phones and computers affects our well-being. “Blue light,” which we’re exposed to every time we look at our screens, has come under scrutiny. A Harvard experiment found that exposure to 6.5 hours of blue light suppressed melatonin for twice as long as exposure to green light. If you’re up late checking your emails, it disrupts your sleep and creates a perfect environment for more anxiety.

How to manage your email anxiety

You’ve realized that checking and answering emails makes you anxious. What can you do about it? Here are some ideas:

Set specific times for checking/answering emails

Many people get stuck checking their email every few minutes because they don’t want to miss anything important. This compulsive behavior disrupts your other work and keeps your anxiety high. If possible, set up specific times to check and answer emails. As an example, you can commit to checking your email when you start work, in the middle of the day, and a few hours before your workday ends. Consider adding these hours to your email signature, so people needing to contact you know when they can expect you to see and reply to an email.

Turn off push notifications during off-hours

When you’re done working, turn off the push notifications for your work email. This way, you won’t know when you get an email and won’t feel pressure to look at it right away. You also won’t have to deal with the anxiety of letting an email sit unopened. Setting these boundaries ensures that your work life doesn’t start creeping into your personal time.

Use software to polish your emails

Does your anxiety stem from insecurity about your formatting or writing abilities? If you use links and images in your emails, tools like Campaign Monitor show you what a final email draft will look like to a viewer. Tools like Grammarly check for spelling and grammatical errors, while most browsers also have built-in checks. Before sending an email, follow a checklist to make sure everything is the way you want it. First, proofread and spell-check, then click on any links to make sure they work. If you have images, make sure they load. Lastly, proofread your subject line. Your anxiety might tempt you to get through emails quickly, but you’ll feel better knowing everything is correct.

Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails

Many people are on mailing lists for retailers, organizations, and more. You also probably get a lot of spam messages. If your anxiety is rooted in an overflowing inbox, you can reduce your nervousness by unsubscribing from unnecessary stuff. If it doesn’t have to do work, it doesn’t belong in your work inbox. Don’t just delete spam – block it. This cuts down on the number of emails you get in a day.

Think about what needs to be an email (and what doesn’t)

Most of us have experienced the frustration of trying to clarify something with multiple back-and-forth emails. If you have email anxiety, this can be an agonizing all-day affair. In situations like this, it’s better to just pick up the phone. If you anticipate an email conversation going on all day, ask the other party if they’re okay jumping on a quick call. Not everything can be an email, so knowing what should or shouldn’t be will make your day much less complicated and frustrating.

Managing the physical effects of anxiety

Even if you implement all the tips we listed above, you might still feel some symptoms of anxiety. This can include an increase in body temperature, racing heart, shortness of breath, and so on. When this happens, there are things you can do right away to reduce your symptoms. First, try some breathing exercises. The classic technique – taking deep, slow breaths – works for many people, but there are other techniques, like box breathing. Breathe out while counting to four, hold for four seconds, then inhale for four seconds. Hold there for another four seconds, and then exhale in four seconds. Repeat until you feel calmer. Movement is another effective anxiety-reliever, even if it’s just some light stretching. If your email anxiety transforms into regular anxiety or feels too overwhelming to manage, it’s time to talk to a mental health professional.

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A consultant is an expert that provides analysis and advice to organizations. Traditionally, consulting has focused on increasing an organization’s productivity and profit. In recent years, more niche consulting needs have arisen, including social impact consulting. These consultants help organizations (usually non-profits) develop long-term and sustainable practices that both boost the org’s impact and bring in funds. How does a person become a social impact consultant?

Steps to become a social impact consultant

Education

In most cases, traditional and social impact consultants need the same educational background. A bachelor’s degree is usually required, though some employers look for consultants with a master’s degree. A Ph.D. is generally not something you’ll need, though it does represent the educational peak of expertise. What field should your education be in? There isn’t one pathway that’s required. Companies will typically want a business degree or something similar like marketing, management, finance, and so on. These degrees are valuable to organizations because they want a consultant who understands how businesses and nonprofits work.

Internships

Major consulting firms typically offer summer internships. Social impact consulting firms (like Social Impact, a global development and management firm) are also starting to offer more opportunities for interns. If you can’t get an internship with a social impact firm, any consultant firm will give you valuable experience and help you develop the skills you’ll need down the road. Internships with nonprofits and organizations that work in social justice/human rights also look good on your resume.

Work experience

Internships can count as work experience, but to get hired as a social impact consultant, you will most likely need a handful of years at a non-internship job. In a job description we found for an associate consultant, the organization required 2-4 years of experience in “relevant issues and industries.” That included research, social impact, NGO/nonprofits, corporate responsibility, and so on. For another consultant position, an organization wanted at least 2 years of full-time, post-degree experience. When applying for jobs, it’s essential to demonstrate how your work experience prepares you for a position. Necessary skills include analyzing lots of information; solving complex problems; and clearly communicating in writing and speaking. As with any career, it’s unlikely you’ll get your “dream job” right away. You can choose jobs that you feel best prepare you for the ideal position that you want.

Should you join a consulting firm or not?

If you want to work as a social impact consultant, do you need to join a consulting firm? Today, there’s a good number of consultant firms that focus on social impact or that have dedicated sectors to that field. Founded in 2000, FSG is a global social impact consulting firm that’s worked with companies like General Mills, the Toyota Mobility Foundation, and Oxfam America. They work in a variety of fields including corporate social responsibility, education and youth, global health, and global development. Also founded in 2000, The Bridgespan Group is a nonprofit based in Boston, Massachusetts that offers management consulting to philanthropists and nonprofits. It focuses on areas like global development, education, and public health.

There are several benefits to working for a social impact consulting firm. You get access to an established network and the firm’s reputation. Companies will be more likely to consider you when you come from a place known for choosing its consultants carefully. You’ll also develop skills specific to consulting and become very familiar with how consulting works. That said, you don’t need to join a firm to become a consultant. You can build your reputation and network on your own, though it’s often more challenging. If you’ve worked for a while and are switching to consulting, you should have connections and a reputation already, which can make the transition smoother.

How to land projects as a social impact consultant

Organizations looking for consultants want to be sure they’re spending their money wisely. You’ll need to back up any claim you make with experience and successful projects. To protect the confidentiality of your past clients, you should have set talking points, such as how much your efforts have increased fundraising or how much money you’ve saved a client. You shouldn’t give specific details about how you did that because that would be breaking confidentiality. If you need to be more specific, make sure you’ve cleared it with the past client.

How much do social impact consultants make?

In the United States, ZipRecruiter estimates an average yearly salary of almost $77,000. Nationally (and internationally), the pay varies considerably, so consultants can expect much higher salaries depending on their experience and skills. The more success you have, the more you can charge. Always be sure an organization knows what they get for their money, including the services you’re offering, what outcomes they can expect, and how long a project will likely take. Clarity is key in the often complicated business of social impact consulting. As the social impact consultant industry grows, your ability to communicate and meet expectations can set you apart.

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Most people know that equality in the workplace is important, but what does it entail? Equality goes hand in hand with a lack of discrimination, which is illegal in many countries. However, equality runs deeper than simply the lack of discrimination. It’s also different from treating everyone as if they were the same, which is how many people view “equality.” So, what is equality? And how can it be promoted in the workplace?

Equality: discrimination, diversity, and inclusion

The first step to equality is addressing discrimination. A workplace can’t achieve equality if any discrimination is allowed to flourish. There are several kinds of discrimination based on traits like gender, ethnicity, age, ability, sexuality, and religious beliefs. Despite the illegality of discrimination in many places, it still happens. Another issue arises when employees face retaliation for reporting discrimination. Harassment, isolation, and other hostilities create an environment where employees are afraid to discuss and report inequality. Workplaces must have systems in place that protect employees from retaliation and hold perpetrators accountable.

As mentioned before, equality is more than a lack of discrimination. The other two branches are diversity and inclusion. Diversity is the presence of differences within a workplace. Those differences can include ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, and so on. Diversity comes with many benefits and in recent years, companies have begun to value diversity more. That said, a diverse workplace is not necessarily an equal one. You can find many organizations that show off their diversity stats, but upon closer inspection, it’s revealed that certain groups (like women or ethnic minorities) fill most of the lower-tiered/lower-paid positions. This doesn’t represent equality in the workplace.

Inclusion matters. Inclusion occurs when everyone in a workplace is treated fairly. Everyone has equal access to opportunities and resources, but individual needs are respected. Inclusive workplaces are more creative, productive, and welcoming. Employees feel more secure and satisfied knowing differences in the workplace are celebrated and that everyone is set up to succeed.

How to promote equality in the workplace

Now that you have a clearer idea of what equality looks like, how does a workplace achieve it? Here are three ways:

#1. Start at the hiring process

Equality should begin when hiring employees. What are the hiring practices like? Intentional or not, is there anything in the job posting that ends up excluding certain groups? An age requirement is a good example, as well as gender-coded language you might not be aware of. You can run a job posting through the Gender Decoder tool to see if certain terms might discourage people from applying. As an example, words like “cheerful” or “cooperative” are typically read as “feminine,” while words like “independent” or “decisive” are read as “masculine.” This tool is based on a research paper from 2011 published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. While subtle, words like these can discourage people from applying to certain jobs. You should also consider how certain job qualifications – like years of experience in a specific field or years of schooling – might affect who applies. Depending on the job, you might encourage a more diverse pool of candidates by allowing experience to substitute for education.

#2. Be transparent about salary

One of the biggest drivers of inequality is secrecy around compensation. When employees don’t know what colleagues are making, it’s hard to narrow the pay gap and easy for resentment to build. One report showed that when employees suspect there’s a gap, they are 16% less likely to stay at their jobs. When workplaces are more open about employee pay, they have smaller pay gaps. The most obvious reason is that employees aren’t in the dark about differences and will approach their bosses (or leave) if they feel they’re being unpaid fairly. To justify pay differences, organizations need to have good enough reasons. If they can’t come up with any, they’ll need to narrow pay gaps to keep their employees from leaving.

#3. Make adjustments for employees

Flexibility is an essential part of building an equal workplace. That means remembering that employees are whole people, not just workers. If they have kids, they’ll need to take off work for appointments, school meetings, emergencies, etc. Getting that time off should be convenient and not result in negative consequences. If an employee needs accommodations based on a physical or mental disability, it should be easy and stress-free for them to receive those accommodations. Other examples of flexibility include good maternity and paternity leave, time off for religious holidays, remote work options, alternative work schedules, and more. The more flexible and accommodating a workplace is, the more diverse (and inclusive) the workplace will be.

Equality in the workplace: building a better culture

A workplace culture encompasses policies, communication, and systems. Building a culture based on equality and inclusion is an intentional act. It doesn’t “just happen.” It won’t be an easy road, especially if the organization is going through big changes, but the willingness to address issues and listen to employees is key. The payoff is happier, more productive employees, long-term success, and an excellent reputation.

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Bullying at school is a significant problem worldwide. Research estimates that around ⅓ of teenagers experience bullying. While boys are at a slightly higher risk, girls suffer more in spaces with the most bullying reports. Bullying has long-term consequences for both bullies and their victims. As they get older, bullies often develop problems with alcohol and criminal activity. On the other end of the equation, bullied students are at a high risk of anxiety, depression, and other health problems. School should be a safe place for everyone. How can schools develop strong policies against bullying?

Step 1: Define bullying

What is bullying? Schools need to recognize that it doesn’t only involve physical actions like beating someone up. Verbal bullying (using slurs, teasing, mocking), social bullying (exclusion, spreading rumors, humiliation), and cyberbullying (using the internet to humiliate and/or harass someone) all fall under the bullying umbrella. Not all conflict constitutes bullying. There is usually a power imbalance – one student is more vulnerable than the other – and the behavior is usually repetitious. Bullying at school can also involve teachers.

Step 2: Understand what causes bullying

Along with defining bullying, schools should educate their staff on the root causes. Kids don’t wake up one day and decide to be a bully. Problems at home (like abuse, a stressful financial situation, big life changes) can cause kids to become aggressive at school. If a student has been bullied at some time, they might bully others to feel empowered again. Bullying is also linked to the ideologies kids absorb at home. If kids learn repressive gender norms or racial discrimination, they often act out these beliefs at school.

Step 3: Build on existing policies

An established school will already have policies on bullying because of state or national laws. However, these laws don’t typically provide specifics on how schools should address bullying; they just say schools have a duty to address it. There might be more specific requirements depending on your area, but every school should customize its policies. During this process, allow school staff, parents, and students to participate. This way, everyone can learn what bullying is and why it isn’t acceptable in a learning environment. If anyone has questions or a unique perspective to offer, this is a great time for them to get involved. When the whole school is involved in policy development, it encourages a culture that values respect, safety, and inclusiveness. It also establishes what’s expected of staff and students so there are no misunderstandings down the road.

Step 4: Decide how people should report bullying

A reporting system is the only way to track bullying and ensure quick action against it. There are many things to consider. Will reporting be anonymous? Are records kept in a digital format or the old-fashioned way? Who investigates the reports? There are pros and cons to different methods, so a discussion is warranted. As an example, many students may worry about their identity becoming known. The option for anonymous reporting resolves that issue.

Whatever you decide, it should be easy for staff, students, and parents to report a bullying incident. If it’s anonymous, it should be clear what information is required, such as the details of the incident, who was involved, and the relationship of the reporter to the incident (i.e. they’re a witness, they heard about the incident afterward, etc). Reports should always be confidential.

Step 5: Decide how investigations will look

Once a report has been submitted, it needs to be verified (not all reports will be true) and investigated. Interviews will be an important part of the investigation. That includes interviews with teachers, students, and parents. If it’s clear that bullying has occurred, parents should be notified. If the bullying incident could constitute a crime (sexual harassment, hate crime, physical assault, etc), law enforcement needs to be notified, too.

Step 6: Specify disciplinary actions

How should a school respond to bullying? It depends on the nature of the incident. Suspension or expulsion is not always appropriate but should be included among the potential consequences for bullying. Other actions include counseling, detention, collaboration with parents on social-skill building, and behavioral support. The safety of the victim is also a top priority. There may need to be adjustments to the environment, like moving the bully to another class.

Step 7: Provide support for bullying victims

Bullied students should not be left to fend for themselves in the aftermath. They should be connected to counseling and other mental health services. It’s also important for the school to check in with the victim to make sure the bullying has not continued. This is not only essential for the individual victims, but for the entire school. If bullying is not properly addressed and victims don’t get help, it creates an unsafe culture. Students are less likely to report bullying because they don’t trust the administration to do anything. Inversely, if the school has established strong anti-bullying policies and support systems, it creates a much healthier, safer environment.

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Being an effective human rights activist takes more than a commitment to equality and justice. Passion is important, but activism is hard work and requires great organizational and leadership skills. Because real change is often slow to materialize, activism also requires a lot of patience. To sustain their work, activists need an action plan. Here’s how to develop one:

Define your goals

Defining your goals as an activist is an essential first step. Many new activists dive headfirst into various human rights activities (petitions, protests, etc) but they don’t have concrete goals. Strategic planning looks differently based on your group’s size and what area of human rights you’re working in. Meetings should involve at least the group’s leaders. Aim for SMART goals, a strategy (most likely) created by George T. Doran, a business consultant. SMART stands for “specific,” “measurable,” “attainable,” “relevant/realistic,” and “time-oriented.”

Using this framework, you can develop two types of goals: human rights and organizational development goals. Human rights goals encompass the things you want your group to accomplish, such as talking to 100 people about the issue and have them sign a petition. Organizational development goals involve strengthening your group and its ability to meet your goals, i.e. recruit 20 new members in the next year.

Choose the right action

Once you have your goals, it’s time to come up with the actions that allow you to meet them. What specific activities fit with your group’s size and what you hope to accomplish? Let’s consider the goal of talking to 100 people about an issue. For your group, let’s say that issue is about how many kids go hungry during summer when school is out. You could hold a bake sale or another event that revolves around food. This draws people in and makes them a good audience for information about hunger. It’s also a good opportunity to raise money for food banks, summer lunch programs, or other organizations that align with your mission. When considering an action, factor in things like cost, practicality, and accessibility. You want as many community members as possible to feel welcome.

Analyze stakeholders

“Stakeholders” is a term usually associated with business, but it applies to human rights, too. It refers to any individual or group that has an interest in or a potential influence on the issue or action you’re considering. That includes those who are most impacted by the human rights issue or action. In our hunger example, stakeholders include the kids who miss lunch during the summer; their parents; schools that provide lunches during the summer; businesses that donate food; food banks, and more. Stakeholders are always specific to your group’s human rights issue and your location; there’s no universal stakeholder you can stick into your action plan. As you work through your plan, you might identify more stakeholders. Analyze where they fit into the puzzle and how they play a role in your action plan.

Assess the risks

There will always be challenges, so every action plan needs to consider what could go wrong. If you’re holding a protest, counter-protesters might start making people uncomfortable or scared, even violence may erupt. There are many much more severe risks when engaging in activism depending on the country or region you live in. You can learn more about the risks human rights defenders are facing in an online course. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the risks associated with your action before you start going public.

Follow through and evaluate the action

You’ve developed your action plan and strategy. It’s time to follow through. Your group should distribute duties according to schedules and skills, so everyone is participating in a way that ensures the best chance of success. After each action, gather with your group to evaluate how it went. This part of an action plan should never be neglected. It’s the only way to know if your plan is working. Answer questions such as:

• What went well?
• What challenges were there?
• Did everyone feel prepared for the action or do we need to improve training?
• What can we improve on for next time?
• Did we make any new connections?
• Did we recruit any new members?
• What was the biggest thing we learned?

Evaluation means learning from experiences. Everyone involved in the action should participate, so the group can hear from a variety of perspectives on what went well and what didn’t go so well. Someone should take detailed notes, so the information gathered can be used in planning the next action. This flexibility and a willingness to learn are very important for human rights action plans. Situations can change quickly and for a plan to be effective, it needs to be able to change, too.

Take the online course on human rights defenders where you will develop your own action plan during the course.

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Bullying – which is defined as unwanted and aggressive behavior among school-aged kids – is a global problem. According to research, around ⅓ of young teens experience bullying worldwide. Overall, boys are at a slightly higher risk, but in places with the highest incidents of bullying, girls were the victims. There are negative consequences for both the bullied and the bullies. Bullied young people experience depression, anxiety, and other health issues. They’re also more likely to skip classes or drop out of school completely. Kids who bully others are more likely to abuse alcohol as adults, drop out of school, and engage in criminal activity. Even the kids who just observe bullying can suffer mental health issues. How can we prevent bullying?

Know how to identify bullying

To prevent bullying, the first step is understanding what it looks like. Bullying must be aggressive, repetitious, and involve an imbalance of power. This is important because if two kids who usually get along have an argument or fight, it doesn’t mean one is bullying the other. There are also certain phases in a kid’s development when they reorganize their friendships. This can cause conflict and hurt feelings, but it doesn’t necessarily mean bullying is occurring. Bullying must involve aggressive behavior and power. That includes physical attacks, making threats, spreading rumors, and/or purposeful exclusion. It can happen in person and online. What does a power imbalance look like? It can mean superior physical strength, popularity, or access to private information.

Understand the root causes of bullying

Why do kids bully each other? Understanding the variety of reasons allows adults to address them. One reason is discrimination and intolerance. When kids encounter differences, they may respond negatively. In certain environments, these differences might be social or racial. When there’s more uniformity, kids can get picked on because of differences in their abilities, appearance, academics, and more. Bullying is also linked to sibling rivalries at home (a child who is angry with their sibling takes out their rage on someone at school) and low self-worth. Children raised in narrow-minded, critical environments can also become bullies as a result of imitating their guardians’ behavior.

Check in with kids frequently

To address bullying, communication is essential. Check in with kids frequently and ask about their friends, school, and their feelings. Depending on their age and personality, a young person might be reluctant to open up about bullying. This could be due to shame or fear of retaliation. If the child is the one doing the bullying, they certainly won’t admit it. Often, a child may not be sure what bullying looks like. It’s up to adults to encourage conversation. If you notice a change in your child, talk to them.

Educate teachers on how to handle bullying

While bullying happens between young people, handling it is an adult’s responsibility. Many don’t know what to do. Teachers often don’t witness bullying, and according to student reports, they often don’t help when a child approaches them. In some cases, teachers might even fail to show empathy to bullied children, contributing further harm. This isn’t always intentional. Teachers are not always given clear guidance on how to handle bullying. Offering emotional support to students is the best place to start. A study of 35 first-grade teachers showed that when teachers created emotionally-supportive environments, bullying incidents went down. Kids were less aggressive and had better self-control. With emotional support, the kids who were more vulnerable to bullying also benefited.

Take an online course on making school human rights friendly

Educate guardians on how to handle bullying

Guardians must also play a role in bully management. If your child is the victim, it’s important to contact the school right away. You should not communicate directly with the bully’s family since their home circumstances are unknown. Knowing who to contact and how to approach the problem is important. It’s common (and natural) for guardians to react emotionally when they learn their child is being bullied, but it’s important to remain calm and try to work with the school. Ideally, the school will take appropriate actions to stop the bullying. Continue communicating with your child to see if the bullying has stopped. If it hasn’t, it’s time for another conversation with the school.

If your child is bullying other students, the first step is to try to identify why. It may be that your child is also being bullied and taking their stress out on others. Talk to them about their friends, their academic performance, and other areas of their life to see where they might be experiencing stress. Depending on the circumstances, getting your child professional help could be beneficial. It’s challenging to be the guardian of a child who bullies others, but acknowledging the bullying is the first step to stopping it. If it’s ignored, the child will likely suffer negative consequences later in life.

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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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