Human Rights Documentation Solutions

About the program

In Fall 2019, PILPG launched a two-year program entitled “Supporting Local Documentation Efforts for Accountability through Secure and Sustainable Documentation Solutions.”  The program aims to equip human rights documenters (HRDs) with tech tools that will help better document crimes of atrocity, contribute to transitional justice processes, and bring justice to victims. PILPG will provide access to tailored and secure tech solutions to HRDs, drawing upon our own extensive experience supporting HRDs in conflict and post-conflict countries. Throughout Phase I of this project, PILPG partnered with two organizations that are experts in the field of human rights documentation: Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems International (HURIDOCS) and The Engine Room. On November 18, 2020 the Phase I consortium will host a public event to launch the needs assessment report based on their research in Phase I. The event details and registration link are posted below.

PILPG’s program will:

1)    Map HRDs’ tech needs and the extent to which current documentation tools are available;

2)    Develop new secure, sustainable, and user-friendly documentation tools that meet the HRDs’ tech needs; and

3)    Support HRDs’ adoption and continued use of the new tools through training and feedback.

Through consultation with HRDs, tech providers, and truth, justice, and accountability entities, PILPG will robustly assess (i) the needs and challenges of HRDs’ workflow; (ii) available platforms for documentation; and (iii) justice sector institutions’ needs for receiving information from documentation efforts.  The assessment’s results will provide better understandings of the shortcomings of currently-available documentation platforms and tools, the challenges and needs that new tech solutions will have to address, and how these tech solutions will better equip HRDs to execute their workflow and contribute to justice, truth, and accountability processes.

Following our assessment, PILPG will issue a call for proposals to developers to create a tailored solution that addresses the needs and challenges faced by HRDs.  As the new tool is developed, HRDs will give input to the developers to ensure the final product’s functionality and accessibility are optimized for its end-users.

Once the new tech tool is created, HRDs will integrate the tool into their workflow, enabling them to more easily store, analyze, and transmit documentation data.By streamlining the methods for data collection, storage, and analysis, HRDs will be able to more effectively contribute to truth, justice, and accountability.

Program updates