New practice note prioritises survivors in the fight for justice

Abstract

In May 2025, the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB) published a practice note called ‘A Survivor-Centred Approach to Documentation for Criminal Accountability’. Building on years of documentation of human rights violations, the publication offers a detailed and valuable guide for civil society actors seeking to document human rights violations while also prioritising survivors’ needs, agency, and safety at the centre.

The note is issued within the context of an increasing emphasis on survivor-centred approaches to justice, especially in contexts where state institutions are either unwilling or unable to investigate and prosecute torture (IAPB, 2025: 33). This focus emerges against the background of a long history of survivor-led organisations that have documented torture. Developed through consultations with survivors, NGOs, and international bodies, the guide outlines a documentation process informed by principles such as the ‘do no harm’ principle and incorporates initiatives like informed consent protocols (IAPB, 2025: 5-6).

At its core, this approach recognises survivors not just as passive victims or witnesses, but as active rights-holders whose dignity and self-determination must guide every step of the documentation process (IAPB, 2025: 6). This is especially crucial in settings where survivors may risk reprisal and retraumatisation.