Guidelines for investigating conflict-related

sexual and gender-based violence against men

and boys

Journalists for Justice / 31 March 2016

Following significant input by IICI into the development of the International
Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence IN Conflict
(IP), the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office commissioned IICI to assist with its
implementation. IICI developed public training materials based on the
International Protocol and organised four SGBV-investigation training courses.
(see our Specialist Courses map).
Following on from the development of the International Protocol described
above, IICI recognised that the existing SGBV landscape was very much focussed
on women and girls and that less emphasis and research had been done in
relation to conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence against men and
boys. In 2016, IICI developed specialist guidelines for investigation in this area.
The guidelines have been developed for a range of professionals, from
international criminal investigators and prosecutors to national police officers, UN
human rights officers and local human rights reporters. The guidelines are
designed to complement existing relevant investigation frameworks and
practices, including those that currently focus on conflict-related SGBV against
women and girls or children. The guidelines have been developed with financial
support from the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative of the UK’s Foreign and
Commonwealth Office.
The guidelines
***
IRAQ
New guide to help practitioners document conflict-related sexual violence
crimes in Iraq
Sexual violence is a prominent and well-publicised aspect of the ethnic cleansing
committed in Northern Iraq by Da’esh since 2014, including the creation of a
complex system of slavery that includes rape, forced marriage and sexual
violence. However, as elsewhere, conflict and atrocity-related sexual violence is
not a new phenomenon in Iraq.
The Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) has today launched a
guide to assist practitioners gather evidence of these forms of violence in Iraq,
helping to overcome some of the key barriers to tackling impunity for these
crimes.
The new Iraq Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and
Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Guidance for Practitioners in Iraq is
available in English [PDF + Word], Arabic [PDF + Word] and Kurdish [PDF + Word]
It complements the second edition of the International Protocol on the
Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which was
published in March 2017 by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The
International Protocol is designed to help strengthen the evidence base for
bringing perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict to justice.
The Supplement is specifically intended for practitioners who work in and on
Iraq. It is intended to be a living document, to be updated as best practice
evolves and in light of the feedback received by users. All users are free to
update, correct and adapt the Supplement as they wish.
The Supplement forms part of a series of country-specific guides published by IICI
and REDRESS this month. Other supplements published on the IICI and/or
REDRESS websites include guides for Myanmar (in English and Burmese) and Sri
Lanka (in English, Sinhala and Tamil), along with a translation of the International
Protocol’s second edition into Tamil.
IICI is also developing training materials accompanying the International
Protocol’s second edition, which will be available only in English and will be
published soon on IICI’s website.
REDRESS and IICI are grateful for the support to the project of the FCO.
***
BURMA/MYANMAR
New guide to help practitioners document conflict-related sexual violence
crimes in Burma/Myanmar
Sexual violence – particularly against women and girls – is a feature of everyday
life in Myanmar, with sexual violence committed in the context of long-running
armed conflicts and attacks against civilian populations being a particularly brutal
aspect of this violence. However, investigations and accountability of those
responsible is almost non-existent and survivors often face insurmountable
barriers to justice.
REDRESS and the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) have
today launched a guide to assist practitioners gather evidence of conflict and
atrocity-related sexual violence in Myanmar, thus helping to overcome some of
the key barriers to tackling impunity for these crimes.
The new Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and
Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Myanmar-Specific Guidance for
Practitioners is available in both English [Word + PDF] and Burmese [Word + PDF].
It complements the second edition of the International Protocol on the
Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which was
published in March 2017 by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).The
International Protocol is designed to help strengthen the evidence base for
bringing perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict to justice.
The Supplement is specifically intended for practitioners who work in and on
Myanmar. It looks at the specific context for such violence in Myanmar, the
forms it commonly takes and impacts it may have, available legal avenues for
justice at the domestic and international levels, specific evidential and procedural
requirements and practical issues that may arise when documenting sexual
violence crimes in the country.
The Supplement is intended to be a living document, to be updated as best
practice evolves and in light of the feedback received by users. All users are free
to update, correct and adapt the Supplement as they wish. We would greatly
welcome any feedback to info@redress.org.
The Supplement forms part of a series of country-specific guides published on the
IICI and/or REDRESS websites this month. Other supplements include guides for
Sri Lanka (in English, Sinhalese and Tamil) and Iraq (in English, Arabic and Kurdish),
along with a translation of the International Protocol’s second edition into Tamil.
IICI is also developing training materials accompanying the International
Protocol’s second edition, which will be available only in English and will be
published soon on IICI’s website.
REDRESS and IICI are grateful for the support to the project of the FCO.
***
SRI LANKA
New guide to help practitioners document conflict-related sexual violence
crimes in Sri Lanka
Sexual violence in Sri Lanka, as elsewhere, is a complex and pervasive problem set
in a context of deeply entrenched impunity. This has been reflected in horrific
fashion through widespread sexual violence against both women and men
committed by state actors, including during periods of conflict. Investigations and
accountability of those responsible are almost non-existent and survivors often
face insurmountable barriers to justice.
REDRESS and the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) have
today launched a guide to assist practitioners gather evidence of conflict and
atrocity-related sexual violence in Sri Lanka, helping to overcome some of the key
barriers to tackling impunity for these crimes.
The new Supplement to the International Protocol on the Documentation and
Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Sri Lanka-Specific Guidance for
Practitioners is available in English [Word + PDF], Sinhala [Word + PDF]
and Tamil [Word + PDF].
It complements the second edition of the International Protocol on the
Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which was
published in March 2017 by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The
International Protocol is designed to help strengthen the evidence base for
bringing perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict to justice.
The Supplement is specifically intended for practitioners who work in and on Sri
Lanka. It looks at the specific context for such violence in Sri Lanka, the forms it
commonly takes and impacts it may have, available legal avenues for justice at
the domestic and international levels, specific evidential and procedural
requirements and practical issues that may arise when documenting sexual
violence crimes in the country.
The Supplement is intended to be a living document, to be updated as best
practice evolves and in light of the feedback received by users. All users are free
to update, correct and adapt the Supplement as they wish. We would greatly
welcome any feedback to info@redress.org.
The Supplement forms part of a series of country-specific guides published by IICI
and/or REDRESS this month. Other supplements published on the IICI and/or
REDRESS websites include guides for Myanmar (in English and Burmese) and Iraq
(in English, Arabic and Kurdish), along with a translation of the International
Protocol’s second edition into Tamil (whole document 15MB; it can be
downloaded in 6 parts, see underneath the Tamil announcement below).

IICI is also developing training materials accompanying the International

Protocol’s second edition, which will be available only in English and will be
published soon on IICI’s website.
REDRESS and IICI are grateful for the support to the project of the FCO.
6

***
ICLS Materials
ICLS provided legal and technical training, advice and support in order to ensure
accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
ICLS’ Board of Directors have dissolved ICLS with effect from 31 December 2013.
Elements of ICLS’ expertise have been transferred to the Institute for
International Criminal Investigations (IICI) Former ICLS experts, including some
members of the ICLS Board of Directors, are now associated with IICI. ICLS’
expertise on providing technical assistance, capacity-building and other advisory
and assistance services to prosecutors, judiciaries, governments, inter-
governmental organisations, international organisations and others in the area of
international criminal justice now resides in IICI.
ICLS’ publications, and related intellectual property rights, also now belong to IICI.
icls-training-materials-sec-1-introduction1
icls-training-materials-sec-2-what-is-intl-law2
icls-training-materials-sec-3-general-principles-of-icl
icls-training-materials-sec-4-intl-courts
icls-training-materials-sec-5-domestic-app-of-intl-law
icls-training-materials-sec-6-genocide
cls-training-materials-sec-7-cah
icls-training-materials-sec-8-war-crimes
icls-training-materials-sec-9-modes-of-liability
icls-training-materials-sec-10-superior-responsibility
icls-training-materials-sec-11-defences-and-other-grounds-for-excluding-liability
icls-training-materials-sec-12-procedure-and-evidence
icls-training-materials-sec-13-sentencing-and-penalties
icls-training-materials-sec-14-witnesses-and-victims

© 2017 IICI - Institute for International Criminal Investigations | Design and

production: The Ad Agency
Posted by Thavam