Documenting for justice: Physicians for Human Rights’ evidence-based and survivor-centred model for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence

The document details Physicians for Human Rights' (PHR) multipronged approach to documenting conflict-related sexual violence, focusing on the use of standardized forensic medical forms, multisectoral collaboration, and digital tools like MediCapt. It argues that integrating medical-legal evidence with survivor-centred care reduces retraumatization and strengthens the evidentiary base for prosecutions. The paper highlights successful applications of this model in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kenya, and Ethiopia, emphasizing that capacity development for health and legal professionals is essential for translating clinical data into legal accountability.

• PHR utilizes a multipronged strategy to generate medico-legal evidence through four interconnected interventions: strengthening forensic evaluation capacity, nurturing community-based medical-legal networks, developing documentation tools and technology, and promoting research to support justice.
• The development of standardized forensic medical forms has been a critical innovation, enabling consistent interpretation of findings and reducing non-probative conclusions. Such forms were co-created and nationally adopted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023 and in Iraq in 2024.
• Multisectoral networks, such as the Justice Task Force in South Kivu, DRC, are essential for advancing cases. This specific network combined clinicians from Panzi General Reference Hospital with police, lawyers, and international organizations to secure convictions for crimes against humanity in 2018.
• Digital innovation through the MediCapt application allows clinicians to securely store forensic photographs and medical-legal certificates in the cloud, ensuring the chain of custody and preserving survivor confidentiality.
• Capacity-development programs are most effective when they are holistic, incorporating interactive pedagogy and dedicated sessions on vicarious trauma and self-care for professionals who may themselves be affected by conflict.
• The use of standardized documentation tools supports survivor-centred research by allowing the analysis of anonymized medical records, which avoids the need to re-interview survivors. This method was applied in Ethiopia to identify patterns of conflict-related sexual violence.
• In Kenya, the adoption of a Post-Rape Care form in 2013 resulted in medical evidence that was associated with a higher likelihood of adjudication outcomes favoring the survivor.

APA

McHale, T., Shah, P. K., Green, L., Haddad, M. K., Kidenda, S., & Naimer, K. (2025). Documenting for justice: Physicians for Human Rights’ evidence-based and survivor-centred model for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a1a4b9f6-434b-45e1-9b86-8382540e14a6/MPI Paper 5 PHR FINAL.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

McHale, Thomas, Payal K. Shah, Lindsey Green, Maram K. Haddad, Suzanne Kidenda, and Karen Naimer. Documenting for justice: Physicians for Human Rights’ evidence-based and survivor-centred model for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2025. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a1a4b9f6-434b-45e1-9b86-8382540e14a6/MPI Paper 5 PHR FINAL.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=McHale |first1=Thomas |last2=Shah |first2=Payal K. |last3=Green |first3=Lindsey |last4=Haddad |first4=Maram K. |last5=Kidenda |first5=Suzanne |last6=Naimer |first6=Karen |title=Documenting for justice: Physicians for Human Rights’ evidence-based and survivor-centred model for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=December 2025 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a1a4b9f6-434b-45e1-9b86-8382540e14a6/MPI Paper 5 PHR FINAL.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mchale2025documenting, author = {McHale, Thomas and Shah, Payal K. and Green, Lindsey and Haddad, Maram K. and Kidenda, Suzanne and Naimer, Karen}, title = {{Documenting for justice: Physicians for Human Rights’ evidence-based and survivor-centred model for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/a1a4b9f6-434b-45e1-9b86-8382540e14a6/MPI Paper 5 PHR FINAL.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }