Methodology of ODIHR’s Ukraine Monitoring Initiative in focus at Warsaw conference

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has conducted over 600 interviews to document alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law through its Ukraine Monitoring Initiative (UMI).

Since its inception, the initiative has engaged with witnesses and survivors, working with local experts to identify individuals willing and able to share their experiences safely.

“Their courage is remarkable. It is never easy to relive traumatic events, and yet hundreds of people have chosen to speak to us, with the hope that their testimony will contribute to justice and prevent future violations. To them, we owe our deepest gratitude and our commitment to ensure their voices are not lost and that their courage is not in vain,” said ODIHR Director Maria Telalian at a side event of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. “At ODIHR, we will continue to listen, to document, and to make these testimonies count – for accountability, for justice, and ultimately for the dignity of those who have suffered.”

International monitors, trained in trauma-informed methods and experienced in interviewing displaced people, victims of crimes and members of vulnerable groups, carry out the interviews in two-person teams together with interpreters. Each step of the process is designed to protect participants and at the same time ensure the reliability of the collected information.

The event provided insight into the methodology behind the initiative, including how potential witnesses are identified and informed about the interview process, as well as the perspectives of both monitors and witnesses. Discussions also touched on accountability, the motivations of survivors to testify, and the importance of safeguarding their dignity and wellbeing throughout the process.