At LAW our goal is to empower victims and survivors to identify and articulate their rights and their justice needs, reduce impunity and increase accountability, supporting victims and survivors to advocate for victim-centered truth seeking and justice and assist them to select the appropriate mechanisms. Our approach is creative, inclusive and responsive and we work with the most vulnerable in fragile and conflict affected contexts.

LAW is seeking a human rights/international criminal investigator with experience interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses, such as victims of sexual and gender-based violence. The investigator will assist in the implementation of a survivor-led accountability strategy for the Myanmar program.

BACKGROUND ABOUT LAW

LAW is an independent, non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists working in fragile and conflict affected areas in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. LAW has a particular focus on gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence, the rule of law and accountability and transformative justice – working to bring justice to those who need it most.

LAW’s portfolio includes multiple ground-breaking cases, which utilise creative legal strategies on behalf of victims and survivors from some of the most challenging contexts, representing more than 1000 clients. LAW’s ground-breaking work has received international media coverage, including in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, Al-Jazeera, BBC News, France24, The Independent, Voice of America, Huffington Post and Foreign Policy.

MORE ABOUT THIS POSITION

Where? The position will be working remotely to support the Myanmar programme based at LAW’s office in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Duration? This position is funded and available for 12 months on a full-time basis with the possibility to be extended subject to funding.

Salary: Competitive rates of pay apply

More detail: You are an enthusiastic team player with significant expertise in developing an investigation plan as well as identifying and following up on investigative leads. You are also responsible for conducting trauma-informed interviews, preparing victim or witness statements for submission to competent legal bodies, making recommendations on the next steps in the investigation process, and ensuring the analytical reports.

Role Overview:

The investigator will develop investigation plan including gendered crimes, includes trauma-informed interviews, evidence collection, victim statements, debriefing with LAW staff, and support for analytical reports. The investigator will work under the technical supervision of LAW’s Head of Litigation with functional reporting to LAW’s Legal Advisor for Myanmar.

The postholder will perform duties in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below:

• Drafting and developing an investigation plan in coordination with the Myanmar team on accountability for international crimes committed in Myanmar since February 2021, including gendered crimes, such as conflict-related sexual violence;
• Identifying and following up on investigative leads through LAW’s networks, CSO partners, journalists, and other relevant contacts;
• Conducting trauma-informed interviews with survivors of all genders in line with international standards established by the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the “Istanbul Protocol”) and LAW’s legal aid guidelines and interviewing protocol(s);
• Collecting other evidence, including video and documentary evidence, from survivors, or creating a record for LAW to follow up on evidentiary leads, including by identifying other witnesses for LAW to interview from survivors’ testimony;
• Preparing victim/witness statements for submission to competent legal bodies, including domestic courts under the principles of universal jurisdiction;
• Debriefing with LAW staff on the survivors’/victims’ testimony and any other information gathered during the interview to enable LAW to further its representation of survivors, including by making referrals to appropriate support services;
• Making recommendations on the next steps in the investigation process, including but not limited to any areas of thematic or geographic focus that should be explored in greater depth, and following up on any potential witnesses identified at interview;
• Support LAW’s country team in preparing analytical reports by interviewing key stakeholders in Myanmar accountability and human rights spaces;

About You

• A Bachelor’s of Laws or equivalent degree in international criminal law, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, criminology, policing, or another relevant subject;
• Minimum three years’ experience interviewing victims/witnesses for national criminal proceedings, for human rights litigation, or for international criminal proceedings;
• Demonstrated experience of preparing victim/witness statements for legal processes;
• Excellent written and oral English and Burmese communication skills;
• Flexibility, and ability to manage own workplan and meet tight deadlines;
• Team player able to work well as part of a team and contribute meaningfully to common goals within a short timeframe;
• Careful and methodical approach, with the ability to respond to and resolve difficulties quickly and effectively; and
• Ability to develop strong interpersonal relationships with people from different backgrounds and to build trust efficiently.

Desired

• Qualified lawyer with at least three years’ experience providing legal information, assistance, or representation to clients;
• Demonstrated experience of interviewing victims and witnesses to conflict-related sexual violence;
• Demonstrated experience of conducting remote interviews;
• Knowledge of Myanmar context, and significant local contacts and networks, preferably obtained through previous investigative work on the Myanmar crisis.