In various aspects of its work, Mwatana for Human Rights relies on field investigative researches carried out by the organization’s Research and Studies Unit team in various Yemeni regions. These researches are based on conducting investigations into incidents of human rights violations, in order to obtain accurate information about the details of the incidents and their circumstances, as well as the identity of victims and violating parties. Such researches also document related testimonies, statements, evidence, clues, records, and documents for examination and verification.
At all levels and stages of its work, Mwatana pursues the principle of transparency with victims, witnesses, and sources of information related to each incident, where Mwatana’s women and men workers clearly present their identities. They explain the nature of the organization’s work and its role in documenting violations and supporting and advocating for victims through various means, and how the collected information and statements will be used. Mwatana’s workers also articulate to victims, witnesses, or sources of information their right to conceal or reveal their identities.
Mwatana does not make any promises to victims, witnesses, or sources, nor does it offer them any financial or in-kind compensation for their testimonies and statements.
At Mwatana, information has a full life cycle, where no information regarding a violation incident is approved without going through several levels of review and scrutiny. The process begins with field investigative research in the incident scene by a field researcher who documents the testimonies, evidence and clues from their primary sources, then review and scrutiny by a central researcher. Subsequently, a research officer completes the examination and scrutiny, and then approves and authorizes the information. Besides, Mwatana sends missions to various regions in Yemen in order to provide support to its field team and to verify and investigate in depth patterns of incidents of human rights violations in these regions.
When working on a human rights study, report or statement on a pattern of violations, the review process is supported by specialized experts to examine the information collected and analyze it based on the International Human Rights Law, the International Humanitarian Law and relevant international conventions as well as relevant national laws and come up with accurate legal and objective descriptions. Mwatana also uses weapon experts to examine the remnants of the weapons used, especially in the incidents of air and ground attacks on civilians or civilian objects, and in the incidents of mines.
Mwatana adopts the Arabic language when taking testimonies, while Arabic and English are used, as needed, at the stage of review, scrutiny and communication with experts and advisors. The organization issues its reports, studies, statements, letters, blogs, audiovisual materials and other media materials primarily in Arabic and then translated into English, after fulfilling all professional, objective and technical conditions in a manner that ensures the best interest of the victims. The organization uses various means to raise the voices of victims, draw attention to human rights issues and pressure on the actors in order to create a positive impact for the benefit of the victims and for human rights issues in Yemen.
Every human rights publication or document issued by Mwatana is by no means exhaustive, but rather presents examples of incidents and patterns of violations that have been verified and documented by Mwatana. The theme of the publication or the document reveals a specific pattern of a specific violation within a specific objective, geographical and temporal framework. In its publications and various works, Mwatana is keen to present a clear image of the general contexts surrounding the incidents of human rights violations in Yemen and their work methodology.
Mwatana aspires to contribute to creating mechanisms that ensure comprehensive accountability of all parties to the conflict for all violations and redress for all victims. The Accountability and Redress Unit team works with many partners to find available accountability courses that contribute to breaching the wall of immunity and impunity. Mwatana seeks the assistance of regional and international experts to search for means of international accountability available within the framework of international laws, United Nations mechanisms, the universal jurisdiction and the International Criminal Court. Despite the inability of the international legal system, in its current form, to provide sufficient legal bases to reach comprehensive criminal justice, Mwatana has accumulated its efforts to achieve reparation for all victims within the framework of comprehensive accountability for all parties to the conflict in Yemen; local, regional and international actors, including non-state actors and third parties. The Accountability and Redress Unit uses documented and scrutinized information, data, and testimonies to prepare complaints and claims for submission to international tribunals, United Nations mechanisms, and other available accountability courses.
Based on verified information and with the informed consent of concerned parties, Mwatana, through its Legal Support Unit that consists of women and men lawyers, provides legal support to victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and torture in various Yemeni regions. Mwatana also provides legal support to the victims of any violation, through which it can create a positive impact in the interest of the victims.
Mwatana works to promote awareness of human rights values and issues in order to contribute to creating a culture of support for human rights and anti-violations through positive communication with the public on various social media platforms. Mwatana also engages continuously in constructive discussions with actors who influence the human rights situation in Yemen through available advocacy and pressure mechanisms locally and internationally. Furthermore, Mwatana works to strengthen partnership and cooperation with various parties and institutions that are committed to high professional and objective standards in view with conveying the voices of victims of human rights violations in Yemen to the active and influential parties. It also works to enhance its communication with the public by various means, and deals with suggestions, observations, and questions with openness and positivity.
Mwatana aspires to create a professional human rights generation committed to the highest standards of human rights work. Therefore, it works to build the capacities of its and other organization’s workers through qualitative and specialized trainings. Mwatana’s workers receive periodic training on the foundations and standards of research and investigation, legal support, advocacy, communication, accountability, and redress. The training include the latest tools for documenting human rights violations, with the implementation of periodic review, evaluation, and verification mechanisms to ensure the work quality, accuracy, adherence to the highest professional and objective standards, and effectiveness in achieving the desired impact.
