Synergy directors are leaders in their fields with vast experience that includes work with international institutions, projects in numerous geographic locations, and contributions to best practice
Geographic Experience
Synergy directors have worked across five continents and in more than 35 countries providing technical expertise, building the capacity of local stakeholders, and ensuring that survivors of human rights violations can access justice.
Central African Republic
Provided training and developed tools for national sexual offence and war crimes investigators in evidence-gathering, case-building, and investigation management.
Investigated militia groups accused of forced displacement, killings, persecution, sexual violence, attacks on a civilian populations, enforced disappearances, and pillaging; focused on leadership responsibility; conducted 100+ interviews with survivors and insiders.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Provided training and developed tools for national sexual offence and war crimes investigators in evidence-gathering, case-building, and investigation management.
Investigated militia groups accused of forced displacement, killings, persecution, sexual violence, attacks on a civilian populations, enforced disappearances, and pillaging; focused on leadership responsibility; conducted hundreds of interviews with survivors and insiders.
Ethiopia
Worked with a task team of women parliamentarians, lawyers, and key civil society leaders to build capacity and develop policy recommendations for gendered justice reform and gendered security sector reform.
Nigeria
Supported and provided technical support to local actors and as they developed a training and mentoring programme for members of the LGBTQI+ community to become paralegals who would stand up for the rights or people who were wrongly arrested and/or not protected by the police.
Sudan
Worked with the Sudan Taskforce on the Engagement of Women, a group of peacebuilders including civil society activists and leaders from political parties, to develop recommendations and advocacy plans to increase the effectiveness of the peace processes.
Eswatini
Working together with the governmental Secretariat of Prevention of People Trafficking and People Smuggling, conducted a needs assessment to identify gaps and opportunities for improved protection, prevention, and prosecution measures in eSwatini. Based on the assessment findings, customised and provided anti-trafficking training for judges, magistrates, prosecutors, border agents, and labor ministry officials.
Worked with, trained, and mentored a regional prosecutor’s group focused on improving justice outcomes combating organised crime including wildlife trafficking, maritime drug trafficking, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, and Mutual Legal Assistance. Programme included in-country, on-the-job mentoring of prosecutors on organised complex, transboundary crimes and mutual legal assistance, reviewing and developing operating systems and processes for more effective working and outcomes.
Tanzania
Worked with, trained, and mentored local investigators, police, and prosecutors to develop Standard Operating Procedures, Manuals, and Reference Guides to better combat organised crime of wildlife trafficking.
Worked with, trained, and mentored a regional prosecutor’s group focused on improving justice outcomes combating organised crime including wildlife trafficking, maritime drug trafficking, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, and Mutual Legal Assistance. Programme included in-country, on-the-job mentoring of prosecutors on organised complex, transboundary crimes and mutual legal assistance, reviewing and developing operating systems and processes for more effective working and outcomes
Worked with, trained, and mentored a regional prosecutor’s group focused on improving justice outcomes combating organised crime including wildlife trafficking, maritime drug trafficking, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, and Mutual Legal Assistance. Programme included in-country, on-the-job mentoring of prosecutors on organised complex, transboundary crimes and mutual legal assistance, reviewing and developing operating systems and processes for more effective working and outcomes.
Mozambique
Worked with, trained, and mentored local investigators, police, and prosecutors to develop Standard Operating Procedures, Manuals, and Reference Guides to better combat organised crime of wildlife trafficking.
Worked with, trained, and mentored a regional prosecutor’s group focused on improving justice outcomes combating organised crime including wildlife trafficking, maritime drug trafficking, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, and Mutual Legal Assistance. Programme included in-country, on-the-job mentoring of prosecutors on organised complex, transboundary crimes and mutual legal assistance, reviewing and developing operating systems and processes for more effective working and outcomes
Libya
As part of a UN Commission of Inquiry team, investigated human rights violations committed by Gaddafi forces and opposition forces during the 2011 conflict. In particular, investigated allegations of sexual violence and torture. Conducted fact finding mission to Tripoli, Misrata, and Benghazi, Libya. Contributed to report to the Human Rights Council in 2012.
Myanmar
Actor mapping and assessment of documentation and investigation practices and work in Cox’s Bazaar in relation to sexual violence against the Rohingya. Assessment and design of a development programme for a human rights organisation working on documentation of conflict related sexual violence against the Rohingya.
Bangladesh
Actor mapping and assessment of documentation and investigation practices and work in Cox’s Bazaar in relation to sexual violence against the Rohingya. Assessment and design of a development programme for a human rights organisation working on documentation of conflict related sexual violence against the Rohingya.
Kazakhstan
Worked on National Plans of Action for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to implement Istanbul Protocol methods of torture investigation and documentation. Led a multi-disciplinary team that delivered training on medical-legal documentation and investigation of torture to doctors, attorneys, law enforcement, and judges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
Kyrgyzstan
Worked on National Plans of Action for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to implement Istanbul Protocol methods of torture investigation and documentation. Led a multi-disciplinary team that delivered training on medical-legal documentation and investigation of torture to doctors, attorneys, law enforcement, and judges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
Tajikistan
Worked on National Plans of Action for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to implement Istanbul Protocol methods of torture investigation and documentation. Led a multi-disciplinary team that delivered training on medical-legal documentation and investigation of torture to doctors, attorneys, law enforcement, and judges in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
Philippines
On behalf of the Global Protection Cluster Task Team on Anti-Trafficking in Humanitarian Action, conducted field research with stakeholder interviews to better understand the needs and available responses for survivors of trafficking.
Sri Lanka
Worked with, trained, and mentored a regional prosecutor’s group focused on improving justice outcomes combating organised crime including wildlife trafficking, maritime drug trafficking, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, and Mutual Legal Assistance. Including in-country on-the-job mentoring of prosecutors on organised complex, transboundary crimes and mutual legal assistance, reviewing and developing operating systems and processes for more effective working and outcomes.
Nepal
Led initiative to provide access to justice for victims of conflict and post-conflict serious human rights violations, including investigating cases, interviewing survivors, putting in place protection strategies, and developing domestic and international litigation strategies for promotion of rule of law and effective remedies in partnership with national lawyers.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinated systemic monitoring of war crimes proceedings in the domestic criminal justice system; introducing systemic focus on sexual violence cases and authoring numerous reports on domestic efforts to combat impunity.
Investigated Srebrenica genocide for 7.5 years for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Led 35 missions to Bosnia and Serbia
Investigated execution sites and mass graves; interviewed survivors, eye witnesses, and perpetrators; conducted archival searches
Participated in three genocide trials; testifying numerous time
Kosovo
Planned and set up the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office for the European Union, including drafting and negotiating the draft legislation, and directives as needed. Designed, framed, and budgeted for all functions within the court. Subsequent to operationalisation, providing internal training to all court functions on safe and effective approach to conducting sexual violence trials and gendered justice.
Colombia
Mentored national war crimes investigators and prosecutors on building conflict-related sexual violence cases.
Worked with local actors to onboard and train attorneys tasked with supporting survivors of gender-based violence and filing claims for people entitled to reparations in the wake of the civil conflict.
Guatemala
In collaboration with OHCHR and the Protection Cluster, provided training on identifying and supporting trafficking survivors to local, national, and international organisations responding to migrants and victims of violence across the country.
On behalf of the Global Protection Cluster Task Team on Anti-Trafficking in Humanitarian Action, conducted field research with stakeholder interviews to better understand the needs and available responses for survivors of trafficking.
Mexico
Worked with local actors to share best practices and incorporate access to justice components into their anti-violence programming with teenagers
Syria
As part of a UN Commission of Inquiry team, investigated mass atrocities, bombings, sexual violence, and torture allegations committed in Syria from March 2011 to August 2013. Led numerous missions to refugee camps and cities in Jordan and Turkey. Contributed to two reports to the Human Rights Council in 2013.
Created and led the investigation and research of international humanitarian law and human rights violations committed in Syria, specifically attacks on medical facilities; chemical weapon attacks, sieges, and torture, and detention and execution of medical personnel. Created and supervised interactive mapping project documenting violations occurring inside Syria in real time, to advocate for UN Resolutions 2165 and 2191, government policy adhering to International Humanitarian Law, and international pressure to uphold International Humanitarian Law and protect medical and humanitarian aid personnel. Worked closely with NGOs, CSOs, medical networks, human rights defenders, and military, chemical weapons, and medical experts.
Capacity building and mentoring of a Gender Committee within a Syrian civil society organisation, with mentoring with oversight and reporting on the gender policy and strategy of the organisation and help to draft and review those policies and work plans.
Lead investigator and analyst on sexual and gender-based crimes in initiative to collect and preserve evidence of regime and extremist crimes in Syria and Iraq, including trafficking in women and children.
Iraq
Actor mapping and assessment of justice responses and support systems in Iraq for sexual violence by Da’esh against the Yazidis and others - reporting with recommendations, including avenues to justice for international crimes. Preparation of an Iraqi Country specific Supplement to the International Protocol on Investigating and Documenting Sexual Violence in Conflict (2nd Ed. 'IP2’). Remote mentoring for Iraqi documenters of conflict related sexual violence.
Provided capacity building for judges, prosecutors, and civil society actors to identify and support survivors of trafficking.
On behalf of the Global Protection Cluster Task Team on Anti-Trafficking in Humanitarian Action, conducted field research with stakeholder interviews to better understand the needs and available responses for survivors of trafficking.
Mentored local actors representing trafficking and GBV cases to provide support, share relevant best practices, and ensure linkage to international client support when necessary.
Lead investigator and analyst on sexual and gender-based crimes in initiative to collect and preserve evidence of regime and extremist crimes in Syria and Iraq, including trafficking in women and children.
Jordan
Led a multidisciplinary scoping mission to identify and meet with CSOs, NGOs, UN agencies, medical facilities, and Ministries who assisted victims of sexual violence and documented crimes related to Syria.
Led a multi-disciplinary team that delivered training on medical-legal documentation and investigation of torture and sexual violence to doctors, attorneys, and mental health professionals.
Turkey
Led a training course in Gaziantep for Syrian human rights defenders on how to investigate sexual violence, torture, and mass atrocities, including chemical weapon attacks. Also led training sessions for Syrian doctors and lawyers on the principles and guidelines to collecting and preserving physical evidence in conflict; co-led training sessions for Syrian doctors and lawyers on how to document sexual violence and torture injuries of victims.
Led a multidisciplinary scoping mission to identify and meet with CSOs, NGOs, UN agencies, medical facilities, and government agencies who are supporting survivors of torture and sexual violence related both to Syria as well as to LGBTQI+ people.
Institutional Experience
We are proud to have worked with the following organisations as individual experts and are excited to build on those experiences and relationships as Synergy for Justice.
Synergy directors have either drafted or directly contributed to the development of the following best practices and global guidance documents focused on combatting sexual violence, human trafficking, and documenting torture and war crimes
Advancing Justice for Children: Innovations to strengthen accountability for violations and crimes affecting children in conflict | Resource Centre (savethechildren.net)
Combating Impunity for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Progress and Challenges – An analysis of criminal proceedings before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2005 and 2013
