About This Course
Conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) represents some of the most severe human rights violations of our time, yet it remains among the most under-investigated and under-prosecuted categories of international crime. From systematic rape used as a weapon of war to forced marriage, sexual slavery, and gender-based persecution, these crimes demand a specialised, multidisciplinary investigative response that is both legally rigorous and deeply sensitive to survivor wellbeing.
TrainingComplex's five-day programme on the Investigation of Conflict-Related SGBV is designed for professionals who operate at the intersection of justice, protection, and accountability. The course draws on the Rome Statute, the UN Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict, CEDAW, and emerging jurisprudence from the ICC, ICTY, ICTR, and hybrid tribunals to give participants a comprehensive legal and operational grounding.
Participants will develop practical competencies in survivor-centred interviewing, trauma-informed engagement, digital and physical evidence preservation, chain-of-custody management, and case-building for prosecution or transitional justice processes. Equal attention is given to the psychological, ethical, and security dimensions that investigators face in the field, including secondary traumatisation, witness protection, and do-no-harm principles.
The programme is constructed around real case studies drawn from documented conflicts, role-play simulations, and structured peer learning, ensuring that participants leave with immediately applicable skills rather than purely theoretical knowledge. Whether you work for a UN agency, an NGO, a national prosecution service, or an international tribunal, this course will strengthen your capacity to deliver justice for survivors and contribute to durable accountability.
Who Should Attend
- Investigators and prosecutors working on conflict-related crimes at national or international levels
- Human rights officers and monitors employed by UN agencies, NGOs, or regional bodies
- Legal advisers and defence counsel engaged with international criminal tribunals or hybrid courts
- Civil society documentation teams and transitional justice practitioners
- Military and police officers assigned to peacekeeping missions with protection mandates
- Gender advisers and protection officers in humanitarian response settings
- Medical and forensic professionals involved in SGBV case documentation
- Journalists and researchers conducting conflict-zone investigations into sexual violence
Learning Objectives
- Explain the international legal framework governing conflict-related SGBV, including the Rome Statute, customary international humanitarian law, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions
- Distinguish between the legal elements of different SGBV crimes — rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilisation, and gender-based persecution — as defined in international criminal law
- Apply survivor-centred and trauma-informed principles throughout the full investigative cycle, from first contact through testimony and court proceedings
- Conduct legally sound, ethically grounded survivor interviews using best-practice questioning techniques that minimise re-traumatisation
- Collect, preserve, and authenticate physical, digital, and testimonial evidence in compliance with chain-of-custody standards required by international courts
- Use open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital forensics tools to corroborate SGBV allegations in conflict environments
- Identify and engage with the spectrum of accountability mechanisms — criminal prosecution, truth commissions, reparations programmes, and vetting processes
- Design and implement witness protection plans that address security, psychosocial, and relocation needs
- Recognise and manage secondary traumatic stress and moral injury among investigation team members
- Prepare case files, situation reports, and courtroom-ready documentation that meet international evidentiary standards
Course Modules
Module 1: The Landscape of Conflict-Related SGBV: Definitions, Patterns, and Context
- Defining sexual and gender-based violence in conflict versus peacetime: legal and operational distinctions
- Historical patterns of SGBV as a weapon of war: from World War II to contemporary conflicts
- Gendered dimensions of armed conflict: how gender norms shape perpetration and victimisation
- Understanding intersectionality: age, ethnicity, disability, and displacement as compounding factors
- Mapping perpetrator profiles and organisational structures: state armed forces, non-state armed groups, and opportunistic actors
- Underreporting dynamics and the gap between prevalence estimates and documented cases: causes and investigative implications
Module 2: International Legal Framework: Treaties, Statutes, and Resolutions
- The Rome Statute and the Elements of Crimes: SGBV offences under Articles 7 and 8
- UN Security Council Resolutions 1820, 1888, 1960, and 2106: mandates and accountability implications
- Customary international humanitarian law obligations relating to sexual violence
- CEDAW, the Beijing Platform, and soft-law instruments in accountability proceedings
- The jurisprudence of the ICTY and ICTR: landmark SGBV rulings and their influence on contemporary international criminal law
- State reporting obligations and the role of treaty monitoring bodies in surfacing conflict-related SGBV patterns
Module 3: Criminal Liability and Legal Elements of SGBV Offences
- Distinguishing rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, and enforced sterilisation in international criminal law
- Establishing nexus to armed conflict: the contextual element in war crimes and crimes against humanity
- Command responsibility and superior liability for SGBV committed by subordinates
- Joint criminal enterprise, co-perpetration, and aiding and abetting in SGBV prosecutions
- Proving coercive circumstances and the absence of consent in international SGBV offences: evidentiary and doctrinal considerations
- Genocidal rape and persecution as a crime against humanity: establishing specific intent and the protected-group nexus
Module 4: Survivor-Centred Investigation Principles
- Core principles: do no harm, informed consent, confidentiality, and non-discrimination
- Understanding trauma responses and their effect on memory, disclosure, and testimony consistency
- Building rapport and trust with survivors from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
- Navigating power dynamics between investigators and survivors in conflict-affected communities
- Working with interpreters in survivor interactions: selection criteria, briefing protocols, and managing interpreter trauma
- Community engagement and entry strategies: consulting local civil society and survivor networks before commencing field investigations
Module 5: Trauma-Informed Survivor Interviewing Techniques
- Structuring the interview: pre-interview preparation, environment, and informed consent procedures
- Narrative Exposure Technique and cognitive interview approaches adapted for SGBV contexts
- Handling disclosure of undisclosed crimes and mandatory reporting obligations
- Closing interviews safely: referral pathways, psychosocial support linkages, and follow-up protocols
- Adapting interview techniques for particularly vulnerable interviewees: children, persons with disabilities, and individuals in acute distress
- Documenting inconsistencies without re-traumatisation: how to probe clarification while maintaining a trauma-informed approach
Module 6: Evidence Collection and Preservation Standards
- Physical evidence: medical-forensic documentation, chain of custody, and specimen handling in resource-limited settings
- Testimonial evidence: corroboration requirements and challenges of sole-witness cases in international law
- Documentary evidence: military orders, communications intercepts, and administrative records
- Site visits and crime-scene documentation: photographic protocols, sketch mapping, and exhumation standards
- Medical records and clinical forensic findings: interpreting findings in the absence of acute physical injury and addressing examiner bias
- Evidence degradation risks in conflict environments: prioritisation frameworks for time-sensitive collection and provisional preservation measures
Module 7: Digital Evidence and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) in SGBV Cases
- Identifying and preserving digital evidence: social media posts, satellite imagery, and metadata
- OSINT verification methodologies: cross-referencing sources to establish authenticity and probative value
- Legal admissibility of digital evidence in international and hybrid courts
- Cyber-security and operational security (OPSEC) for investigators handling sensitive digital material
- Geolocation and chronolocation techniques: using shadow analysis, landmark matching, and imagery timestamps to corroborate SGBV incident accounts
- Ethical and legal constraints on OSINT collection: privacy rights, platform terms of service, and protection of survivor identities in open-source material
Module 8: Accountability Mechanisms and Prosecution Strategies
- International Criminal Court referral and proprio motu processes: practical pathways to prosecution
- Hybrid and mixed tribunals: lessons from the Special Court for Sierra Leone, ECCC, and Kosovo Specialist Chambers
- National prosecution of SGBV crimes: universal jurisdiction, complementarity, and capacity constraints
- Transitional justice alternatives: truth commissions, reparations programmes, and gender-sensitive vetting
- Victim participation and reparations at the ICC: procedural rights, the Trust Fund for Victims, and the role of legal representatives
- Strategic case selection and sequencing in complex SGBV investigations: criteria for prioritising suspects, incidents, and charges
Module 9: Witness Protection and Safety Planning
- Risk assessment frameworks for survivors and witnesses in ongoing conflict environments
- Physical protection measures: relocation, anonymity, and courtroom protective measures
- Psychosocial support as a component of witness protection: long-term wellbeing considerations
- Inter-agency coordination: roles of ICC Victim and Witness Unit, UNHCR, and national protection authorities
- Digital safety for survivors and witnesses: mitigating risks from electronic surveillance, data breaches, and online exposure of identities
- Managing witness interference and intimidation: detection indicators, documentation procedures, and prosecutorial responses
Module 10: Investigator Wellbeing, Ethics, and Case File Preparation
- Recognising secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and moral injury in SGBV investigation teams
- Organisational duty of care: supervision models, peer support, and critical incident debriefing
- Ethical dilemmas in SGBV investigation: balancing justice imperatives with survivor autonomy
- Preparing court-ready case files: structure, evidentiary annexes, and compliance with prosecutorial disclosure requirements
- Managing investigator bias and positionality: reflective practice techniques to maintain objectivity and cultural sensitivity throughout case development
- Handover and institutional memory: documenting investigative methodology and reasoning chains to ensure case continuity across personnel transitions
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have prior professional experience in at least one of the following areas: law, human rights monitoring, humanitarian response, law enforcement, or forensic science. A basic familiarity with international humanitarian law or international human rights law is recommended, though not mandatory. No prior formal training in SGBV investigation is required, as the course is designed to build specialist competency from a foundational understanding of the field.
Training Methodology
- Structured case-study analysis of landmark SGBV prosecutions from the ICC, ICTY, ICTR, and the Special Court for Sierra Leone, examining what evidence was decisive and where investigations fell short
- Role-play survivor interview simulations with trained facilitators providing real-time feedback on trauma-informed technique, question formulation, and ethical conduct
- Small-group evidence mapping exercises in which participants construct a case chronology and evidentiary matrix from a fictional conflict scenario
- Hands-on OSINT and digital evidence practicals using open-access tools to locate, verify, and preserve conflict-related digital content
- Witness protection planning workshops where teams develop a full protection plan for a simulated high-risk survivor
- Facilitated peer-review sessions on draft interview reports and situation summaries, applying international court admissibility criteria
- Expert-led panel discussions featuring guest practitioners from international tribunals, national prosecution offices, and survivor support organisations
- Reflective journalling and structured debriefing sessions to build investigator self-awareness and secondary trauma resilience
Organisational Benefits
- Strengthened institutional capacity to investigate and prosecute conflict-related SGBV to international evidentiary standards
- Reduced risk of case failure due to improperly collected or documented evidence
- Improved survivor trust and cooperation through consistently trauma-informed engagement practices
- Greater inter-agency coordination on protection and accountability through shared investigative frameworks
- Enhanced staff wellbeing and retention through structured secondary trauma management strategies
- Stronger compliance with international human rights obligations and UN reporting requirements
- Increased credibility with international partners, donors, and accountability bodies
- Better-equipped teams capable of operating effectively in high-risk, resource-constrained conflict environments
Where Is Investigation of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Johannesburg, Nairobi, Kigali, Kampala, Lagos, Cape Town, Riyadh, Naivasha, Abuja, Nakuru, Dubai, Mombasa, Arusha, Kisumu, Dar es Salaam, Pretoria, Accra, Zanzibar, Addis Ababa, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
17 Oct 2026 – 8 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
+237 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a legal background to attend this course?
A legal background is not mandatory, but participants should have professional experience in at least one relevant field such as law enforcement, human rights monitoring, humanitarian response, or forensic science. The course is structured to be accessible to multidisciplinary professionals while still offering substantive depth for those with legal training.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend all sessions and complete the assigned practical exercises will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in the Investigation of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The certificate is suitable for inclusion in professional portfolios and CPD records.
How does the course address the emotional difficulty of this subject matter?
Participant wellbeing is integral to the programme design. The course includes structured debriefing sessions, reflective exercises, and a dedicated module on secondary traumatic stress and investigator self-care. Facilitators are experienced in creating psychologically safe learning environments for sensitive subject matter.
Is this course suitable for staff working in active conflict zones?
Yes. The curriculum explicitly addresses field realities including resource constraints, security risks, OPSEC, and inter-agency coordination under difficult conditions. Participants are encouraged to bring their own contextual challenges into case-study and role-play exercises for peer problem-solving.
Can my organisation send a team and request customised content?
Absolutely. TrainingComplex offers tailored in-house delivery for organisations wishing to send teams of five or more participants. Customisation options include jurisdiction-specific legal content, sector-specific case studies, and integration of your organisation's existing SOPs and documentation templates. Contact our training team to discuss your requirements.
