Filming and sharing documentation for human rights can expose injustices, put a spotlight on stories rarely heard, and create movements that hold perpetrators and decision-makers accountable. But if advocating for accountability is dangerous on a normal day, even more so during a global pandemic. This is why the WITNESS team is devoted to working with allies and partners around the world to make our collective filming and documentation expertise available to anyone, anywhere who wants to use video for human rights during COVID19. 

Today we’re launching four brand-new resources on our COVID19 Response Hub free for download and sharing—check them out 👇

Documenting excessive force during COVID19 restrictions on movement

Countries worldwide have imposed emergency measures to prevent the spread of COVID19 and restrict freedom of movement. But in enforcing these measures, how much is too much? What should be captured through your camera lens to show wrong-doing? Learn from our global teams working with affected communities on documenting police/military brutality, this tipsheet walks you through filming disproportionate and unnecessary government actions and orders with sections on what to keep in mind before, during and after filming. 

👉Download HERE


Recording a selfie video for human rights

When the global spotlight is shined on mainstream media stories and narratives dominated by governments, stories from activists’ communities may be overlooked—or worse—actively silenced by those who want to suppress them. If you want to tell your story by recording a video, we have tips on how to make your video look—and sound—its best. Download to learn from our video editors and producers the basics of lighting, framing, timing and narration for your selfies. 

👉Download HERE


Recording remote video or audio interviews for human rights

Incarcerated individuals and their families have released impactful and effective video testimonies to showcase abuses in prisons and detention centers in order to better protect their rights and urge authorities to release people. Based on the learnings from working with affected communities and campaigns, our U.S. team has adapted their guidance to help more people learn how to record remote audio and video interviews for human rights. In a time when the only mode of communication may be through a screen or phone call, these tips will help you conduct a remote interview and navigate the tools available for recording. 

👉Download HERE


 

Visual verification tips during COVID19 

In a crisis, it’s natural to want to help out by sharing tips with friends or family. But remember that inaccurate information can cause panic, and lead to behavior that increases the risk of spreading transmission. Just as we keep a safe distance from one another to slow the spread of infection, now is the time to slow the spread of misinformation too. Here are some tips from our Emerging Threats team to help you verify images and videos that you see online.

👉Download HERE

We invite you to remix, modify and translate these materials so they are relevant to the issues you work on. Our resources are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.  And we love to see how people are using our resources and encourage you to share your revised versions and translations with us! Tag us on  Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

Have a question, idea or suggestion? Let us know what you think at feedback@witness.org.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *