Documentation refers to the gathering, recording and preservation of information about incidents, patterns and impacts of violations and crimes, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), as well as information about and from survivors, witnesses and perpetrators. This includes direct engagement with survivors/victims; the collection of information from third-party sources with relevant knowledge, such as medical professionals, humanitarian workers, NGOs and civil society organisations; and the indirect gathering of information through open-source research, expert reports, and statistical data [1].

International protocols use the term "document(ation)" as an umbrella term covering those who "document, investigate, report on, research [and] monitor" violations and crimes [2]. It may serve multiple purposes, including advocacy, human rights monitoring and reporting, fact-finding, transitional justice, civil-court actions, strategic litigation, asylum claims and criminal-justice purposes. Documentation is carried out by a wide range of actors, including human rights investigators, journalists, medical and legal professionals, researchers, humanitarian workers, and civil society organisations, all of whom are expected to adhere to a common minimum set of ethical standards.

Documentation is a process that should only be undertaken by trained persons, in an ethical manner and in full accordance with key principles, including the “Do no Harm” principle, Informed consent, Confidentiality, and a Survivor-/Victim Centred Approach. There is a serious risk of over-documentation, as well as of documentation carried out without adequate ethical safeguards, which can cause serious and lasting harm to survivors/victims. When conducted properly and with full respect for these principles, documentation play a crucial role in supporting Accountability, facilitating access to support services and legal remedies, improving institutional responses to SGBV, and contributing to the prevention of future violations.