Part II: Preventing torture: NHRIs in action If you are not interviewing the person in your own offices, select a location that provides the greatest sense of privacy and minimizes the potential for eavesdropping or retaliation. The room should be as comfortable as possible and should not have negative associations for the interviewee. In places of detention, the interview should be conducted in a location where the person can feel confident that the conversation cannot be overheard. Ask the person if they feel comfortable and safe. In some exceptional circumstances, you could also consider the possibility to conduct remote interviews. In this case, specific consideration should be given to safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of the interview by using secure communication methods. If you are conducting a remote interview in places of detention, make sure that the person deprived of liberty is granted a closed and secure area, without the presence of staff or other persons. Specific efforts should also be made to build trust and rapport with the interviewee. As women are often the primary carers of children, they may face additional obstacles and have limited availability to participate in interviews. NHRIs should be aware of the situation of women in the particular context and take the necessary measures to mitigate the obstacles, for example by providing child-care alternatives.89 If possible, you could also consider asking the interviewee where they would feel safer and more comfortable to have the interview. Selecting an interviewer It is important to select the most appropriate person from the NHRI to conduct the interview, consider what language to use and if interpretation is needed during the interview. Issues such as gender of the interviewer, knowledge of the issues or the case, gender expertise, language skills and sensitivity to cultural differences are important considerations. In some cases, there may be no choice about who will conduct the interview. However, it is always important to reflect on how the interviewee may perceive the interviewer and whether this could create some barriers to conducting an effective interview. Ask the person if they feel comfortable being interviewed by a man or woman. If there is no option, the interviewer should describe their experience in dealing with such cases and reassure the person that they are sensitive to the difficulty of talking about a traumatic experience. Duration of the interview It is important for victims of torture to have enough time to tell their story at their own pace and in their own words, without being rushed or interrupted. A failure to appreciate this might mean some people are reluctant to talk. At the same time, the session should not be too long, as this could be stressful for the victim. Therefore, a balance needs to be struck between these two competing demands. In addition, it may be necessary to conduct more than one interview in order to have the story told in full. The possibility of subsequent interviews should be considered in this planning stage. However, as it may not always be possible to conduct more than one interview, you should seek to gather as much essential information as possible by asking the right open-ended questions. When planning the duration of the interview, specific considerations should also be given to the specific situations and needs of women in a particular context. For women with child-care responsibility, for example, the interview should be conducted in special schedules that facilitate their participation. Learning about the case The interview may relate to an incident about which you already have some knowledge. If so, you should compile and review any available information, such as official information, media reports, reports prepared by non-governmental organizations or civil society groups or notes from interviews with other witnesses. 89 OHCHR, Integrating a gender perspective into human rights investigations: Guidance and practice (2018), p. 27. 67