Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers The Role of National Human Rights Institutions APF Photo by Michael Power. 4.2. Conducting interviews Interviews commonly provide the bulk of evidence collected by NHRIs during an investigation. Therefore, it is crucial that NHRI staff have a clear understanding of the purpose of the interviews they conduct, as well as the necessary skills to prepare, introduce and conduct interviews with different groups of people. An interview allows the NHRI interviewer to: • gather many different pieces of information from a single interviewee • respond to information that the interviewee provides • cross-check information already collected • assess whether the interviewee is credible • provide the interviewee with the opportunity to tell their story.228 This last point is particularly important for victims of human rights violations, such as migrant workers, who can feel frightened, isolated and disempowered by the situations they have experienced. The interview provides an opportunity for them to talk to someone in a position of authority, tell their story and be heard. They should be encouraged to talk at their own pace and in their own words, without being rushed or interrupted. While the primary purpose of the interview is to collect information, this process can also help to strengthen and empower victims. Interviews should be well structured, professional and have a clear purpose. Open-ended and nonleading questions should be prepared that seek to gather information on the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why” and “how” of the complaint. 228 Ibid; p. 43. 92 | Chapter 7: Investigating allegations of human rights violations