Do no harm means preventing and minimizing any unintended negative effects of activities that can increase people’s vulnerability to physical and psychosocial risks.5 Doing no harm may call for action, for example by providing first aid or referring others to the services of health care providers. Depending on the circumstances, preventing or minimizing negative effects may also call for a decision not to act at all, for example when action exposes oneself or others to the risk of harm. Collecting and documenting information on serious human rights violations should always be done to serve the best interests of those affected by the violations, and not for the sake of collection itself. This means engaging individuals, their families and communities for the purpose of investigating and documenting information of serious human rights violations in a way that maximizes access to justice for victims, and minimizes as much as possible any negative impact the documentation process may have on them. When documenting information about serious human rights violations, unofficial investigators must strive to do no harm or to minimize the harm they may be inadvertently causing through their presence or mandate.6 To this end, unofficial investigators should at a minimum: 1. Offer or arrange for immediate professionally trained (health)care as the first priority. 2. Conduct a risk assessment before undertaking any informationgathering exercise. 3. Ensure team members documenting serious human rights violations are appropriately prepared and trained before engaging in collection activities, to the best extent possible. 4. Obtain informed consent from victims and witnesses prior to any information-gathering exercise, and ensure consent is obtained for any specific activity such as audio/visual recordings or photographs. 5 United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2015 Syrian Arab Republic Strategic Response Plan, 11 (Dec. 18, 2015), available at https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/system/files/documents/files/2015_SRP_Syria_EN_AdvanceCopy _171214.pdf. 6 Foreign and Commonwealth Office, International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Basic Standards of Best Practice on The Documentation of Sexual Violence as a Crime under International Law, 29 (2014), available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319054/PSVI_protocol_web .pdf. 22