Guidance Note of the Use of Victims’ Images 2016
A face can tell a million stories and over the years humanitarian campaigns have relied on the use of imagery to raise awareness, raise funds and mobilise support. Over time a very strong link has developed between humanitarian assistance and imagery. In particular, the faces of victims are often used as part of victims’ voice to communicate their stories or a means to reinforce a message. This “humanitarian narrative” has been and continues to be used to bridge the distance between the victim and the audience, allowing the stories to be heard and making the stories more accessible. Using victims’ images and often, the misuse of such images, raise important ethical questions. Hence, one must evaluate closely whether such use is acceptable and that the victims’ best interest should be the primary consideration and their autonomy and rights must be respected at all times.
