Consultancy: Long-form Feature Article on Invisible Victims of Russia’s Aggression against Ukraine
1. Introduction / Organizational Background
The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) is an international human rights organization that works across societies and borders to address the causes and consequences of massive human rights violations. ICTJ works to affirm victims’ dignity, fight impunity, and promote responsive institutions in societies emerging from repressive rule or armed conflict, as well as in established democracies where historical injustices or systemic abuse remain unresolved.
ICTJ works in Ukraine to advance truth, justice, and acknowledgment for victims of the Russian aggression that started in 2014. With support from partners, it advocates for the implementation of a transitional justice policy that is holistic, inclusive, and victim-centered.
2. Background and Rationale
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, accountability efforts in Ukraine have been extensive. However, they have also remained relatively narrow in scope: not all categories of victims or types of violations have been equally acknowledged, and accountability efforts have largely centered on criminal prosecutions, often at the expense of a broader, more holistic understanding of justice. Meanwhile, displaced people, survivors disabled by the war, survivors of reproductive harm, individuals affected by environmental damage, children born of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), male survivors of CRSV, and other overlooked victims are left with few if any avenues to pursue justice.
In this context, critical questions emerge: what might justice look like if it were genuinely shaped by the victims themselves? More specifically, what would it mean to design justice processes that include all victims, particularly those who remain underrepresented in public discourse, media narratives, and policy debates about Ukraine’s future?
ICTJ is documenting “stories of change” that show that a victim-centered approach to justice is vital to any meaningful and sustainable peace. As part of this effort, ICTJ seeks a journalist/writer to produce a long‑form narrative feature article in Ukraine that includes interviews from victims and other affected individuals.
3. Purpose of the Assignment
The overall purpose of this consultancy is to produce a compelling, factual narrative feature article that shines a light on victims who are often overlooked, their stories, and their own visions of justice, and to stress the importance of considering a broader approach to justice.
The article will:
- Highlight the lived experiences and voices of victims and survivors, young people, and other community members;
- Emphasize the gaps in current justice responses and expand the understanding of justice beyond criminal accountability;
- Provide contextual analysis that situates these personal stories within broader national and international transitional justice and peacebuilding efforts;
- Stress the importance of inclusion and encourage stakeholders to design and implement justice processes that better reflect the diversity of harms experienced by Ukrainians.
4. Scope of Work
The Consultant will work closely with ICTJ staff to plan and carry out field‑based reporting and produce a polished long‑form feature article. The assignment will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:
- Participate in an inception meeting with ICTJ to refine the story angle, ethical parameters, and workplan, including safeguarding and consent procedures.
- Undertake field reporting in Ukraine.
- Conduct in‑depth, trauma‑sensitive, and gender‑aware interviews with:
- Victims and survivors of conflict‑related abuses;
- Community leaders, elders, and religious or cultural leaders;
- Local authorities, activists, and ICTJ staff or partners; and
- Any other key stakeholders identified through the field report/interview process.
- Ensure that interviews and interactions follow ICTJ’s ethical guidelines, including informed consent, confidentiality where required, and do‑no‑harm principles, with particular attention to children, young people, and other vulnerable groups.
- Develop a detailed story outline balancing narrative storytelling, direct quotations, descriptive scenes, and contextual analysis of transitional justice.
- Draft an article of approximately 2,500 words that:
- Uses vivid, accessible narrative storytelling to bring readers into the lived realities of the community;
- Centers the dignity and voices of victims;
5. Duration of Assignment
The consultancy is expected to be implemented over approximately 30 working days, within a period of up to two months from the date of contract signing. This includes pre‑production, fieldwork, post‑production, and delivery of all final outputs.
6. Required Qualifications and Experience
The successful applicant will meet the following criteria:
- At least three years of proven experience in journalism, feature writing, or conflict‑sensitive reporting, preferably in Ukraine.
- Demonstrated track record of long‑form narrative features or investigative articles published in reputable media outlets, NGO platforms, or similar.
- Experience covering human rights, transitional justice, peacebuilding, development, or related social justice themes.
- Strong interviewing skills, with the ability to engage sensitively and respectfully with victims, young people, and community members, including those who may have experienced trauma.
- Proven ability to transform complex legal and policy issues into accessible, human‑centered narratives.
- Experience conducting field reporting in conflict, post‑conflict, or other fragile settings, including adherence to security and safeguarding protocols.
- Excellent command of written English; ability to communicate in Ukrainian.
7. Application Procedure
Interested individual consultants are invited to submit:
- Letter of interest (maximum 2 pages) describing suitability for the assignment, proposed narrative approach, and understanding of trauma‑informed and ethical reporting.
- Curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting relevant journalism, human rights, and field‑reporting experience.
- Portfolio of 3–5 published feature articles or long‑form stories (links or PDF copies), preferably on human rights, development, transitional justice, or related topics.
- Financial proposal in USD indicating the consultant’s all‑inclusive fee for completing the assignment, including travel, accommodation, transcription, and any other related costs.
8. Deadline and Submission Instructions
Applications should be submitted by email to mcosson@ictj.org with the subject line: “Application – Journalist/Writer – Ukraine” no later than August 7, 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. ICTJ encourages applications from qualified women and young professionals and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all people who participate in its programmes.
