Practical insights from Chiara Beltramini, Liliane Fonds
Liliane Fonds uses photos, videos and personal stories for communication and fundraising. The organisation works closely with local partners who are in direct contact with children with disabilities and their families.
Consent is viewed as an ongoing process that requires time and trust. Before Liliane Fonds staff arrive, local partners visit families to explain the project’s purpose and how images and stories may be used, in the local language. Families are told that they can refuse or withdraw consent at any time without affecting the support they receive. Given the power imbalances that can arise when families depend on assistance, this requires particular care. Children are also included in these conversations to ensure they understand the process and feel comfortable having their photos or videos taken.
Liliane Fonds has developed guidelines for everyone working with the organisation, who must always be accompanied by a local partner. Child safeguarding is a key priority throughout the consent process. A general consent form explains why content is collected and how it may be used. When signing the consent form, the child and their family give permission to both Liliane Fonds and the local partner(s) involved in collecting the content to use it for communication and fundraising purposes. Whenever possible, the form is completed before the visit. The resulting content is then shared with children and families to build trust and involve them in the process.
All content and consent forms are stored in a central image bank for five years, after which the materials are reviewed for archiving or deletion. Liliane Fonds has also explored digital consent tools, although implementation remains challenging due to licensing costs and the need to provide access to all partner organisations.
Emiel Martens: Consent and participatory storytelling
Emiel shared insights from his work on the Inclusive Communications Guide [link to be added] and his experience making the documentary Beach Inna Bondage in Jamaica. He explored the concepts of informed consent and participatory storytelling, introducing a gradual scale of participation.
Consent is the starting point: participants give informed permission for their stories and images to be used. Ideally, however, they are also actively and meaningfully involved in the process, with opportunities for co-creation. This gives participants greater agency and control over the communication products being developed. Ideally, their involvement extends across all stages, from pre-production and production to post-production and distribution.
Emiel emphasised the importance of moving beyond a formal, administrative understanding of consent towards a more ethical approach. This is particularly relevant in international cooperation, where people may be in vulnerable situations and power imbalances can influence their decisions.
Ten guiding principles for fair consent:
- Acknowledge the role of power.
- Recognise that consent requires trust and time.
- Involve staff who are familiar to participants.
- Consider the most appropriate way to document consent.
- Reaffirm consent throughout the process.
- Integrate child safeguarding principles.
- Discuss how participants’ identities will be disclosed.
- Ensure reciprocity and consider remuneration.
- Avoid identifiable images of people in acute distress.
- Determine the period and context of use and storage.
Discussion: Challenges and opportunities
The ten principles are intended to help organisations reflect on and develop good practices. Participants were invited to suggest additions or adjustments. The discussion highlighted the tension between ethical considerations and practical constraints. Reaffirming consent throughout the process can be challenging when participants are difficult to reach or time and budgets are limited. This is particularly relevant in humanitarian emergencies or when using images supplied by local press agencies, where opportunities to contact the people depicted may be limited. Principle 9 prompted further discussion about where to draw the line when representing distress. How can organisations communicate the emotional reality of humanitarian crises without exploiting people’s vulnerability?
Participants suggested that the guide should:
- Define clear minimum standards and ethical red lines.
- Provide practical examples of good practice in situations with limited time or budgets.
- Offer guidance on implementing consent procedures within organisations.
- Include an overview of digital consent tools and apps, with a focus on their practical application.
Moving forward
We will continue developing the Fair Consent Guide around the ten principles, while gathering practical examples of good practice and approaches to challenging situations. The principles already offer a starting point for organisations to reflect on their existing consent procedures and initiate discussions within their teams.