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A/72/764 18-03040 11/19 Mechanism will seek to recruit applicants with, for example, Arabic-language skills, knowledge of the Syrian Arab Republic or the region more broadly, IT skills, familiarity with the national jurisdictions with which the Mechanism will work closely, and expertise on gender issues and on crimes against children. B. Contributing to the accountability process 1. Building a secure evidence collection that can facilitate prosecutions across diverse jurisdictions, now and in the future 33. The Mechanism has begun the process of building a comprehensive and secure evidence collection that can facilitate criminal law prosecutions in appropriate jurisdictions, now and in the future. In addition to collecting and collating electronic evidence, the Mechanism is creating the capacity to collect physical evidence and to ensure its appropriate storage and preservation in the longer term. 34. The Mechanism is taking a broad approach to the construction of its evidence collection, while recognizing that only a portion of this material will likely find its way into the case files that it develops. A broad approach to collection is important for several reasons. First, it will ensure that the Mechanism has all the necessary information to thoroughly understand the context of the crimes, which will inform, but not necessarily form part of, its case files. Second, the Mechanism’s broad evidence collection will maximize the prospect of assisting on a wide range of evidentiary issues that may become relevant in criminal proceedings in diverse jurisdictions. Third, a comprehensive evidence collection can facilitate broader transitional justice objectives in the future. 35. An important challenge for the Mechanism is turning the voluminous amount of existing and future documentation and other material into an evidentiary resource on which to base criminal cases. As mandated in its terms of reference, the Mechanism is setting up a state-of-the-art IT system to house the evidence collection. This system is required to accommodate unprecedented volumes of information and evidence, including large amounts of images and video material. It must provide a framework for meticulously organizing the material, ensuring that it is easily searchable and that appropriate metadata are established, integrated and maintained to facilitate analysis. Methods for tracking duplicate material, linking translations and rigorously enforcing confidentiality restrictions are also being integrated. 36. While it is clear that a core aspect of the Mechanism’s mandate is data-driven, at this stage the types and the quantities of the data that will dominate investigation and analytical activities are not fully known. For example, the Mechanism could be part of one of the largest ever collaborative open-source video analysis projects, requiring cutting-edge technology and engaged partners. The nature and the quantity of the data will in turn define the required strategy for procuring software, hardware and relevant skills to support stakeholders. The Mechanism is working to clarify the requirements so that it can execute a thorough procurement strategy as expeditiously as possible, while prioritizing cost-effective information security. 37. The Mechanism has defined an innovative strategy that includes collecting information from States, civil society, the private sector and the United Nations and that places security, flexibility and integration at the forefront of evidence-handling requirements. In parallel, a contributor survey has been initiated with upstream collectors that will be used to define custom analytical tools and the overall storage capacity required by the Mechanism. The contributor survey will inform the collection strategy and target the types of data that are of high value to Mechanism stakeholders