Factal
Amnesty International is a global movement that works tirelessly to stop human rights violations, defend human dignity, and ensure accountability through rigorous research, advocacy, and collective action. That work often puts its people in real danger, especially in hostile environments where tensions can shift in an instant.
Thomas de Lacoste knows this better than most. As the deputy director for security at Amnesty International, he oversees a global team responsible for keeping staff and offices safe in more than 50 countries. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, it could mean a researcher is in danger on the other side of the world. For Thomas and his team, that’s what their work is all about: protecting the people who protect others.
“For me, working at Amnesty is very meaningful. (It’s) a good combination of working in security, but with a clear purpose, defending the rights of those who need it the most.” he says, “That’s my motivation.”
Amnesty’s researchers often carry out work in remote and sometimes dangerous environments with poor connectivity, limited infrastructure and unreliable local reporting. For Thomas and his team, the challenge is to assess risks and anticipate danger before anyone is caught in the middle, but staying ahead of fast-moving risks with limited resources is no small task.
“If you have too many alerts, you don’t read alerts,” Thomas said. “If you have too many notifications, you miss the important ones.”
That’s where Factal comes in. Through Factal’s free NGO program, Amnesty’s security team can cut through the noise and focus only on what truly matters, all backed by a newsroom of experienced journalists verifying information in real time. “I appreciate the effort by the Factal editorial team that goes into monitoring sources that are less easy to access, in languages that are less easy to cover” he said.
Instead of scanning endless social media posts, the team can now pinpoint incidents near their people and offices. With Factal’s True Impact™ feature, they can see precisely which incidents pose a risk to locations that matter most. The Topics feature helps them quickly share the right updates with colleagues who don’t work in security but still need to stay informed.
Factal’s impact is clearest in moments of crisis. For example, when a conflict erupted in the Middle East, Thomas was in the U.S. covering for a colleague asleep in another time zone. Factal’s mobile app sent an alert directly to his phone, linking to a verified source. Within moments, he checked in with everyone who might be affected – all without opening his laptop.
That same set up has been vital for other fast-moving situations concerning Amnesty International like earthquakes in Asia, flooding in North America or sudden unrest in a city Amnesty teams are visiting. Factal helps Thomas and his team respond instantly, wherever they are and at any hour.
In order to carry out its vital work of protecting and advocating for human rights globally, Amnesty must ensure it protects its own. Across continents and time zones, Thomas and his team assess risks and anticipate danger, make high-stakes decisions and keep people safe in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Their work often goes unseen, but it’s the foundation that allows Amnesty’s advocates to stand up for those who can’t stand up for
themselves.
Factal is proud to support over 300 NGOs, like Amnesty International, that focus on humanitarian aid and disaster relief work. Learn more about the free NGO program today.
Top Photo: Patrick Thompson and Anna Wright outside a destroyed school in Mykolaiv oblast. (photo by Amnesty International)
Factal is free for qualified NGOs
Factal’s public service mission is to protect people from imminent harm and help those in immediate need. We provide free access to more than 300 humanitarian aid, disaster relief and human rights NGOs.
NGOs interested in Factal should visit here to apply for unlimited free access. Corporations interested in learning how Factal’s paid product can increase the speed of action for their security and resilience teams can learn more on Factal.com and request a free 30-day trial.