FAQs

INSO is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO) registered and headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands.

There are currently INSO programs in 14 countries around the world.

Yes. INSO is a recognised signatory to the Red Cross Code of Conduct for NGOs in Disaster Relief and is deeply committed to its principles. Read more about our organisational principles.

All INSO services are provided free of charge to its users – INSO activities are 100% funded by international institutional donors such as DG ECHO and bilateral European humanitarian funds (Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, etc).

Find out more about how we are funded.

INSO was founded by Executive Director Nic Lee, an international aid worker with a vision of a more organised and independent NGO community.

Read more about our history.

INSO provides analysis, advice and training that helps NGOs operate in high-risk countries. See more about our services.

‘INSO’ stands for ‘International NGO Safety Organisation’.

INSO works at the request of NGOs, and our aim is purely to support those who are seeking to help people in need.

INSO does this by providing alerts, reports and advice to registered humanitarian partners in addition to coordination meetings and trainings tailored to humanitarians. All registered humanitarian partners must sign INSO’s code of conduct which ensures that information is used only for humanitarian purposes.

All INSO services are provided free of charge to its users – INSO activities are 100% funded by international institutional donors such as DG ECHO and bilateral European humanitarian funds (Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, etc)

INSO collects and shares information purely to support NGOs (and other humanitarian actors) to safely deliver assistance to those in need.

INSO collects information on conflict incidents and security incidents impacting humanitarian actors as well as information that may help NGOs to keep themselves safe e.g. information on roads and access to ensure NGOs can take adequate precautions and ensure they have the right documentation before travelling on certain routes.

All such information aims at keeping aid workers safe, by preventing their exposure to potential threats, such as active conflict or criminality, and helping them manage their safety should they find themselves exposed to such threats.

INSO collects information on conflict and security incidents primarily from our NGO partners and its field monitors, as well as from the UN, local communities, and open sources which enables us to provide advice and support to NGOs to safely deliver assistance to those in need.

INSO’s contracted Field Monitors also support in the triangulation of information to ensure that information INSO shares is accurate and verified. Most of the information that INSO collects is either shared with us by our partners or publicly available and likely already known to relevant authorities.

INSO’s analysis of this information is then used solely to support the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.

INSO is not and has never been involved in espionage. INSO is committed to upholding humanitarian principles and the information INSO collects is intended solely for humanitarian purposes.

INSO supports those NGO and humanitarian organisations to reach those in need. The information INSO collects helps INSO produce analysis and provide advice to these NGOs to keep themselves safe and enables aid to reach those in greatest need.

INSO has developed rigorous internal processes (for instance INSO’s code of
conduct) to ensure the information INSO shares remains solely for humanitarian purposes (e.g. by prohibiting staff or partners to share information with non-registered organisations).

The information that INSO collects and disseminates is solely for humanitarian purposes and is intended only to be used by NGOs (and other humanitarian actors) that are registered with INSO.

Maintaining confidentiality is essential to building trust with NGO partners to enable information sharing.

As such INSO does not share information with any political or security services, whether national or foreign, nor with private companies.

We provide four key services to our NGO partners: reporting services, training, crisis management and coordination.

From real-time incident alerts that help to inform NGO operations minute by minute, to site reviews, localised trainings and regular reports, we support NGOs at every level of their work.

Learn about our services.

No. All INSO services are 100% free of charge and are only available to eligible NGOs. INSO is a non-profit organisation.

INSO has more than 1,400 partners globally. Learn more about our Partners here.

INSO only establishes safety platforms at the request of the NGOs operating in the country. Find out how to submit a request.

CHDC is a database of all the incidents recorded across all INSO projects with an in-built mapping and analysis tool. It is only accessible to INSO partners.

Check your eligibility to become a partner.

NGOs that are registered and operating (or have begun this process) in the country where they are operating and in the country of establishment or origin, who agree to abide by our Code of Conduct, are eligible to apply to become an INSO partner.

If you work in the headquarters of an NGO that is present in at least three of the countries where INSO works, you may be eligible to receive our global support and reporting.

The full eligibility criteria and pre-screening form can be found here. 

To ensure we only respond to genuine needs, all INSO projects are started at the request of the NGO communities they serve. To initiate scoping for a new country program, INSO must receive a written letter of invitation signed by a minimum of six NGOs.

Read more about how to submit a request.

Yes, INSO is available to all local NGOs. We welcome and encourage local NGOs to join and have special services such as training specifically dedicated to your needs.

No, INSO is only available to organisations who determine the employees they want to register for our services.

We only support humanitarian organisations and NGOs that abide by the same humanitarian principles that we do: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

If your registration has not been accepted, it may be that your organisation does not align with these principles.

If you disagree with the decision, you can contact our team.

We restrict access to our services to non-profit, non-government organisations, including United Nations (UN) agencies and members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as our humanitarian donors.

If you believe you are eligible, you can start the registration process by completing this pre-screening form.

We post many of our roles on our Careers page. INSO national roles are advertised in the country of operation or where our country office is located.

If you would like to know what national roles are currently vacant, you can contact our country offices.

No. INSO employees come from a variety of backgrounds. Above all we value your ability to working in close teams and challenging contexts.

Yes, all international staff are offered accommodation in country offices.

Yes, all international staff receive medical insurance.

No, INSO does not currently offer any accompanied posts or associated benefits.

Meet some of our staff and read about their experiences working for INSO.

No, we do not accept unsolicited applications. We also encourage you to review the relevant requirements before applying for any of our roles.

After applying for a role with INSO, you should receive a confirmation that we have received your application in good order.

Due to the high numbers of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  If you do not hear from us, your application for the position has not been successful.