ACLED Data Enhances Decision-Making in Risky Environments

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) is a US-based non-profit collecting global real-time data on political violence and demonstrations. ACLED produces global data covering 244 countries and territories around the world.

ACLED records information on the specific events, dates, locations, types, fatalities, and agents of political violence and demonstrations. ACLED sources include local, regional, and international media, civil society organizations, institutional reports, targeted and verified new media sources, and local conflict observatories. Local data collection partners are the cornerstone of ACLED’s sourcing methodology, as they provide data, contextual information, and insights that are often not captured in mainstream media reports.

In addition to data collection, ACLED conducts analysis to describe, explore, and test conflict scenarios. ACLED analysis is informed by extensive academic research into the dynamics of political violence across the world and specific case studies of conflict agents, local trends, and intersections with domestic political contexts. Our analysis is unique due to its combination of theoretically informed frameworks and hypotheses along with local-level empirical data.

Within ACLED’s core programming, our data is also used for early warning and forecasting initiatives. By offering an array of interactive and interconnected tools, ACLED products can support data-driven initiatives to anticipate and respond to emerging crises. Our suite of tools allows users to track a variety of different risk factors, across a range of contexts, in a way that meets their distinct needs in humanitarian planning and response. For example, ACLED's Conflict Alert System (CAST) is a global prediction tool that forecasts the number of political violence events that will occur each month, allowing users to disentangle the factors driving each forecast. ACLED also provides consulting and training services to improve the ability of key stakeholders and partners to understand and employ ACLED data in their activities and decision-making. We tailor our training to suit the needs and technical expertise of our partners.

Policymakers and practitioners around the world rely on ACLED for data-driven decision-making. Access to comprehensive, reliable, and timely data on political violence is critical when engaging in complex environments. Without this information, policies and programs designed to encourage economic growth, support peacebuilding, bolster community resilience, and stimulate sustainable development may not effectively take into account, or react to, realities on the ground. ACLED data and analysis address this need.