Our Impact
Impact is what we’re all about. Read the latest stories of impact from our programmes and services around the world.
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TrustLaw helps secure milestone victory for EU whistleblower protection
Blueprint for Free Speech has been working in the EU community to raise the standard of whistleblower protection legislation at both a country and pan-European level. In 2018, Blueprint contacted TrustLaw for pro bono legal support to better inform the push for an EU Directive (an EU wide form of legislation) which they believed could provide a more comprehensive and universal standard of protection for whistleblowers. TrustLaw connected Blueprint with global law firm Dechert LLP to draft a memorandum on the legal process for creating EU directive.
25 June 2019 -
Thomson Reuters Foundation and The Mekong Club launch resource for financial institutions in Asia Pacific to combat modern slavery
Financial institutions, NGOs and law enforcement in Asia Pacific join forces against modern slavery.
12 February 2019 -
Pro bono in the face of global crisis
6 February 2023 -
Pro bono experience in the US: The use of virtual models facilitate pro bono
6 February 2023 -
Enhancing Access to Justice in Canada through Pro Bono
6 February 2023 -
Pro bono in Ecuador: Transforming Lonely Stars into a Galaxy
6 February 2023 -
Pro bono in Hong Kong: Resolving community legal needs during a pandemic
6 February 2023 -
U.S. Pro Bono: A Growing Focus on Access to Justice
6 February 2023 -
Pro Bono in France is Taking Hold amid Crises
6 February 2023 -
Brazil is Becoming a Fertile Landscape for Pro Bono After Coronavirus
6 February 2023 -
A Challenging Time for Pro Bono in England and Wales
6 February 2023 -
Pro Bono Yet to Go Mainstream in Bangladesh
6 February 2023 -
Pro Bono Work: Providing Access to Justice in Cambodia
6 February 2023 -
Closing the Gap: Implementing Law Firm Pro Bono Programmes in the Philippines
6 February 2023
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Pro Bono in India in the Pandemic: A Challenge for the Development Sector
6 February 2023 -
Pro Bono Legal Services in Zambia: A Leap towards Greater Access to Justice
6 February 2023 -
Interest in Pro Bono on the Rise in Colombia
6 February 2023 -
Argentina’s Pro Bono Status Quo: Challenges Ahead as We Navigate the Decade to Deliver
6 February 2023 -
Access to Justice in Brazil: A Permanent Challenge worsened by the Pandemic
6 February 2023 -
Ukraine Sees Pro Bono Peak due to Russia’s Invasion
3 February 2023 -
Pro Bono in the Czech Republic: A Patchwork Approach
3 February 2023 -
Solo nature of legal work in Serbia hinders pro bono progress
3 February 2023 -
Pro Bono to Bridge the Justice Gap in Nepal
3 February 2023 -
Pro bono work in Guatemala: Opportunity for Knowledge, Experience and Change
3 February 2023 -
Pro Bono in Spain: Responding to Coronavirus and Russia’s War in Ukraine
3 February 2023 -
Pro bono in Mexico must expand to support NGO's
3 February 2023 -
A Conducive Environment for Pro Bono is Developing in India
3 February 2023 -
Building back more equitably in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic
As part of its work to ensure an equitable distribution of resources in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ONE campaign turned to TrustLaw for advice on how the International Monetary Fund and its member states could support low-income countries’ recovery and growth.
25 August 2022 -
Tackling online sexual exploitation and abuse of women through a call for international standards
This impact story is part of a new series to celebrate the extraordinary pro bono projects undertaken by legal teams to support NGOs and social enterprises with the support of TrustLaw. All projects mentioned in this series are nominated for this year’s TrustLaw Awards.
17 June 2022 -
Supporting the non-profit sector amidst Lebanon’s financial crisis
Supporting non-profits during times of crises, Samir Kassir Foundation was connected to Latham & Watkins through TrustLaw for legal advice in setting up a non-profit sister organisation in France during COVID 19 and Lebanon's worst financial crisis.
31 May 2022 -
Powering affordable clean air in new markets through pro bono legal support
While solving air pollution is challenging, there are opportunities to ensure we breathe cleaner air. TrustLaw member Smart Air has committed to helping people breathe better through their low-cost air purifier. Starting with a small market in China in 2013, today they have scaled their operations and are supplying air purifiers in more than 10 countries.
31 May 2022 -
Promoting credible and sustainable standards for social enterprises
Through TrustLaw, Social Enterprise Mark CIC was connected with law firms Maples and Calder LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP and Ropes & Gray to expand their accreditation assessment services for social enterprises internationally.
31 May 2022 -
Offering legal support to Venezuelan migrants in the Americas
With more than six million migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees from Venezuela, the Americas is facing its greatest migration crisis in recent years. Most of these migrants and asylum-seekers start their journeys without any information, documents or the required permits to legally stay in host countries. To address this knowledge gap, Un Mundo sin Mordaza worked on an awareness campaign to tackle the lack of information and make the challenges of migration more visible. TrustLaw connected Un Mundo sin Mordaza with seven law firms to develop a research on the legal requirements and procedures migrants and asylum-seekers should follow to legally stay in the seven American countries hosting the largest number of Venezuelans or regularise their situation in these seven countries.
31 May 2022 -
Protecting the labour rights of Mexican domestic workers during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the longstanding challenges faced by domestic workers around the world, threatening both their earnings and well-being. To help Jalisco’s domestic workers deal with these challenges, Parvada Estrategias Comunitarias, a women-led non-profit in Mexico, decided to create a step-by-step legal manual to train them about their labour rights. TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s pro bono service, connected the Mexican non-profit with Hogan Lovells Mexico to develop a manual that explains domestic workers the situations in which they could file a claim, what evidence they might need, and the different steps of an employment dispute they should consider.
30 May 2022 -
International Women’s Day: 8 ways the Thomson Reuters Foundation supports women and girls around the world
Today the world pauses to celebrate women’s achievements and contributions to society, but, with stark concern that gender inequalities have been exacerbated by the pandemic, it is also a rallying point for the unprecedented global movement advocating for women’s rights and opportunities to be equal to those of men. Gaining or losing ground at this critical juncture, where calls are being made for a Global Reset, is expected to define the global gender order for generations to come, with irrevocable effects on humanity, society and the planet.
8 March 2022 -
Contribuyendo al acceso a la salud pública en Chile
Desde hace seis años, HoraSalud ha venido confiado en TrustLaw, el programa de asesoría pro bono de la Fundación Thomson Reuters, para lograr sus objetivos y desarrollar una aplicación aplicación que facilita la gestión de turnos en tiempo real, y así facilitar el acceso a la salud pública a comunidades vulnerables en zonas remotas a obtener la asistencia médica requerida.
15 February 2022 -
Supporting access to public health care in Chile
For six years, HoraSalud has been trusting in TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s pro bono legal program, to fulfil their mission and develop an app to manage appointments in real-time, facilitating access to public health care to vulnerable communities in rural areas to get the medical attention needed.
15 February 2022 -
Supporting Survivors to Escape Domestic Abuse in the UK
Charities such as Women's Aid provide support to those experiencing abuse by facilitating refuge spaces across the country. Launched by rail companies and Women’s Aid in 2020, the 'Rail to Refuge' programme provides free train travel for all survivors of domestic abuse to a place at a recognised refuge, breaking the financial dependency to escape. Through TrustLaw, Women’s Aid were connected with Milbank LLP who worked tirelessly to support Women’s Aid to formalise the “Rail to Refuge” scheme. The arrangements enable Women's Aid and rail companies to expand and develop the scheme going forward.
1 November 2021 -
You Don’t Need a Home to Vote – ‘Know Your Voting Rights’ guide published for people experiencing homelessness in the US
Through TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro bono legal network, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty were connected with law firm Goodwin Procter to produce a ‘Know Your Voting Rights’ for people experiencing homelessness in the US.
22 April 2021 -
'Know Your Rights' guide published for journalists covering protests in the United States
The Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro bono network, TrustLaw, facilitated pro bono legal assistance for journalists and partnered with the Committee to Protect Journalists to release a ‘Know Your Rights’ guide, summarising journalists’ rights when confronted by law enforcement officers while covering a protest or other political event in the US.
22 April 2021 -
In a Dark Hour, a Bright Moment for US Pro Bono
4 February 2021 -
Expanding Uganda’s Pro Bono Initiatives to Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs)
4 February 2021 -
Rise in Pro Bono Uptake Brings its Own Challenges in Nigeria
4 February 2021 -
Pro Bono Work in Colombia: The Long and Winding Road Towards Institutionalisation
4 February 2021 -
Could Pro Bono ‘Tipping Point’ Challenge Inequality in Brazil?
4 February 2021 -
A Rock and a Hard Place: Challenges of Free Legal Aid in the Philippines
4 February 2021 -
Pro Bono Helps Bridge Access-to-Justice Gap in Nepal
4 February 2021 -
The Growth of Systemic Pro Bono in South Korea
4 February 2021 -
Portugal Demonstrates Power of Pro Bono amid Pandemic
4 February 2021 -
COVID-19 Convulses Pro Bono Landscape in England and Wales
4 February 2021 -
Opaque Regulations Hamper Turkish Lawyers Embracing Pro Bono
26 January 2021 -
In Ireland’s Challenging Landscape, Pro Bono Steps Up
26 January 2021 -
Italian Appetite for Pro Bono Despite Regulatory Vacuum
26 January 2021 -
A view from Brazil | Encroachments on media freedom
13 January 2021 -
A view from Malawi | Combating fake news and the ‘infodemic’
13 January 2021 -
A view from Egypt | Reporting from the frontline: the structural impact on newsrooms
13 January 2021 -
A view from Moldova | Journalism’s financial free fall
13 January 2021 -
A view from Kenya | Encroachments on media freedom
13 January 2021 -
A view from Mexico | Combating fake news and the ‘infodemic’
13 January 2021 -
A view from Zambia | Journalism’s financial free fall
12 January 2021 -
A view from India | Reporting from the frontline: the structural impact on newsrooms
12 January 2021 -
Working Together for Freedom of Information in Ecuador
Fundamedios contacted TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono service, for legal support in compiling a review of ‘access to public information’ best practices across the region.
4 November 2020 -
Protecting Kelp Forests in Japan
4 November 2020 -
Fighting Blood Shortages in Kenya
Through TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono legal service, Sisu Global Health were connected with two leading law firms - CFL Advocates based in Kenya and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in the United States - for free legal support to fight blood shortages in Kenya.
4 November 2020 -
WHO and leading NGOs launch inquiries into sexual exploitation allegations in DR Congo after investigation by Thomson Reuters Foundation and The New Humanitarian
Global humanitarian organisations have launched investigations into claims of sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers in DR Congo during the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis.
2 October 2020 -
Protecting Slum Dwellers’ Rights in Kenya
Through TrustLaw, Akiba Mashinani Trust (AMT) was connected to law firms Pandya & Poonawala and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP to develop legal research and propose solutions to addressing the complex and contentious land rights issues faced by residents in Mukuru – using comparative models from the US, UK and India.
23 December 2019 -
Ending Economic Abuse in the UK
Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of and transforming responses to economic abuse. In 2018, SEA wanted to better understand the impact of the UK’s current insurance law and insurers’ practices on victims of abuse. They contacted TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s pro bono service, for legal research into the matter and were connected to the law firm Cooley LLP.
23 December 2019 -
Fighting Corruption in Argentina
In order to improve asset recovery in corruption cases in Argentina, NGO Fundación Poder Ciudadano contacted TrustLaw, to conduct legal research on the legislation surrounding asset recovery in corruption cases and to better understand the legal framework in different jurisdictions. TrustLaw connected Fundación Poder Ciudadano with three law firms to produce the legal reports on the legislation in their respective jurisdictions – Steptoe and Johnson (United States), Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados (Brazil) and Legance Studio Legale Associato (Italy).
16 December 2019 -
Enforcing Disability Housing Rights in Argentina
Through TrustLaw, Senderos del Sembrador, an Argentinean NGO that works to promote the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, was connected with Bullo Tassi a domestic Argentinian law firm to create a shared housing experience for individuals with disabilities.
16 December 2019 -
TrustLaw
Fighting Acid Attacks in the UK
TrustLaw connected Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) with Linklaters to produce a legal research report which is being used as a powerful tool to influence policy change in the UK.
27 March 2019 -
TrustLaw
TrustLaw Hits 5,000 Members
In eight years, TrustLaw - our network of top law firms, in-house legal teams from some of the best-known brands on the planet, high-impact NGOs and innovative social enterprises has grown to over 5,000 members.
30 January 2019 -
Under-Reported News
Bangladeshi journalists welcome first TRF migration reporting course amid Rohingya crisis
15 journalists from across the country converged on a hotel in the diplomatic area of the city for a five-day course run by the Foundation’s Editor-in-Chief Belinda Goldsmith and Bangladesh correspondent Naimul Karim and sponsored by the C&A Foundation.
28 January 2019 -
Media Development
Journalism Fellow Awarded Prestigious Prize for Investigative Work
A journalism fellow from a programme run in collaboration with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the Stanley Foundation and Gerda Henkel Stiftung has been awarded second place at a prestigious journalism awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria for his investigative article on farmer-herder conflict in Nigeria and its impact on food security.
9 October 2018 -
Using the Law to End FGM
TrustLaw connected 28 Too Many with seven law firms, led by Latham & Watkins, to lead a critical examination of the best and worst practices, and recommendations, for the formation of sound legal frameworks that will contribute to the global elimination of FGM/C.
10 September 2018 -
Advocating for Supply Chain Transparency in Canada
World Vision Canada leads a growing coalition of partners promoting supply chain transparency in Canada. Through TrustLaw, global law firm Dentons was connected with World Vision Canada to conduct research on Canadian legislation on supply chains.
10 September 2018 -
The Right To a Fair Trial in Latin America
TrustLaw connected Fair Trials, to seven law firms led by Hogan Lovells across ten countries in Latin America. The research conducted by the law firms provided practical legal advice for those going through a trial, as well as valuable findings on the rights and laws existing in Latin America on this issue.
10 September 2018 -
TrustLaw
Refugee Rights Through A Lens
Through TrustLaw, Refugee Council, a charity that works with refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK, received legal advice from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP on use of body cameras by Welfare Officers in refugee accommodation.
30 August 2018 -
TrustLaw
Refugee Family Reunification
Family reunification for unaccompanied refugee children is an important issue for Save the Children UK, which is why they approached TrustLaw for legal research on UK and EU law to support their programmes and advocacy campaigns. TrustLaw connected Save the Children UK with Latham & Watkins, who conducted this research and identified best practices.
30 August 2018 -
TrustLaw
Protecting Children In Uganda
In 2017, TrustLaw connected the Rape Hurts Foundation (RHF) with Onyango & Company Advocates for legal assistance in drafting a children’s protection and safeguarding policy for their staff and volunteers. The legal assistance not only led to decreased instances of abuse, but created a ripple effect throughout their community.
30 August 2018 -
TrustLaw
Conservation in Colombia
Cotton-top tamarins, known locally as “titís”—are widely recognised for their shock of white tufted hair and cheeky demeanour; but perhaps lesser known is that they are also among the most endangered primates in the world. Through TrustLaw, Proyecto Tití received legal advice to register a reserve in Colombia’s protected areas.
17 August 2018 -
TrustLaw
Thomson Reuters Foundation launches resource to help financial institutions tackle human trafficking
The Thomson Reuters Foundation launched powerful new Toolkit designed to help financial institutions fight human trafficking using data.
19 July 2018 -
Four down, 46 more to go - Ending Child Marriage in the US
In May 2020, after years of lobbying US legislators and raising awareness on the issue, Unchained saw Pennsylvania and Minnesota become the third and fourth U.S. states, after Delaware and New Jersey, to end child marriage.
13 July 2018 -
TrustLaw
“Know your rights” Training Migrants and Refugees in Thailand
Through TrustLaw, the IRC received legal assistance from the international law firm DLA Piper to research the rights of refugees and migrant workers in Thailand and prepare resources and training materials. In a pioneer project, DLA Piper lawyers then led workshops for refugees, migrant workers and IRC staff—empowering them with information on their legal rights and status.
17 April 2018 -
Under-Reported News
Feature highlighting inequality in Nairobi slum makes local splash
The Thomson Reuters Foundation's feature story "Forget Davos; Dandora holds the key to inequality - activists" published on January 24, 2018 was republished extensively by Kenyan media outlets and shared widely by local activists.
30 January 2018 -
Under-Reported News
From Sex Traffickers To Kung Fu Nuns: The Thomson Reuters Foundation’s news team notched up a record year
From exposing the lives of sex traffickers in Mexico to interviewing Kung Fu nuns teaching women how to fend of sex attackers in India, the editorial team at the Thomson Reuters Foundation has had an interesting, varied and highly lauded year in 2017.
18 December 2017 -
TrustLaw
Celebrating innovation in pro bono in National Pro Bono week
At a time when we face global political, environmental, economic and humanitarian crises, we look to the power of pro bono to help build sustainable solutions.
10 November 2017 -
TrustLaw
Using technology to bring war criminals to justice
Pro bono legal assistance was crucial to put legal weight behind an innovative app that empowers human rights activists, journalists and prosecutors to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable.
15 September 2017 -
Under-Reported News
India to offer jobs to manual sand miners after deaths exposé
Authorities in western India have begun the process of offering alternative work to men risking their lives illegally mining sand, after a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation in July uncovered at least two deaths in the past year.
14 September 2017 -
TrustLaw
First safe house for LGBTI refugees
LGBTI activists and pro bono lawyers teamed up to open the first safe house for LGBTI refugees in the UK.
14 September 2017 -
Media Development
Reportage from Myanmar Now is selected for global publication by Reuters
Myanmar-based news outlet supported by the Foundation achieves global resonance on the Reuters Wire.
25 August 2017 -
TrustLaw
Defending the rights of immigrants and refugees in the US
Pro bono lawyers and refugee rights advocates rallied together in record time to address the unprecedented travel and refugee ban issued by the new US administration, providing immediate legal support to those affected.
23 August 2017 -
TrustLaw
Policing cyberspace to fight sex crimes and child porn in India
Pro bono lawyers from India, Canada and the US joined forces to support a leading anti-trafficking non-profit in its quest to stop the distribution of images and videos of sexual violence in India.
18 August 2017 -
TrustLaw
Combating `sextortion’ in the digital age
Utah, Arkansas and Alabama have enacted the first pieces of legislation in the US that criminalise `sextortion’, a form of extortion where the currency of the bribe is sex or sexual images.
25 July 2017 -
Under-Reported News
Benetton acts on story of leather tanneries in Kenya
The story prompted the Italian fashion company Benetton to contact the United Nations to get involved in such a project.
30 June 2017 -
Media Development
Feature on gender violence in Kenya prompts funding opportunities from US, Canada
A powerful feature by Foundation journalist Zoe Tabary prompted two funding opportunities from readers in the United States and Canada.
26 June 2017 -
Media Development
The Thomson Reuters Foundation helped me uncover the loss of billions of dollars from the Egyptian economy. Then the law changed.
One Egyptian journalist uncovered a way in which companies could easily avoid tax in her country. Her investigation was then used to create a new law.
19 June 2017 -
TrustLaw
Ending child marriage in the US, one state at a time
TrustLaw partnered with advocacy group Unchained At Last to support its fight to pass legislation that would ban child marriage in the US.
7 April 2017 -
TrustLaw
Supporting vulnerable victims of crime through the justice system
TrustLaw partnered with Fundación Carmen Pardo-Valcarce, a disability rights organisation, and lawyers from White & Case and WilmerHale to improve access to justice for people with disabilities.
6 April 2017 -
Under-Reported News
News with a hard-hitting impact
Our stories have massive international exposure, reaching up to one billion people a day through the Reuters wire. What we write has the power to prompt action.
14 March 2017 -
TrustLaw
Placing the hospitality industry at the helm of fighting hunger
One man’s vision to deliver edible excess food from restaurants to those in need has been transformed into a reality, thanks to assistance from TrustLaw.
27 February 2017 -
TrustLaw
Protecting ‘Good Samaritans’ at road accidents
A team of lawyers, led by Dechert, produced comparative research on Good Samaritan laws in Europe, the US and Asia, to support the SaveLIFE Foundation in its efforts to introduce the first law in India that protects first responders to road accidents.
16 December 2016 -
Media Development
Exposing corruption in South American football
Thomson Reuters Foundation journalism training participant Liber Nan Pií±era publishes explosive report on South American football.
17 September 2016