How human rights activists are to be protected by gps bracelets

In a bid to increase the security of aid workers who partake in humanitarian works, "Natalia project" has brought in a new cell powered gps bracelet that is able to give off alarms whenever the bracelet is tampered with.

That could be forceful removal of the bracelet or breaking the bracelet, the worker could also send a message if there is danger.

Natalia bracelets

The bracelet which uses phone and sat-nav technology will in turn send pre-configured distress message to a number of recipients.



The message which will indicate the location of the attack could be sent to the police, or even twitter and Facebook updates to followers and friends of the connected accounts.

Natalia project was proposed after the 2009 kidnapping and murder of Russian aid worker, Natalie Estemirova in Chechnya.

The need for the bracelets was intensified further this week after an AmeriCorps volunteer worker was killed in Louisiana.

The volunteer Joseph Massenburg was found shot dead in a New Orleans neighbourhood on Monday night. He was part of the team working with Habitat for Humanity and Green Light New Orleans.

The first bracelets are to be handed out in the coming week to five aid workers in Sweden. It is expected that 55 pieces of the bracelets will be available by 2014.

Funding is expected to make more of the bracelets.

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