Safeguarding is the responsibility that CASD has to have to make sure our representatives and activities promote the welfare of people (especially children and vulnerable adults) in the communities where we work and do not expose them to the risk of harm, including sexual exploitation and abuse. Safeguarding measures seek to prevent situations where individuals can use their position of power, to abuse or exploit another person.

The purpose of this policy therefore, is to protect people – particularly children, vulnerable adults and beneficiaries of assistance – from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with CASD. This includes harm arising from:

• The conduct of staff or personnel associated with CASD-SL
• The design and implementation of CASD’s programmes and activities

The policy lays out the commitments made by CASD and informs staff and associated personnel¹ of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

For the purpose of this policy, Safeguarding refers to protecting people, including children and vulnerable adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.

Safeguarding means:

1. Taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring;
2. To protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and
3. To respond appropriately when harm does occur.

This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability, especially for sexual purposes.

Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our programmes, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having mature, accountable and transparent systems for response, reporting and learning when risks materialise. Those systems must be survivor-centred and also protect those accused until proven guilty.

Safeguarding puts beneficiaries and affected persons at the centre of all we do.

• All staff contracted CASD

See ‘Scope’ for definition of associated personnel

• Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to CASD including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; Trustee Board members; programme visitors including journalists, donors etc

CASD believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. CASD will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

This policy will address the following areas of safeguarding: child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and protection from harm, sexual exploitation and abuse.

CASD commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

CASD will:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy
• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with CASD. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated
• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel
• Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization
• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process

CASD staff and associated personnel must not:

• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18

• Sexually abuse or exploit children
• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking

CASD staff and associated personnel must not:

• Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults
• Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

CASD staff and associated personnel must not:

• Exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance
• Engage in any sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics

Additionally, CASD staff and associated personnel are obliged to:

• Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
• Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an CASD staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member

CASD will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.

Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be fully protected and assured of confidentiality.

CASD will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, beneficiaries, partners and other official bodies.

Staff members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to their Safeguarding Focal Point Mustapha Amara -+23276900510. Clear details of this procedure are outlined in the Complaints Procedures & Guidelines.

Response

CASD will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations.

CASD will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy.

CASD will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.

It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need-to-know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.

Code of Conduct

Safe Recruitment Procedures & Guidelines

Someone who directly receives goods or services from CASD’s programme. Note that misuse of power can also apply to the wider community that the NGO serves, and also can include exploitation by giving the perception of being in a position of power.

A person below the age of 18 Harm

Psychological, physical and any other infringement of an individual’s rights Psychological harm

Emotional or psychological abuse, including (but not limited to) humiliating and degrading treatment such as bad name calling, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming, solitary confinement and isolation

The term used by the humanitarian and development community to refer to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of affected populations by staff or associated personnel. The term derives from the United Nations Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
(ST/SGB/2003/

The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. This definition incudes human trafficking and modern slavery.

A ‘Survivor” is a person who has been abused or exploited. The term ‘survivor’ is often used in preference to ‘victim’ as it implies strength, resilience and the capacity to survive, however it is the individual’s choice how they wish to identify themselves.

This is sometimes also referred to as “At Risk Adult”. It refers to a person who is or may be in need of care by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

A suspicion or allegation that a breach of this safeguarding policy has occurred or may be at risk of occurring. This includes disclosures by children and vulnerable adults.

This refers to any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. While typically involving a pattern of behaviour, it can take the form of a single incident. Sexual harassment may occur between persons of the opposite or same sex. Any person can be either the victim or the offender.

Preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment

Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a child or vulnerable adult to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or trafficking. Many children and vulnerable adults may not understand that they have been groomed or that what has happened to them is abuse.

Our representatives have a mandatory duty to report all concerns or allegations about breaches of organisational policies. A poster will be displayed in all areas detailing how and to whom complaints can be reported. This is regardless of whether it is internal to CASD or not. It is not the responsibility of staff to decide whether or not exploitation or abuse has occurred, but they must pass their concerns on. The need to report safeguarding concerns may arise when:

• You witness or suspect abuse or exploitation, or grooming type behaviour
• You receive a concern, allegation, or complaint that indicates abuse or exploitation
• A survivor discloses abuse or exploitation.

Staff who fail to report a concern may be subject to disciplinary action. Although rare, deliberate false allegations are a serious disciplinary offence and will be investigated. CASD will manage safeguarding reports (and other complaints) in a manner that prioritises the safety of the complainant and those affected at all stages.