Dolen Ffermio recognises that safeguarding is a key governance priority and trustees know that they have a legal, as well as a moral, responsibility to protect all people who come into contact with Dolen Ffermio in any way. We are aware that providing support to adults and children in Uganda could make them vulnerable to exploitation. We promote a fair, open and positive culture to ensure that everyone involved will feel able to report concerns, confident that they will be heard and responded to.
Therefore, the purpose of this policy is to protect all people, particularly women, girls, boys and at risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Dolen Ffermio. This includes harm arising from:
- The conduct of unpaid volunteers or personnel associated with Dolen Ffermio
- The design and implementation of Dolen Ffermio’s programmes and activities
The policy lays out the commitments made by Dolen Ffermio and informs trustees and associated volunteers and personnel[1] of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
This policy does not cover safeguarding concerns in the wider community not perpetrated by Dolen Ffermio or associated personnel
What is safeguarding?
In the UK, safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect[2]
In the international development sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, particularly women, girls, boys and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our volunteers or programmes.
Further definitions relating to safeguarding are provided below in the Glossary of Terms.
Scope
- All staff contracted by Dolen Ffermio.
- Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Dolen Ffermio, including but not limited to the following: volunteers; trustees; consultants; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities and politicians.
Policy Statement
Dolen Ffermio believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity status, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation[3] has the right to be protected from all forms of harm. Dolen Ffermio will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by volunteers or associated personnel.
Dolen Ffermio commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its activities, through the three pillars of:
- Prevention,
- Reporting and
- Response.
Prevention
Dolen Ffermio’s responsibilities
Dolen Ffermio will:
- Ensure all volunteers, trustees and staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
- Design and undertake all programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Dolen Ffermio. 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.
- Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process (identified below).
Our MOUs with our partner organisations will be updated to include the Safeguarding policy and the requirement for all individuals and personnel to sign the Code of Conduct.
Individuals’ responsibilities
All Dolen Ffermio volunteers, trustees and partners are prohibited from engaging in the following harmful behaviour, including but not limited to:
- Any behaviour or activity that could amount to sexual exploitation and abuse
- Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief regarding the age of a child is not a defence.
- Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour.
- Any other activity that is intended to cause physical or emotional harm, humiliation or exploitation to any individual.
- Any activity, practice or behaviour that suggests volunteers, trustees or partners have abused their position of power and is engaging any individual based on inherently unequal power dynamics.
- Sexual relationships between staff-, gift recipients-, partners and any individuals that are based on unequal power dynamics are strongly discouraged since they may undermine the credibility and integrity of the work of Dolen Ffermio.
- Use of the organisation’s computers or other equipment to view, download, create or distribute inappropriate material, including but not limited to pornography.
All Dolen Ffermio volunteers, trustees and partners will sign the Code of Conduct which reflects these personal commitments.
Enabling reports
Dolen Ffermio will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.
Dolen Ffermio will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.
How to report a safeguarding concern
Those who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to one of the Safeguarding Focal Points.
Val Talbot – valtalbot1863@gmail.com 07813 312434
Connie Kauma – conniekauma@yahoo.com
Moses Ekoi – mchrisekoi@gmail.com
Response
Dolen Ffermio will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns, confidentially and according to the complaints reporting procedure, and legal and statutory obligations in UK and Uganda.
Dolen Ffermio will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to those found in breach of policy.
Dolen Ffermio 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. Where the survivor is a child or otherwise unable to make decisions, support will be provided by an appropriate guardian or carer.
Confidentiality
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.
Associated policies
Dolen Ffermio’s Code of Conduct
Dolen Ffermio Complaints Report Form
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually by trustees and placed on our website. All existing and new volunteers and personnel in Wales and Uganda will be required to sign up to the Code of Conduct.
Glossary of Terms
Beneficiary of Assistance
Someone who directly receives goods or services from Dolen Ffermio’s programmse. 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.
Child
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.
Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
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/2003/13)
Safeguarding
In the UK, safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect[4].
In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes. One donor definition is as follows:
Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring; to protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and 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.
Sexual abuse
The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
Sexual exploitation
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.
Survivor
The 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.
At risk adult
Sometimes also referred to as vulnerable adult. 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.
[1] See ‘Scope’ for definition of associated personnel
[2] NHS ‘What is Safeguarding? Easy Read’ 2011
[3] Equalities Act 2010
[4] NHS ‘What is Safeguarding? Easy Read’ 2011
DOLEN FFERMIO SAFEGUARDING CODE OF CONDUCT
In Wales, safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. In Uganda, safeguarding means protecting people, particularly women, girls and boys from any harm that arises from contact with our staff. The trustees of Dolen Ffermio recognise that it is our duty to ensure that everyone taking part in all work carried out in our name is safe. Dolen Ffermio aims to promote a culture of openness that prevents all forms of exploitation and abuse and where all actual or potential breaches of the Code will be identified and addressed.
Code of Conduct
This Code outlines expected standards of behaviour for all contracted staff and associated personnel including but not limited to trustees, partners, grant recipients, contractors, consultants, volunteers, researchers, programme visitors or anyone appointed to represent Dolen Ffermio or its work in any capacity in the UK or Uganda. This Code applies regardless of local laws. Any violation of the terms of this Code may lead to Dolen Ffermio taking action, including referral to legal authorities, termination of our association with the violator or any other appropriate action. This Code to be signed below by all such representatives and kept on file in either Ngora, Kamuli or Wales.
Standards of behaviour
All Dolen Ffermio staff and associated personnel are prohibited from engaging in the following harmful behaviour, including but not limited to:
- Any behaviour or activity that could amount to sexual exploitation and abuse
- Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief regarding the age of a child is not a defence.
- Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour.
- Any other activity that is intended to cause physical or emotional harm, humiliation or exploitation to any individual.
- Any activity, practice or behaviour that suggests staff, grant recipients or partners have abused their position of power and is engaging any individual based on inherently unequal power dynamics.
- Sexual relationships between staff, grant recipients, partners and any individuals that are based on unequal power dynamics are strongly discouraged since they may undermine the credibility and integrity of the work of Dolen Ffermio.
- Use of the organisation’s computers or other equipment to view, download, create or distribute inappropriate material, including but not limited to pornography.
Reporting
Anyone working for Dolen Ffermio must immediately report any suspicion of exploitation, including sexual exploitation, abuse or any other breach of the Code by anyone to whom it applies. In the event of a breach or suspected breach of the Code, please contact Connie Kauma in Kamuli, Moses Ekoi in Ngora or Val Talbot in Wales as soon as possible