Safeguarding in International Development
International Development is a broad concept used to describe programs or services aimed at making the world a better place. While it is a broad concept, the International Development Sector is united in pursuit of a set of 17 sustainable development goals, aimed at eliminating poverty and hunger and improving sustainable health, education, environmental, security and peace outcomes for all.
The 17 Goals set 169 ambitious targets to reach by 2030.
Amongst these targets is to end all forms of violence and exploitation of children.
This is not a new global ambition, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child became a legally binding international instrument in 1990 and is today ratified by every country in the world, except one.
And yet, 50 plus years on, several recent enquiries, including the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, as well as multiple high-profile cases in the international development sector, have exposed alarming rates of abuse, neglect and exploitation of children by the very organisations that exist to protect these rights and support the achievement of the SDGs.
What should the International Development Sector Do?
The International Development Sector proudly leans into evidence-based work. In many cases international development programs are both evidence makers and evidence followers. This means that the sector is committed to piloting, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating initiatives to find and prove impact, as well as sharing and implementing proven approaches.
This is true also for child safeguarding in international development. A range of evidence finding processes have gathered sets of best practice principles and standards that, if implemented, will prevent harm to children by international development programming. The evidence is clear, effective child safeguarding is more than a policy, police checks and a risk management checklist.
Instead, safeguarding in international development requires purposeful and consistent action and leadership. This means
ensuring staff, volunteers and partners do no harm.
thorough child safety risk assessment and management of our operations, programs and communications.
authentic consultation and engagement to establish child focussed complaints pathways.
responding effectively to all safeguarding concerns that are raised.
Understand the Standards & support the workforce.
Safeguarding Central understands the range of best practice evidence in the International Development Sector and how to apply it to the range of contexts where international development occurs.
We can help international development organisations build tailored safeguarding frameworks, that incorporate the range of standards into one overarching approach.
It is then important to resource and implement a training plan that inducts the workforce and partners into child safeguarding policy, code of conduct, complaints and risk management processes. It also includes ongoing - usually annual - competency based training. International Development Organisations often have a safeguarding focal person or officer. These roles perform critical functions and require specific training and supports to perform their role.
Create and Promote
Safeguarding Policy
All Standards points to the fundamental importance of quality Child Safeguarding Policy and a context specific, enforceable, Code of Conduct.
These documents are an organisation’s guidebook for its child safeguarding approach. They must apply to all representatives, including volunteers and to all organisations that it works in partnership with.
Policies are only meaningful when people are aware of them and there is a culture of enforcement. Consequently, Policies and Codes should be published and available for all. There should be translated, easy read, and child friendly versions easily accessible and widely shared.
Context specific
risk management
International Development is complex. Program delivery often occurs in high-risk settings, supporting people who are already facing difficult circumstances.
The approach to managing child safety risk in this context must move beyond standardised program risk assessment tools. The better an organisation understands its risk the better it can work to prevent harm from occurring. Risk is best understood when children themselves are engaged in the process.
International development relies on partnerships, a mobile workforce and high numbers of volunteers. It must contend with how to ensure child safety in recruitment is not compromised. However difficult it is to contemplate; perpetrators of child abuse continue to specifically seek work in international development.
