Unit 2: Identify

Aid agencies working in development and humanitarian settings have a duty of care to prevent and respond to safeguarding concerns which may arise when they come into contact with people, be it staff, volunteers, board members, partners and suppliers. Successful safeguarding prevents adults and children from the risk of harm, of abuse or exploitation. 

When thinking about safeguarding, organisations should explore five key phases. The first phase is 'identify'. It is important as a safeguarding lead or focal point that you are able to identify who is vulnerable to harm. Usually, this means persons with less power because of their age, gender, or disability. 

You should be able to identify what the different forms of harm are and the various signs, symptoms and indicators of harm. The second phase is 'prevent'. Safeguarding leads should support their organisations to take proactive measures to prevent harm from occurring to people who they have direct or indirect contact with. Organisations should undertake risk assessments to gauge risks that may occur in their operations and mitigate against these with safer recruitment procedures, codes of conduct, training, safer programming, and a safer use of images and personal data. 

The third phase is 'report'. Organisations must recognise that there are many obstacles to survivors and/or victims failing to come forward to raise their concerns. Therefore, organisations must ensure that internal reporting mechanisms are safe, accessible, effective and responsive to the needs of survivors. If this is in place, staff, beneficiaries, and communities that come into contact with your organisation will be able to safely raise safeguarding concerns they have. 

The fourth phase is 'respond'. When safeguarding concerns are received, organisations and safeguarding leads must have procedures in place to manage disclosure of abuse from children, vulnerable adults and staff. A survivor centred approach where decisions are risk assessed and taken in the best interests of the survivor is paramount here. 

The fifth phase of the safeguarding cycle is 'learn'. Aid agencies should ensure that mistakes or slips made in the previous phases are picked up and improved on going forward. For example, improvements should be made to policies, procedures and practise, so that we can prevent and respond to safeguarding concerns in the future. 

We need to remember that, as a safeguarding lead for your organisation, you could be receiving or managing a safeguarding concern at any phase of the cycle. So, all phases could be at play at any one time. It's important to remember not to miss out on any of the phases, since by doing so, your organisation is at risk of being unsafe to children and adults that come into contact with it.

You may come across different frameworks for exploring the issue of safeguarding but some of those with safeguarding responsibilities in the aid and development sector have reported that they found this one very useful. This is because of the way it focuses attention on some of the aspects of safeguarding that can otherwise get neglected. For example, the tendency to focus on reporting and responding rather than really thinking through issues of prevention or ensuing that any lessons are learnt and used to improve safeguarding in the future. It can also highlight who else needs a greater understanding of safeguarding issues, for example, if prevention includes recruitment, then who is responsible for recruitment in your organisation?

NARRATOR: Meet John and Fatima. They are aid workers like you who, have just started working for a humanitarian organisation. Everyone who works with a humanitarian organisation is an aid worker, even volunteers, short-term staff, and contractors. The most important part of their job is to make sure they do no harm to the communities they serve.

The people in this community have been affected by disaster or conflict. Some people, like women, children, and people living with disabilities, may be more at risk of experiencing abuse or harm than others. John and Fatima must treat everyone in the community with respect. Aid workers must not take advantage of the communities they support. If they do, they will harm individuals. They may destroy the relationship with the community, and they may lose their jobs.

So, what are some things John and Fatima should be aware of? Aid workers like John and Fatima are in positions of power. As a programme officer from a different part of the country, John holds power because of his age, wealth, expertise, position, and gender. As a community mobilizer from the local community, Fatima also has power. The community sees her leading activities, working closely with other aid workers, and sharing information about resources and services.

Whether true or not, community members believe that aid workers control access to resources and services. In contrast, community members often have little control over access to those things. Because of this, people may feel they cannot say no to anything John and Fatima ask of them. They might be afraid that if they say no, they or their families will not receive aid.

John and Fatima must consider the power that people think they have. They must never abuse their power. Aid workers can abuse their power in many ways. One of the most harmful ways is through sexual exploitation and abuse. Sexual exploitation is when a person convinces someone with less power to participate in sexual activities. For example, if an aid worker offers extra rations or money in exchange for sex. That can be sex even without physical contact -- for example, online or by text message.

Sexual abuse happens when a person forces someone with less power to participate in sexual activities against their will. For example, if an aid worker forces someone to kiss them or participate in sexual activities with them. To help guide aid workers like you, John and Fatima, and keep vulnerable communities safe, there are a few important principles that all aid workers must follow. Aid workers must always treat the community with respect, both during and outside working hours. Sexual exploitation and abuse threaten the dignity of people that aid workers are supposed to assist and protect.

Aid workers are not allowed to have sexual relationships with anyone under the age of 18, even if it is legal in the country. Not knowing the person's age is not a valid excuse. Aid workers are not allowed to pay for sex. They also cannot exchange employment, goods, or services for sex, or even suggest it. Aid workers are not allowed to have sexual relations with anyone receiving assistance, even if that person is willing.

If any of these principles are broken, humanitarian workers can be disciplined and even lose their job. In many countries, they may also face criminal prosecution. What happens if John or Fatima or anyone in the community sees or suspects any sexual exploitation or abuse by another aid worker? They must report any possible or actual exploitation or abuse they have seen or heard about.

They should never investigate it themselves. It is someone else's job to find out what really happened. If Aid workers like John and Fatima are scared to report, they can report it anonymously through their organisation's sexual exploitation and abuse focal point or reporting mechanism. To keep that information confidential, they should not discuss it with anyone else. All aid organisations should have a clear and easy way for people to share their concerns.

We want all people to be and feel safe and protected from harm. Sexual exploitation and abuse takes advantage of vulnerable people. All of us must prevent sexual exploitation and abuse. Everything that John and Fatima have learnt in this video applies to you and your role too.

If you have any questions about this training, please contact the sexual exploitation and abuse or safeguarding focal person in your organisation. Or you can speak to your manager, protection, gender-based violence, or other technical lead. For more information, visit www.interaction.org.

John and Fatima have visible power because they have access to resources that the community need. Potentially they also have invisible power, but their power is not quite the same. John is more senior and male, so is likely to have more power although Fatima also draws power from her role in the community. The community are likely to see them as both powerful given their gatekeeping role and so be reluctant to challenge either.

It is important here to consider the whole range of those who work for, or volunteer with an organisation – as those affected will be different in each case. Power may be exercised through employment, use of funding, over ‘lower ranking’ colleagues and individual beneficiaries. As we have discussed, power relations are also affected by the gender, ethnicity, age and expertise of people in your workforce.

Sometimes you will get direct reports of abuse from the victims themselves or another member of staff. However, given we know disclosing abuse is always difficult and many cases are not reported, workers should also be vigilant in looking for signs themselves.

Some physical signs may be obvious but if someone is suffering emotional, sexual abuse or harassment this may only be reflected in changes in behaviour such as suddenly being withdrawn, scared, anxious, aggressive, or running away. Children with limited verbal abilities may act out sexualised behaviour rather than be able to talk about it. Staff being over-familiar with vulnerable children and adults might be an indicator something inappropriate is happening. Sexual abuse and harassment often start online or via messaging - seeming distant, upset or angry after using the internet or texting, or secretive about who they are talking to might be an indicator of concern. You will be aware of the warning signs of traditional harmful practices in your own area.

There can be many explanations for some signs of abuse, they are not always clear cut. It is also possible for one person to be experiencing several types for abusive behaviour. The indicators of harm are also not always exclusive – if a child or adult is very withdrawn this could be as a result of emotional abuse or sexual harassment. The key point is all staff should be alert to consider abuse as one possible cause and not take explanations that are given without question.

As a Safeguarding Officer/Lead for your organisation, it is not necessary to determine that abuse or exploitation has taken place – merely that it may have taken place. This exercise is to strengthen your knowledge and understanding.

The video focuses primarily on sexual abuse and harassment underpinned by the abuse of power we have been exploring. It powerfully reinforces the message of the importance of people being prepared to act and maintain ethical standards in their organisations. We have an ethical, moral and legal responsibility to take action and report all forms of abuse, exploitation and harassment, including sexual, and not just be a bystander. The implication of the video is not just about reporting but all aspects of safe working practices which we will go on to look at in the rest of the course particularly when considering prevention.

The children discuss a wide range of things that make them feel safe, including being in safe places, perhaps at home, at school or in familiar surroundings. They also talk about the importance of time of day and being near or around people and places they trust and know to be safe. Being around strangers or people they perceive to be bad made some of the children feel unsafe. However, we also know that harm occurs in places that we often assume to be safe, such as at home, child-friendly centres, school or place of worship; in these examples, school is both safe and unsafe. We must be careful not to make assumptions about a child’s feelings of safety and the risks that particular people and places might present to them.

The challenge for all organisations in widely different and difficult contexts is substantial. However, listening to those who might be at risk is crucial in order to create safe, secure organisations that mean all those you come into contact with are safe from abuse and exploitation.

Some of the answer to the questions for each of the scenarios are in the responses below but you may have identified other things:

Scenario 1 

1. Child and anyone else nearby from hot boiling water.
2. The cook working for NGO X.
3. Physical and emotional abuse when he threw the hot water. Possible neglect as the child is hungry.
4. The cook has exercised his power as the older person and his position in the kitchen in using something harmful such as hot water to discipline a child based on the assumption that the child is stealing.
5. Serious burns on the child. The child could be traumatised by the experience. Loss of trust in adults and fear.

Scenario 2 

1. The programme officer. Also, other team members since they would be left wondering why their team member is not with them at the meeting.
2. The programme manager of NGO X.
3. Potentially discrimination, emotional abuse and workplace bullying.
4. The programme manager is in a higher position of power then the programme officer and has exercised by internationally side-lining a junior member of staff.
5. The programme officer could feel hurt, angry, upset, all of which can affect their confidence and their mental health.

Scenario 3

1. The colleague receiving messages. Potentially other staff and personnel as well if he chooses to contact them to go out with him.
2. The male aid worker of NGO X.
3. Sexual harassment, emotional abuse and workplace bullying.
4. It looks like they are peers; however, the colleague sending messages is male, and he is abusing and misusing his position over another colleague.
5. The impact of his actions could make the programme officer feel unsafe and uncomfortable in the workspace, feeling fearful and untrusting of other colleagues and even affect her mental health.

Scenario 4

1. The children using a chat function on the internet. Potentially all other children as well.
2. The finance officer of NGO X.
3. Sexual grooming of teenagers (who are children) on the internet by enticing them to send him photos of themselves, potentially leading to sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
4. He is in a position of power by working as an aid worker for an NGO and has access to resources such as technology to use to make inappropriate relationships with those under the age of 18.
5. The impact of this can be very serious as he gets the children to trust him by sending him photos of themselves. These images can be edited and imposed on other people’s bodies, or he could ask these children to pose for him with little clothing or in suggestive ways. He could use this for his own sexual gratification, or he could upload it on the internet on child pornographic sites to sell.