Our Voices

Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures

Preamble:

Al-Moltqa as a social enterprise,   considers all forms of abuse towards children to be unacceptable, and recognize that it has a duty to safeguard children – that is to keep them safe, promote their well being and protect them from abuse and harm. Neglect, physical, psychological/emotional and sexual violence are the main forms of abuse.

Our Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures set out the measures we will take to safeguard children. This includes proactive actions to prevent situations of abuse and harm occurring and reactive actions to respond to situations where a child is or may be, suffering abuse.

Moltaqa respects the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the following five principles

I.Children’s rights: all staff must respect and promote children’s rights. Above all, they must protect the right of each child to live in safety, without risk of abuse or exploitation and must act, at all times, in the child’s best interests.

II. Zero tolerance: moltaqa will not tolerate any form of abuse and will take all necessary measures to implement the Child Safeguarding Policy.

III. Risk management: Moltaqa ensures that risks are identified and minimized from the planning stage through to the implementation stage of activities.

 IV. Everyone’s responsibility: the successful implementation of the Child Safeguarding Policy is based on the individual and shared responsibility of all Moltaqa representatives including staff.

V. The duty of notification: any suspected violation or any actual violation of the current Code of Conduct must be reported immediately to the supervisor.

Ø  A child is any human under the age of 18 as stipulated by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.

·         It is a requirement that all staff (including paid employees, consultants and interns), whether full or part-time to sign a code of conduct that includes

-          Agree to abide by the Child Safeguarding Policy of Al-Moltaqa

-          Treat children with respect and equality, regardless of their age, sex, language, religion, opinion or nationality, ethnic or social origin, status, class, caste, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristics;

-          Help children to take part in decisions which concern them according to their age and their level of maturity

-          Maintain a culture of communication and create trust with the children and their families, communities, other staff and volunteers and representatives of partner organisations so that concerns may be shared and discussed

-          Use non-violent and positive behavior methods when supervising children

-          Encourage children and communities to speak openly about their interactions with adults and with each other

-          Inform children and communities of their right to report any worrying situations and how they can raise a concern;

-          Try to preserve the child’s autonomy and make sure that I do not do things that a child can do for herself/himself

-          Plan activities and organize the workplace in such a way so as to minimize the risk of harm taking into account the age and development of the child

-          Ensure that information concerning children, families and communities remains confidential

-          Behave in a way that sets a good example (avoid smoking, showing disrespect towards colleagues, etc.)

-          Obtain permission from the child and their parents before taking a photograph, recording or using

-          Raise any concerns and queries concerning the Child Safeguarding Policy with my manager/supervisor or the Child Safeguarding Focal Point.

-          Immediately report any suspicions or allegations to the Child Safeguarding Focal Point of behavior which goes against the principles of the Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct including any form of child abuse – even if the information or allegation is vague.

Must not conduct:

-          Engage in any form of sexual relations with anyone under 18 years old, regardless of the legal age of sexual consent, the law and local customs. Mistaking a child’s age is not a defense.

-          Exchange money, job, goods or services or humanitarian aid for sexual favors or subject the child to any other kind of humiliating, degrading or abusive behavior.

-          Touch children or use language or make suggestions in an inappropriate manner, to provoke, harass or degrade the child or show disrespect for cultural practices. This includes acting in a manner which is likely to have a negative impact on the child’s confidence and feelings of self-worth;

-          Exploit a child for labor (for example through domestic work);

-          Discriminate against, treat children unequally or unfairly for example by favoritism and excluding others;

-          Work with or transport a child alone without the prior authorization of my manager, unless necessary for the safety of the child.

-            Be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while working with children.

-          Take photos or videos of beneficiaries for use that is not strictly professional unless the with  given  permission;

-          Watch, publish, produce, or share pornography showing children, and/or show pornographic material to children;

-           Show the faces of children who are exploited sexually, victims of trafficking, abuse, in conflict with the law, linked to armed groups or who can easily be located even if their identity has been modified;

-            Take or publish photos of children entirely naked or dressed in a manner which is not adapted to the situation in which they are represented;

-          Represent children as victims (weak, powerless, unassisted, desperate, etc.);

-          Use photos which have not been checked and approved by my manager and/or Communications Team in or post unofficial pictures or information about children on personal websites or social networks (such as Facebook);

-          Maintain contact with children and their families via social networks, unless a specific client/project requires me to do so and I have been given express permission;

-          Close my eyes to, ignore or fail to report any concern, suspected violation or violation of the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Code of Conduct to the Child Safeguarding Focal Point.