CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
BYDEF CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
1.BYDEF personnel and visitors must not spend unnecessary time alone with children, including in the following situations: in a car, overnight in your home, or the home of a child, in office, in a camp, at activity sites etc. or sleep with beneficiaries in the same house without prior approval by the line manager. Such approval can only be given if there is concern that not doing so might put the children at risk of abuse or exploitation and if there are no other suitable options
2. BYDEF personnel and visitors should not hire children as “house help” or promote any form of exploitative child labor
3. BYDEF personnel and visitors must not fondle or kiss children. They must also not hold, hug or touch children in an inappropriate or culturally insensitive way. To avoid misunderstanding, it is recommended that a child be asked for permission before touching him/her in a culturally appropriate way, for example holding hands.
4. BYDEF personnel/Vendors/Visitors. Where possible and practical, the “two-adult” rule, wherein two or more adults supervise all activities where children are involved and are present at all times, should be followed. If this is not possible, BYDEF’s staff members are encouraged to look for alternatives such as being accompanied by community members on visits to children. In addition, gender should be considered in the “two-adult” rule, for example an adolescent girl should never be in a situation where she is alone with 2 male staff.
5. Staff or representatives must never hit or otherwise physically assault or physically abuse children
6. BYDEF’s staff or representatives must not develop physical/sexual relationships with children or develop any form of relationship with children that in any way be deemed exploitative or abusive
7. BYDEF’s staff or representatives must not be aware of these and not do anything about it.
8. BYDEF’s staff or representatives must not exploit their own position vis-à-vis the beneficiaries by making them run errands, do domestic work or carry out other forms of economic exploitation
9. BYDEF’s staff or representatives must not act in ways intended to shame, humiliate or degrade children, or otherwise perpetuate any form of emotional abuse