Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) should be expected in any context where there is a power differential. In 2018, PSEAH has once again caught media attention with high profile reporting in the media triggering a series of exposures of SEA incidents from different aid agencies. This very public storm has had serious consequences for the agencies and has dented the public and donor confidence in aid agencies.
We believe that organisations need robust policies and procedures, however, these are not enough. More focus needs to be centred on organisational and team culture. Many teams (especially in the non-profit sector) work in very difficult conditions under tremendous pressure and stress. They are just surviving. We have also observed how these external challenges often have negative consequences at a personal or interpersonal level, such as burnout, workplace harassment, breakdown in trust and relationships. We try to mitigate these by putting in place well-intentioned safeguarding procedures and policies, however, we have come to realize that these are only one dimension and temporary fixes at best. Too often the same issues resurface again and again because policies and procedures are not enough without change in attitude and mindsets.
We have come to the conclusion that the real solution must involve re-thinking and re-inventing the work environment we create as leaders and as team members. Only then will we be able to truly serve our staff, partners and communities in a sustainable way.
We have been exploring what this concretely means and how to go about facilitating these kinds of changes. We are now convinced that the solution is actually much simpler (not necessarily easier) than the equally important safeguarding policy approaches. If we want to rebuild trust & resilience within teams and with our external stakeholders, there is a need to be more focused on WHO we want to be and HOW we want to BE with each other. Sustainable change starts at a personal BEING level and the focus must be on shifting our attitudes and mindsets vs adding new layers of controls and policies.
Imagine a team or organization choosing to BECOME more aware of team potential, investing in shared team values and standards of BEING and employees applying their true potential in their day to day job, or being more compassionate while focusing on the greater good of the people they serve. What might then naturally unfold in terms of new work environment, actions, strategies, vision and ultimately purpose?
We can review and assist in strengthening safeguarding policies, procedures and practice to create and maintain a safe environment. We can accompany your HQ and field staff to put into place preventive and protective measures with the participation of affected populations. We can accompany your local and national partners to strengthen safeguarding. We can carry out safer programming audit to identify risks and provide recommendations to strengthen programming.
GMI Brief
Rules and Values: Develop both (2019) Strengthening policies and procedures and sending stronger signals about zero tolerance and possible sanctions is needed. But a culture of ‘compliance’ can usefully be complemented by a culture of ‘commitment’ - the conscious cultivation of an overall organisational atmosphere and culture of respect.
A checklist on Safeguarding: A resource for Local and National CSOs during COVID-19 response (2020) The COVID 19 global Pandemic is a public health, economic and social crisis. Local and national civil society will play a critical role in supporting their governments to respond. During this difficult time ensuring accountability to affected populations and prevention of and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, while receiving assistance, is crucial. The purpose of this checklist is to assist Local and National CSOs to reflect on what measures are already in place and what extra practices need to be put in place to reduce the risk and to respond appropriately to SEA during COVID 19.
Client Feedback
“On behalf of the IOM Turkey Monitoring-Evaluation-Learning and Accountability unit, we would like to thank you for the support and guidance you gave us during the time we worked together. We learned a lot, especially reflecting on our accountability-to-affected populations (AAP) mechanisms, from the constructive feedback you shared with us. We will continue to reflect on that feedback to improve the quality of our AAP systems. ”
“I want to thank you for your personal contribution to building my personal capacity on PSEA, when you were with the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership. I am a better and more knowledgeable person thanks to you. I thought I should let you know how proud I am of you. In South Sudan, with the PSEA task force, we are setting up Community-Based Complaints Mechanisms, and you can’t imagine how the knowledge you gave me is useful. All UN agencies are tapping into it! I know your work leaves positive impacts wherever you go!”
We also really appreciate the active engagement with your teams on many topical issues; most recently PSEA which has enable us to further deepen our understanding of this issue and how to tackle it proactively.
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