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Safeguarding broadly means avoiding harm to people or the environment. Since early 2018, the FCDO has been focused on safeguarding against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEAH) in the international aid sector.

Our goal is to ensure all those involved in poverty reduction take all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly SEAH, from occurring; listen to those who are affected; respond sensitively but robustly when harm or allegations of harm occur; and learn from every case.

The FCDOs work on SEAH looks at both the FCDO and the partners we fund with Official Development Assistance (ODA) to deliver development and humanitarian programmes around the world, often with vulnerable people.

In September 2020 the FCDO launched a UK Strategy on safeguarding against sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment in the aid sector that applies to all UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend. This strategy explains what UK government departments that engage in ODA will do to improve safeguarding standards internally, in partner organisations, and across the whole international aid sector. All UK government ODA spending departments signed up to the strategy.

This site provides an overview of the FCDOs work and points to guidance for those working in the aid sector on how to safeguard their people and programmes.

Sources:

• UN Glossary on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse 2nd Edition
• UN General Assembly Resolution Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: sexual harassment (A/RES/73/148)

FCDOs safeguarding standards

The FCDO expects all partners we work with to take all reasonable steps to safeguard the people they come into contact with (including staff and the communities in which programmes are delivered) from SEAH. The FCDO holds ourselves to at least the same high standards we expect of our partners.

Along with other OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors, we adhere to 2 sets of international minimum standards on tackling SEAH:

• the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Minimum Operating Standards on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
• the relevant elements of The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability

For partners under an accountable grant or MoU, these standards are reflected in our Safeguarding against SEAH Due Diligence guidance. All FCDO partners delivering a programme via an accountable grant or MoU will have their capability on safeguarding against sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH) examined as part of the overall FCDO Due Diligence process.

For partners under a contract, the standards are reflected in our Supply Partner Code of Conduct and Terms and Conditions. The Supply Partner Code of Conduct will also apply to partners with whom the FCDO has an accountable grant from late 2019.

Overview of the 6 key SEAH safeguarding areas in the FCDOs due diligence guidance.

The principles that FCDO is committed to applying in relation to safeguarding against SEAH and that we expect our partners to apply in their work and through their delivery chains are:

• everyone has responsibility for safeguarding
• do no harm
• organisations have a safeguarding duty of care to beneficiaries and other stakeholders, staff and volunteers, as well as to children and adults-at-risk who may be directly or indirectly delivering or impacted by the programme and may be vulnerable to abuse
• act with integrity, be transparent and accountable
• all activity is done in the best interests of the child/at risk person in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children Act 1989, FCDO defines a child as any individual under the age of 18 regardless of the age of majority/consent in a given country
• all children and adults shall be treated equally, irrespective of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC); religion/or none; race; ethnicity; disability; or any other protected characteristic as listed in the Equality Act (2010)
• organisations that work with children and adults at risk should apply a safeguarding lens to their promotional communications and fundraising activities

How to report a safeguarding concern to the FCDO

If you are in immediate danger, call the police if safe to do so or your relevant security team.

Any concerns about sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH) relating to FCDO staff or programmes should be reported to the FCDOs dedicated Safeguarding Investigations Team via:

• reportingconcerns@fcdo.gov.uk
• telephone +44 1355 843747.

If you are unsure whether to report a concern, then please contact us via the email address above for advice.

It is possible to report concerns anonymously and the FCDO will treat all reported concerns in confidence. We will consider whether onward referral is appropriate. In some cases this could be to the National Crime Agency (NCA), Charity Commission, police or other relevant authority.

The FCDO expects its programme partners to have mechanisms in place to prevent SEAH, to facilitate reporting and also to respond sensitively but robustly when cases are reported.

The FCDOs commitments on safeguarding

The FCDO is holding ourselves to at least the same high standards we expect of our partners on safeguarding against SEAH.

UK SEAH Safeguarding Strategy

In September 2020 the FCDO launched a UK Strategy on safeguarding against sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment in the aid sector that applies to all UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend. This strategy explains what UK government departments that engage in ODA will do to improve safeguarding standards internally, in partner organ

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