Policy on Child Protection
1. Background and Justification
In all countries children can face obstacles to the realisation of their God-given potential through poverty, disease, injustice and abuse at the hands of both adults and other children. CBM notes with concern that children with disabilities are at least twice as likely to be abused as children without disabilities. The children our projects are targeted to assist are therefore some of the most vulnerable in the world. Adults with disabilities also face abuse at levels far higher than in the general population.
CBM has a Policy on Child protection. The purpose of the policy is to protect children, both with and without disabilities (and vulnerable adults), from sexual exploitation and sexual, emotional or physical abuse, including neglect, which are totally unacceptable to CBM International. We endorse the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” as an important set of standards for the rights of children and will strive to ensure a child-safe environment is maintained within the sphere of our activities.
CBM must have regard to child protection not only among its own staff
but that of its partner organisations. Therefore, CBM has a Child protection Unit (CPU). The CPU’s major objectives are: (1) to raise
awareness on the issue of child abuse, (2) to develop adequate tools and
instruments for preventing such abuse from happening, (3) to propose a
standardised approach on how staff and management should respond in
cases of institutional abuse, and (4) to oversee the implementation of
these instruments.
The CPU has the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the policy at all levels of the organisation. The CPU’s major objectives are: (1) to raise
awareness on the issue of child abuse, (2) to develop adequate tools and
instruments for preventing such abuse from happening, (3) to propose a
standardised approach on how staff and management should respond in
cases of institutional abuse, and (4) to oversee the implementation of
these instruments.
One of the goals of CPU training is to initiate the setting-up of own child protection systems within CBM funded partner organisations to increase awareness on how to protect children and vulnerable persons within the wider network. The CPU has realised a significant number of training seminars on how to prevent institutional abuse and how to respond to incidences, reaching an important number of countries, participants and committed focal persons.
CBM encourages our personnel, project partners and all others associated with CBM International to participate actively in building and maintaining a child-safe environment. “Child Protection” is a corporate and individual responsibility. Working with personnel, project partners and other associated individuals, CBM International will take all practical steps to develop child protecting procedures and practices as a continuous process.
CBM has a Policy on Child protection. The purpose of the policy is to protect children, both with and without disabilities (and vulnerable adults), from sexual exploitation and sexual, emotional or physical abuse, including neglect, which are totally unacceptable to CBM International. We endorse the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” as an important set of standards for the rights of children and will strive to ensure a child-safe environment is maintained within the sphere of our activities.
CBM must have regard to child protection not only among its own staff
but that of its partner organisations. Therefore, CBM has a Child protection Unit (CPU). The CPU’s major objectives are: (1) to raise
awareness on the issue of child abuse, (2) to develop adequate tools and
instruments for preventing such abuse from happening, (3) to propose a
standardised approach on how staff and management should respond in
cases of institutional abuse, and (4) to oversee the implementation of
these instruments.
The CPU has the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the policy at all levels of the organisation. The CPU’s major objectives are: (1) to raise
awareness on the issue of child abuse, (2) to develop adequate tools and
instruments for preventing such abuse from happening, (3) to propose a
standardised approach on how staff and management should respond in
cases of institutional abuse, and (4) to oversee the implementation of
these instruments.
One of the goals of CPU training is to initiate the setting-up of own child protection systems within CBM funded partner organisations to increase awareness on how to protect children and vulnerable persons within the wider network. The CPU has realised a significant number of training seminars on how to prevent institutional abuse and how to respond to incidences, reaching an important number of countries, participants and committed focal persons.
CBM encourages our personnel, project partners and all others associated with CBM International to participate actively in building and maintaining a child-safe environment. “Child Protection” is a corporate and individual responsibility. Working with personnel, project partners and other associated individuals, CBM International will take all practical steps to develop child protecting procedures and practices as a continuous process.
2. Procedures Concerning All Who In Any Way Represent CBM International
Guidelines and training packages will outline the responsibilities of the Human Resources Department of CBM e.V. and the Member Associations in seeking to assure that children and vulnerable adults are protected from abuse.
These guidelines will cover:
These guidelines will cover:
- The recruitment of co-workers
- The “in field” conduct of co-workers
- The conduct of all who in any way represent CBM International, who travel to projects,
- CBM International’s responsibilities to children in Public Relations activities.
3. Procedures Concerning Project Partners
It is the role of Regional Offices to work with Project Partners to promote “Child Protection” procedures.
Project Partners will be asked to sign a commitment to “Child Protection” as part of their agreement with CBM e.V. Project Partners will be asked to routinely report on the status of “Child Protection” activities within their CBM supported projects.
Guidelines and training packages will outline the responsibilities of Project Partners in striving to assure that children (and vulnerable adults) are protected from abuse in all CBM supported projects.
These guidelines will cover:
(This document was prepared by David Lewis, on behalf of the “Child Protection”
Task Force and approved on 5 December 2003 by the CBM eV Presiding Board.
Members of theTask Force were Mike Davies, Martin Rothmund and David Lewis.)
Download the text above as a pdf file:
Project Partners will be asked to sign a commitment to “Child Protection” as part of their agreement with CBM e.V. Project Partners will be asked to routinely report on the status of “Child Protection” activities within their CBM supported projects.
Guidelines and training packages will outline the responsibilities of Project Partners in striving to assure that children (and vulnerable adults) are protected from abuse in all CBM supported projects.
These guidelines will cover:
- The recruitment of project personnel.
- Detecting signs of abuse.
- Suggested procedures for reporting and handling of allegations of abuse and inappropriate behaviour.
- Procedures for counselling children who have been the victims of abuse, and their families.
- Procedures for counselling and assisting vulnerable families to ensure their children are not sold into prostitution or forced labour.
- Techniques for building awareness in families, communities, institutions and in the children who are clients and patients of projects.
(This document was prepared by David Lewis, on behalf of the “Child Protection”
Task Force and approved on 5 December 2003 by the CBM eV Presiding Board.
Members of theTask Force were Mike Davies, Martin Rothmund and David Lewis.)
Download the text above as a pdf file:
