Policy on Child Protection

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:

• 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.

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:

• 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 the Task Force were Mike Davies, Martin Rothmund and David Lewis.)

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