Do no harm/safer programming

Behaviour

Leaders ensure that teams know to only approve new partners, projects/initiatives if they have evidence that the programme appropriately addresses safeguarding issues.

Discuss the behaviour

Consider how the behaviour relates to your working environment and your interactions with colleagues and others outside the organisation. Pose your own questions where relevant and make notes on your discussion.

Questions for you to consider

How are you involved in the approval and sign-off for new partners, projects and initiatives?
How are these processes audited from a safeguarding perspective?
Are safeguarding leads sufficiently senior and influential to challenge decisions that could put people at risk?
Do your safeguarding leads have the necessary training/experience and skills to ensure that programmes do no harm?

Session notes (you can download these at the end)

What actions would you implement to make a change?

Using what you discussed, decide what actions you plan to take as an organisation. Note down who is accountable for ensuring these are implemented and when you aim to achieve them. Note that the "Actions for leaders" are a starting point, not an exhaustive list. You can add specific actions that are relevant to your organisation.

Leaders

When we speak about “leaders” we mean those people within an organisation that have the authority and power to make decisions and allocate resources. Depending on the organisation, this could be a CEO, directors, senior management teams, country directors, safeguarding leads or other decision-makers.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is about all the preventative and responsive measures we take to ensure we do no harm to anyone in our organisation and anyone we come into contact with as part of our work. This tool was developed with tackling sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH) in mind, but is applicable beyond that.You can find a more comprehensive definition on the Bond website

Audit

For example, to the same degree that financial decision-making is tracked and audited. Example of audits could include the Core Humanitarian Standard or Keeping Children Safe.

Safeguarding champion

If you are a UK NGO working with children and adults at risk, the Charity Commissions states that you should appoint a safeguarding lead/champion.