POLICY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS PREAMBLE

"WORKS AND FAITH MISSION (WFM)" is an Organization that works for the protection of the vulnerable. For that,

• Aware of the urgent need to protect children and vulnerable adults;
• Realizing that the multifaceted vulnerability of children and adults is increasing day by day;
• Noting that WFM has sufficient human resources to effectively engage in the protection of children and vulnerable adults in the communities it serves;
• WFM members and or staff working within WFM, representatives at different levels, visitors to WFM, wanting to protect our name and very reputation, aware of the immense need to protect children and vulnerable adults;
• Considering that anyone under the age of 18 such as a child who requires benevolent protection;

WFM adopts this text on the protection of children and vulnerable adults, given the mandate given to us by the Word of God in accordance with the motto of WFM (Jacob 2:14-17: "14 My brothers, let Is it good for a man to say he has faith, if he has not works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or a sister are naked and lack the food of every day, 16 and one of you say to them, Go in peace, and be warm and satisfied! is so with faith: if it has not works, it is dead in itself."

INTRODUCTION

WORKS AND FAITH MISSION, WFM staff and representatives must ensure that their behavior promotes and enables children and vulnerable adults/adults at risk to live free from:

• Harm and abuse (physical, sexual (including sexual harassment) and emotional (including abuse of power/trust and coercion)
• Exploitation - (physical and sexual)
• Negligence
• Discrimination
• Human trafficking

PREVENTING ABUSE AGAINST CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS

Within the WFM, the prevention of abuse of children and vulnerable adults is recorded separately among other WFM documents, namely the staff regulations, the manual of administrative and financial procedures for the implementation of this policy. consider this policy.

Staff recruitment

Recruitment of staff will be done in such a way as to discourage applications from persons who may seek to gain access to children and vulnerable adults through WFM's activities with the aim of abusing them.

When recruiting, WFM will ensure that this recruitment takes this policy into account when selecting the candidate.

For this, criteria relating to the due diligence of the new employee to be recruited will be as follows:

a) Pre-employment screening

Having a clean criminal record (having no legal proceedings in relation to children and vulnerable adults) will be a condition for retaining an applicant for a contract position or volunteering. For this, the file of any candidate must include, among other documents, an extract from the criminal record issued by the prosecution of the judicial police.

b) Monitoring during recruitment

Before the official recruitment launch of any application, an ad hoc committee must first establish a checklist and selection including the following elements:

• a detailed curriculum vitae showing the various positions held by the candidate. Particular attention will be devoted to verifying the periods between two jobs if the candidate would not have fished against children and vulnerable adults;
• the information provided by the candidate on his/her identity in his/her curriculum vitae must be carefully checked by the ad hoc committee on the basis of the original documents in order to see his/her relationship with children and vulnerable adults.
• For candidates who have previously worked with children and or vulnerable adults, the commission should be reassured of their behavior towards these two categories of people;
• During their interview, very specific questions will be asked of the candidate to identify their background in relation to the protection of children and vulnerable adults.
• Candidates must provide 2 or 3 reference persons and the recruitment committee will contact them for verification.
• Any candidate who will be selected for any position must first sign the agreement to contact them.
• Any candidate who will be selected for any position will have to sign beforehand the adhesion to this policy before the effective entry into his functions.

Code of Conduct

All members, employees, volunteers and volunteers working with children and/or vulnerable adults within WFM will be required to abide by a code of conduct which sets out appropriate and proper rules of behavior. Thus, for each of the forms of child or vulnerable adult abuse, these rules indicate what members / employees, volunteers and / or volunteers must do and what they must not do according to the following cases:

a) WFM is against physical abuse

Employees and volunteers working within WFM

Shall:

• use other means to punish children instead of nagging;
• ensure that the child is not beaten;
• ensure that the rights and dignity of vulnerable adults are respected;
• use words of encouragement and motivation to avoid harsh punishments;
• ensure that the child or vulnerable adult who is physically abused is assisted and comforted;
• give in time any information relating to physical abuse committed against a child or an adult presenting a certain vulnerability.

Shall not:

• using a stick or any other object to hit or correct a child;
• relying on any cultural or traditional practice as a reason for hitting or roughing up a child;
• abuse a vulnerable adult in any way.

b) WFM is against sexual abuse

Members of WFM, its employees and its volunteers or volunteers within WFM

Shall:

• protect children and vulnerable adults from people who misbehave;
• treat children and vulnerable adults in the same way as others and avoid favouritism;
• inform the hierarchical authority of any misconduct tending to put the child or vulnerable adult in a situation of sexual abuse;
• avoid leaving children alone with unknown people, or vulnerable adults in unsafe places.

They shall not:

• wear attractive clothes;
• stay with children or vulnerable adults in a suspicious place;
• make physical contact, gestures and words tending to seduce the child or vulnerable adult;
• take photos or video images of children or vulnerable adults with the intention of pornographic use;
• possess or show children or vulnerable adults pornographic photos, films or newspapers.

c) WFM is against mental cruelty

Members, employees, volunteers or volunteers of WFM

Shall:

• have the necessary information concerning traditional practices that are harmful to children or vulnerable adults in the area of intervention;
• commit to combating these practices in the area of intervention;
• undertake to advocate for children and vulnerable adults who are victims of these traditional practices which are harmful to them.

They shall not:

• be involved in cultural or traditional practices harmful to the child or vulnerable adult such as early, forced or other marriage;
• support the harmful practices of traditional healers or sorcerers.

d) WFM is against economic exploitation

WFM employees, members or volunteers

Shall:

• always work for the best interests of the child and respect the vulnerable adult;
• contribute to the development of the capacities or skills of children or vulnerable adults who are under our supervision.

They shall not:

• recruit minor children under Burundian law;
• enrolling children in commercial activities or domestic work:
• treat the vulnerable adult unfairly;
• involve or support children in marriage before the age required by Burundian law;

e) WFM is against emotional exploitation

WFM Members, Employees, Volunteers and Volunteers

Shall:

• communicate well with children and vulnerable adults by speaking to them kindly;
• treat children or adults equally with others;
• respect children and vulnerable adults in word and deed;
• encourage children and adults to move forward;
• follow and put into practice what is in the code of conduct.

They shall not:

• go beyond the code of conduct;
• bully children or vulnerable adults;
• divulge the secrets of children or vulnerable adults with the aim of humiliating them;
• complexify, ridicule or discourage children or vulnerable adults;
• use any form of discrimination.

f) WFM is against abandonment

WFM Members, Employees, Volunteers and Volunteers

Shall:

• involve children or vulnerable adults in decision-making that concerns them;
• advocate for the education of children and the care of vulnerable adults in their area of intervention;
• inform the authorities of any case of neglect of the child or vulnerable adult that occurs within WFM;
• taking care of the health of children and vulnerable adults in their charge.

They shall not:

• leaving a child or vulnerable adult in need without assistance;
• trivializing the opinions of children or vulnerable adults;
• expose children or vulnerable adults to a dangerous situation;
• considering disabled children or vulnerable adults as abnormal.

g) WFM is against spiritual abuse

WFM employees, members, volunteers and volunteers

Shall:

• pray for children or vulnerable adults without touching the private parts of their bodies;
• pray with children or vulnerable adults in uncovered places;
• use the word of God to encourage and edify children or vulnerable adults;
• teach the word of God about his love for everyone, including children and vulnerable adults.

They shall not:

• using the Word of God in a speculative way to achieve his interests;
• to perform spiritual activities in inappropriate times;
• praying with children or vulnerable adults in private places;
• speak of God as a God of terror.

Communications regarding children and vulnerable adults

There are 2 ways to present personal information, in a situation of vulnerability, for children and vulnerable adults considering the end transmitter: the information transmitted by WFM itself and the information transmitted by third parties who have received the information from WFM.

a) The information transmitted by WFM

Personal information and details about children and vulnerable adults which could identify them and increase the risk of potential harm to which they are exposed, will not be used by members, employees, volunteers or volunteers of WFM whatever relevances.

So :

• Faces will be covered, pseudonyms will be used and locations will be changed to address information that includes a high potential risk of harm or stigmatization of the child or vulnerable adult;
• faces, names, aliases and vague geographic location may be revealed when information about the child or vulnerable adult includes medium risk and harm or stigma is no longer severe;

b) Information transmitted by third parties

Third parties who want to transmit the information collected by the photographs or videos must first submit a consent form concerning the correct use of such materials.

INTERVENTION IN THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS.

0. Introduction.

It is not enough to prevent abuse in children and vulnerable adults to protect them, but it is necessary to intervene when they have been victims of abuse. This is why you need to know what to do when a child or vulnerable adult reveals that they have been abused. Similarly, the very definition of the different forms of abuse, their indicators and the behavior observable in the child or adult victim must be made clear to all those involved in the protection of children and vulnerable adults.

1. Types of cases that require intervention.

a) Physical abuse

• Definition

Physical abuse results in actual or potential bodily harm resulting from an interaction or lack of interaction that is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trust. Such an incident could be single or repeated such as slapping, hitting, shaking, trapping, burning, drowning, choking or deliberately inducing illness in the child.

• Indicators

Fractures, haemorrhage, wound injuries, dysfunction of one of the organs, burns.

• Observation of the child's behavior

Unusual fear of adults, complacency with parents, refusal to discuss injuries, fear of medical help, aggression towards others, hiding under clothing.

b) Sexual abuse

• Definition

It is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully understand, to which he or she is unable to give informed consent, to which the child does not is unprepared for their level of development and cannot give consent, or who violates the law or social taboos of society.

• Indicators

Genital injuries, trauma, pregnancies, frigidity, infertility, sexually transmitted infections.

• Observation of the child's behavior

Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge in the domain of the sexualized in a young child, sexually provocative/promiscuous behavior, hints of sexual activity, inexplicable decline in school results, sudden changes appearing in personality, lack of concentration, hustle, disorientation, socially withdrawn, excessively flexible behavior, simulation, aggressive behaviour, little trust in important adults, regressive behavior, beginning of day or night enuresis, anxious behavior and excessive attachment, arriving at school before time, leave school late flight from home, suicide attempts, self harm, self disgust, eating disorders, teenage hysteria etc

c) Mental cruelty

It includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate or supportive environment for the child or vulnerable adult, including the availability of a primary attachment figure, so that the child can develop a stable and complete series emotional and social skills.

Acts of mental cruelty may include restriction of movement, cycles of belittlement, belittling, puking, threatening, ordeal, discrimination, ridicule or other forms of treatment. hostile or rejection.

d) Commercial exploitation

• Definition

Commercial or other form of exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult refers to the use of the child or vulnerable adult in work or other activities for the benefit of others. . This includes, but is not limited to, child labor and child prostitution or the sexual or physical exploitation of a vulnerable adult. These activities harm their physical and/or moral health, their education and their moral or socio-emotional development.

• Indicators

Loss of concentration in class, drowsiness in class, revolt, inferiority or superiority complex, shyness, trauma, wetting the bed, exaggerated and uncontrolled fear, memory impairment, nightmare, impaired consciousness, somnambulism (dream in action) .

e) Abandonment

• Definition

Negligent neglect or treatment and lack of attention or omission on the part of the guardian to provide for the development of the child and the vulnerable adult in all areas such as health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living conditions. This includes failing to adequately protect the child and vulnerable adult from harm to the fullest extent possible.

• Indicators

Stigma, phenomenon of street children, street beggars, increasing mortality rate, children and adults dying of hunger, lack of clothing, use of drugs or tobacco.

• Observation of child and vulnerable adult behavior

Constant hunger, constant fatigue, frequent delays and absences from school, destructive tendencies, low self-esteem, neurotic behavior, lack of social relationships, flight, theft or compulsive fetching.

f) Spiritual abuse

• Definition

Sexual abuse is the misuse of the Holy Scriptures for the purpose of reducing or depriving a child or vulnerable adult of their right.

• Indicators

Misinterpretation of scriptures, lack of self-esteem, bad practice such as use of force, rejection of authority, violence, aggression.

Other additional practices harmful to children and vulnerable adults for which WFM intends to intervene

After having mentioned these forms of abuse observed, it is important to specify certain other traditional practices harmful to children and vulnerable adults, specifying why they unfortunately continue to be applied in the community and their impact on the normal and integral development of the child. and of the adult in a state of vulnerability, as well as their self-esteem.

harmful practice	Why (causes)	Impac
1. Corporal punishment	Confusion between correction and punishment Lack of compassion for children Ignorance in the education of children	Trauma in children The child can no longer express his opinion freely The fear Lack of self-esteem in children
2. Discrimination against children with disabilities and vulnerable adults	Children with disabilities and vulnerable adults have no value in the eyes of their families and the community. The communities are not sensitized on the rights of the child and the vulnerable adult. Absence of policies on the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Lack of resources in the family.	Stigma of the child and the vulnerable adult; Frustration of the child and the vulnerable adult. Lack of self-esteem. Self-destruction by drugs, smoking, alcoholism, … because the victim considers that he is nothing. The death Not being able to seize opportunities.
3. Not being able to seize opportunities.	Abuse The culture that homologates these practices (honor of receiving a rich husband in the family) The obligation to marry a girl who has been raped.	Lack of affection towards the child of the marriage. Bad education because of infidelity in marriage. Deficiency in the education of the child following the frustrations and instability of the couple. Increased infant morality.
4. Increased infant morality.	Economic poverty with low household incomes, unpaid work and economic problems. Lack of enforcement of existing policies.	The lack in the education of the child and the vulnerable adult; HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Work accidents that can lead to disability or even death. The vulnerable child or adult is exposed to death.
5. Witchcraft	Ignoring Fear of death Social pressure in the environment Witchcraft is considered good business in some places. Lack of faith for Christians.	Confusion

Management of a disclosure (of abuse) made to a child or a vulnerable adult

Where a child or vulnerable adult has disclosed to a WFM member, volunteer or WFM staff or volunteer that they have been or are being abused in any way, the following steps should be followed in order to manage such information:

• Listen to the child or vulnerable adult and accept what is said.
• Allow the victim to speak freely, asking only open-ended questions so as to establish the basic facts or nature of the complaint.
• Reassure the victim that she did the right thing to have reported her revelation. Take the allegation seriously.
• Avoid promising the victim complete confidentiality because they could still be exposed to the risk. Explain your responsibility to pass on the information to the Child or Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer.
• Avoid assumptions. Additionally, avoid investigating, informing, or confronting the subject of the complaint and the alleged perpetrator(s).

Reporting a Case of Abuse of a Child or Vulnerable Adult

Any member of WFM, staff, volunteer or benevolent of WFM witnessing mistreatment of a child or an adult in a state of vulnerability has the duty to inform his immediate superior in the first degree; and failure to provide information for a member, staff, volunteer or volunteer of WFM will be deemed a breach.

When the latter would be involved in the case, it is the hierarchical superior at the 2nd degree who will be informed. The WFM Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer, as well as the parents or guardians of the victim will also be informed except in the case where the latter are the alleged perpetrators of the case of abuse.

The information will be given in written form within 24 hours and will essentially comprise 4 sections:

• the identity of the person providing the information; Name, Function, contact details and relation to the victim of abuse.
• the identity of the victim: Name, sex, age, address, parent or guardian, place of abuse, type and indicators of abuse.
• the identity of the alleged perpetrator(s): Name, Function, address, date, time, place of the incident and what the perpetrator did. A clarification whether the abuse was observed or suspected by the person writing the communication or by someone else should be made.
• What the victim said in direct speech and what the member, staff, volunteer or volunteer writing the communication said to the child or vulnerable adult in question.

RESPONSE TO SUSPICIOUS CASE REPORTS

Duties of the Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer

Within 24 hours of receiving a complaint, the Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer will schedule a meeting to fully review the case that has been referred to them. An ad hoc committee will thus be set up and the criteria determining its composition will be the possibility of obtaining additional information on the case, the assessment of the matter, the possibility of taking the necessary measures and the communication information to the authorities if necessary.

A person in charge of the investigation may be appointed within or outside the ad hoc committee and will work according to the advice of the committee, in an appropriate manner and on a confidential basis. It will focus on the investigation carried out in relation to the protection of the child and the vulnerable adult by establishing the facts of the case and by gathering evidence to either support or refute the allegations made against the subject of the complaint (the alleged perpetrator). It will be the duty of the hierarchical authorities within WFM to cooperate with the Head of the investigation to contribute to the outcome of the investigation. A report of the investigation must be submitted to the Head of Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (RPEAV) within 20 days, after which the commission will meet to analyze and follow up on the results of the investigation report.

Support for the child or vulnerable adult victim

WFM will be able to provide support to the victim or his family if the means allow it. This support may be medical, psychological, technical or other. The victim and his family will have the right to be informed of the results of the investigation and their outcome.

Confidentiality and data protection

In order to protect the privacy and dignity of the victim and/or all persons concerned, the information collected must be kept secret unless absolutely necessary. Even the names of the people who participated in the ad hoc committee will remain secret.

APPLICATION, REVISION AND MONITORING OF THE POLICY OF PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS

Application of the policy

In order to ensure the application of this policy:

• members, volunteers, WFM volunteers and people working within our Organization should read this policy for the protection of children and vulnerable adults and will concern everyone;
• All persons who will be called upon by WFM to work specifically with children or vulnerable adults must first formally sign their adherence to this policy;
• the RPEAV will be recognized as such and its contact details will be available in each of the WFM branches;
• the rights of the child and the vulnerable adult will be considered as a cross-cutting theme in WFM's interventions.

Policy follow-up

At the end of each semester, the RPEAV will submit a thematic report (PEAV) to the Executive Committee. This report will include information likely to help improve this policy document for the protection of children and vulnerable adults.

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed by an ad hoc committee chaired by the RPEAV at least once every 5 years.