Child Safeguarding & Protection Policy
One Citizen Humanity (OCH) – Official English Version
1 · Purpose & Scope
This policy gives practical effect to Article 1 “Human Dignity & Universal Rights” of the OCH Constitution and to our core value Child First. It applies to all OCH personnel — employees, volunteers, consultants, interns, Board members, suppliers and implementing partners — in every country where we work.
2 · Legal & Normative Framework
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
- German Youth Protection Act (Jugendschutzgesetz, 2021) for any activity with a German nexus
- All national child-protection laws in our countries of operation
- OCH’s zero-tolerance stance on abuse, exploitation, neglect or harassment
3 · Principles
- Best interests of the child override all other considerations.
- Do no harm: every programme is risk-assessed for safeguarding impacts.
- Participation & consent: children are heard and informed in age-appropriate ways.
- Equality & non-discrimination irrespective of gender, ability, ethnicity, creed or legal status.
- Accountability & transparency through clear reporting, investigation and feedback loops.
4 · Code of Conduct with Children
| Always | Never |
|---|---|
| Maintain professional boundaries | Hit, shame, ridicule or favour a child |
| Obtain informed consent (child + guardian) before photos, audio, video | Give personal gifts or money to individual children |
| Use respectful, child-friendly language | Share your private contact details or social-media handles |
| Keep communications public & observable | Publish identifying data or images without consent |
5 · Safe Recruitment & Vetting
- Written application + two references verified for all staff/long-term volunteers.
- Criminal-record check (or equivalent) focused on child-related offences, whenever legally available.
- All contracts include an explicit safeguarding clause and breach sanctions.
6 · Training & Awareness
- Induction module within 30 days of joining.
- Refresher training every 24 months, sooner if role or law changes.
- Field managers run quarterly briefings on context-specific risks.
7 · Reporting & Response
- Report within 24 h via the Secure Report Portal or report@onecitizenhumanity.org.
- Reports may be anonymous; good-faith reporters are protected from retaliation.
- The Ethics Committee starts a risk assessment within five working days and informs authorities where required.
- Survivors are offered medical, psychological and legal support or referral.
8 · Confidentiality & Data Protection
Safeguarding records are stored encrypted, with access granted only to authorised investigators. Personal data are retained strictly for the duration and purpose of the investigation, in line with GDPR Art. 5.
9 · Monitoring, Learning & Review
- Annual audit by the Ethics Committee plus an external safeguarding specialist.
- Lessons learned feed into policy updates and staff development plans.
- This policy is reviewed every two years or immediately after any serious incident.
Last updated: Feb 2026
