Safeguarding, protection & accountability
A precondition of the work, not a compliance exercise
SWEEF works with women and girls who are frequently exposed to economic and social risk. The Foundation therefore treats safeguarding not as a requirement imposed by donors, but as a condition of being able to do the work at all.
Commitments
Eleven standards applied across every program
These apply to staff, volunteers, consultants, partners and suppliers alike, and are written into contracts and sub-agreements.
Safeguarding & PSEA
A zero-tolerance position on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment by any person acting on SWEEF’s behalf.
Child protection
A written child-protection policy applying to staff, volunteers, consultants, partners and suppliers.
Accountability to communities
Accessible complaints and feedback mechanisms, designed with the participating women and communities who will use them.
Do no harm
Every program design reviewed for the risks it may create, including household tension or exposure to coercion.
Conflict sensitivity
Designs adjusted where risks are identified, and situations monitored throughout implementation.
Data protection
Personal and enterprise data stored securely, used only for stated purposes, and shared only with consent.
Anti-fraud
Segregation of duties, documented finance and procurement policies, internal controls, and independent annual audit.
Anti-corruption & anti-bribery
Written policies with zero-tolerance enforcement, and a confidential whistleblowing channel.
Counter-terrorism-financing controls
Controls applied across financial processes in line with donor and regulatory requirements.
Safeguarding & PSEA in practice
What this looks like operationally
Commitments are only meaningful where they are converted into recruitment, contracting, training and response procedures.
- Written safeguarding, PSEA and child-protection policies applying to staff, volunteers, consultants, partners and suppliers
- Vetting and reference checks at recruitment, and safeguarding clauses in all contracts and sub-agreements
- Mandatory safeguarding induction for all personnel, with periodic refresher training
- Confidential, accessible reporting channels available to staff, participants and community members
- Survivor-centred response, with referral to appropriate medical, psychosocial and legal services
Accountability to communities
Feedback is logged, acted on and reported
SWEEF establishes accessible complaints and feedback mechanisms in every location where it operates, designed with the participation of the women and communities that will use them.
Feedback is logged, acted upon within defined timeframes, and reported to management. Communities are informed of what SWEEF is doing, why, for how long, and what they are entitled to expect.
Do no harm & conflict sensitivity
Reviewing the risk a program itself creates
Every program design is reviewed for the risks it may create, including household tension, community resentment, or exposure of participants to theft, coercion or violence as their income becomes visible.
Where risks are identified, designs are adjusted, mitigation is built in, and the situation is monitored throughout implementation. This is the reason SWEEF treats work with men, household heads and community leaders as part of the program rather than an afterthought.
Data protection & integrity
Consent, security and independent audit
Personal and enterprise data collected from participants is stored securely, used only for stated purposes, and shared only with informed consent.
SWEEF maintains anti-fraud, anti-corruption, anti-bribery and counter-terrorism-financing policies, applies segregation of duties in all financial processes, and submits to independent annual audit.
Raising a concern
How to report a safeguarding concern
Anyone — a participant, a community member, a member of staff, a partner or a supplier — can raise a safeguarding concern with SWEEF. Reports are treated confidentially and handled on a survivor-centred basis.
Concerns can be raised by email or telephone using the contact details below. Location-specific complaints and feedback channels are established with communities in each place SWEEF operates.
Reporting channels
Email
info@sweef.so
Mark the subject line “Safeguarding: confidential”.
Telephone
+252 907 843 095
A dedicated confidential safeguarding reporting line will be published here once established. In the interim, reports sent to the address above are routed to the Gender, Safeguarding and Social Inclusion Unit.
Institutional standards
Partners are welcome to assess these standards directly.
SWEEF will share its safeguarding, PSEA, child-protection and financial control policies with prospective partners and donors on request.