ADRA Cambodia maintains a high standard in regard to the protection of children’s rights.  As such, it has developed and implemented a comprehensive policy as stated below.

1. Purpose
It is part of ADRA International’s mission statement to:

Facilitate of the right and ability of all children to attain their full potential, and to assist in assuring the child’s survival to achieve that potential.

Child protection is integral to the pursuit of this mission and is therefore detailed in this document for implementation through ADRA Cambodia’s local program.

2. Principles
In developing this child protection policy, the following set of principles is recognised (as derived from the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child):

• All children have equal rights to protection from abuse and exploitation
• All children should be encouraged to fulfil their potential and inequalities should be challenged
• Everybody has a responsibility to support the care and protection of children
• INGOs have a duty of care to children with whom they work and with whom
• their representatives work
• If agencies work through partners they have a responsibility to meet minimum standards of protection for the children in their partners’ programmes

ADRA is seeking to promote a child-safe environment through active adoption of this policy at all levels, demonstrated through a clear understanding of the purpose and principles behind development of a child protection policy, and through understanding of the responsibilities of ADRA Cambodia as an organisation, and as individuals who comprise ADRA Cambodia in recognition that the welfare of children is paramount. 

3. Application
This document is prepared for broad application throughout ADRA Cambodia’s program and importantly where a program’s targeted beneficiaries (direct or indirect) include individuals under the age of 18.

This policy is applied to:

• all staff, national and international
• all volunteers and interns
• all contractors, e.g., consultants
• all Board Members

This policy is to be reviewed at a minimum of every 3 years and as necessary.  The review team shall comprise personnel who are actively involved in programs targeting children/ minors (individuals under 18 years) and ADRA Cambodia management.  All policy statements and revisions shall be approved by the ADRA Cambodia Board.

4. Implementation
Protection of children from abuse and safeguarding the rights of children will be addressed through the following steps:

  4.1 Awareness Raising
  There is awareness of child protection issues and understanding of the rights of the child,
  problems of child abuse and risks to children.

• Education is provided for ADRA personnel in issues of child protection including understanding of the rights of the child, child exploitation, abuse and neglect.
• ADRA personnel are made fully aware of contents of this policy, expected codes of conduct and have an active understanding of procedures and systems in place to safeguard children.
• ADRA personnel who work in programs whose targeted beneficiaries are under 18 years of age are to have signed that they have read and understood this Child Protection Policy and will adhere to ADRA’s Child Protection Codes of Conduct.
  

• Appropriate measures are taken during recruitment to ensure that known offenders are not employed by ADRA Cambodia. This includes screening through interviews and reference checks specifically querying child protection issues.
• All ADRA personnel are required to sign that they will adhere to ADRA’s Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Codes of Conduct.
• Orientation procedures include a module on awareness of child protection issues.
• This policy will be reviewed at minimum every 3 years or when it is shown necessary that additional issues need to be identified and addressed through this policy.
• Project specific application of preventative measures should be developed in order to address activity specific needs for child protection.  This should be developed using the framework of awareness and prevention.

• Communication:
appropriate and wide communication of ADRA’s commitment to child protection and the implementation steps in place to ensure child protection in ADRA’s program is necessary for the policy to be effective and to ensure a child-safe environment.  Appropriate communication measures are as follows:
• ADRA’s commitment to child protection is made known through open displays and available to all
• Children in ADRA’s care have been informed of their right to be safe from abuse
• Information on child protection is available in the appropriate format and language to be accessible by all staff, children and carers
• All staff and children are aware of the designated person responsible for child protection and how to contact them

• Reporting: prompt and properly treated and documented reporting is important for future investigation of the incident.  It is important that all reported concerns are duly considered and that the appropriate measures are taken in accordance with this policy.

• Incident Reporting: ADRA personnel are required to report immediately, any known incident or suspected concern of child abuse.  The report should be made to the Provincial Program Manager or Advisor and/or Country Director/Associate Director.
  Any report made to ADRA personnel by the child should be treated seriously.  Immediate steps should be taken to ensure the child’s protection.  Family/carers should be informed of the issue and of the action proposed and consulted as the incident is dealt with by ADRA.
  
• Documentation: Within 24 hours, a full written report should be prepared which details all aspects of the alleged incident / concern.  This should give full details of person/s involved, times, places, witnesses, and what occurred
  
• Confidentiality: All parties to the incident should be guaranteed full confidentiality.  This includes the victim, the alleged perpetrator, and the individual reporting the incident.  Only those required to deal with the situation shall be privy to the details of the incident.
  
  
• Responding:  a prompt and appropriate response ensures that the situation is not perpetuated and that all individuals involved are clear on issues and actions to be taken.  The following steps outline the appropriate responses to be taken:

• Distance the parties: The first step to be taken when an incident is reported is to distance the victim and the suspected abuser.  This would normally involve suspending the staff member from their employment immediately subject to investigation of the issue.  Staff members are entitled to a just process of investigation with no presupposition of guilt or innocence.  The staff member shall be informed of the allegations and steps to be taken.  They shall be given the opportunity to respond to these allegations and participate in the investigation as desired.

• Formal Complaint Process , Investigation and Determination: Once the incident has been reported to the appropriate personnel, the Country Director/ Associate Director together with Human Resources Director, Provincial Program Manager and Advisor shall commence internal investigations of the incident.
  
  This shall involve interviews of all parties involved including witnesses to gather all relevant details of the allegation.  Such a process shall be documented at all steps. 
  
  Should the allegations be found to be true, then appropriate disciplinary measures, potentially involving termination from employment and necessary legal recourse, will be taken.  Appropriate details regarding this incident should be provided to future potential employers seeking references on the individual.
  
  Should allegations found to be without base, then appropriate steps should be taken with all parties to minimise damage to the reputation of the individual accused and ensure that all parties are satisfied with the findings.

• Legal Recourse: Physical and/or sexual abuse of a child is considered a crime and shall be treated as such.
  
  On completion of the investigation, a decision shall be made by the investigation team to determine whether substantive evidence is given for criminal behaviour requiring informing the relevant authorities/ police. 
  
  Should expatriates be involved as perpetrators, there may be legal recourse to be taken in their home country.  The investigation team should identify specific steps to take in this situation.

• Counselling Support: It is recognised that parties to the child abuse would need appropriate counselling support.  Counsellors shall be identified to provide this service to the victim and as appropriate, to the perpetrator and others involved.

  4.4 Use of Child Photos and Information

  The use of child photos and information on the child is to be  strictly regulated to ensure
  protection of the child from exploitation. 

  Any communications about children should use pictures that are decent, respectful and
  culturally appropriate.
 
  Images and information relating to children will be made available for communication
  purposes only where there is complete understanding and agreement as to their usage. No
  images/information shall be provided where there is any possibility that the communication
  may compromise the safety and protection of the child.

  In communications, no personal details identifying the child’s specific location shall be
  provided. 

  Where images and information are to be used for communication purposes which are
  focused in detail on an individual child, where possible, permission of the relevant provincial
  ADRA office, any partnering organisation and the child’s parent/carer should be granted
  before the image may be used. 

5. Definitions and Terms *
Child abuse can be physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect or sexual abuse.

  5.1 Physical abuse
  Physical abuse occurs when a person purposefully injures or threatens to injure a child or

  young person. This may take the form of slapping, punching, shaking, kicking, burning,
  shoving or grabbing. 
  The injury may take the form of bruises, cuts, burns or fractures.

 5.2 Emotional abuse
 Emotional abuse is a chronic attack on a child or young person's self esteem. It can take the
  form of name calling, threatening, ridiculing, intimidating or isolating the child or young
 person. go

 5.3 Neglect
 Neglect is the failure to provide the child with the basic necessities of life, such as food,
 clothing, shelter and supervision to the extent that the child's health and development are
 at risk.

 5.4 Child Sexual abuse
 Sexual abuse is when a child or young person is used by an older or bigger child, adolescent
 or adult for his or her own sexual stimulation or gratification, or economic gain.

6 Child Protection Code of Conduct
As a staff (or other agent) of ADRA Cambodia, I agree:

1. To respect the right of the child for protection from abuse and exploitation;

2. That it is my responsibility to support the care and protection of children;

3. That I have a duty of care to the children with whom I work;

4. To always act appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner, with children, understanding the importance of my behaviour with children and the potential perceptions that may follow from my actions or words.  This includes behaviours that cannot be considered abuse in any sense of the term; 

5. That as an adult, I am fully responsible for my actions and any interactions between myself and any child, regardless of the behaviour of the child;

6. That I am fully aware of, understand and agree to follow ADRA Cambodia’s Child Protection Policy including any disciplinary actions as specified; and

7. That I understand the protocols in place for addressing potential concerns of child abuse and agree to immediately report any incidences / concerns that I may be aware of.

___________________________________________

* Definitions and Terms taken from CARE Australia’s Child Protection Policy Section 2.1

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