It is the policy of the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) that the welfare of children, young people, vulnerable adults and anyone participating in ISNTD activities is paramount regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity and that everyone who may participate in our activities has a right to protection from physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

​

The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children, at risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with ISNTD. This includes harm arising from:

• The conduct of staff or personnel associated with ISNTD

• The design and implementation of ISNTD’s programmes and activities

​

The policy lays out the commitments made by ISNTD and informs staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. This applies to all staff contracted by ISNTD and associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to ISNTD.

​

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. In our programmes, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or activities.

​​

Policy Statement

The International Society for Neglected tropical Diseases believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. ISNTD will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

​

This policy addresses child and adult safeguarding. ISNTD commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

​​

Prevention

​ISNTD responsibilities:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy

• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with ISNTD. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated

• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel

• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process

​

Staff responsibilities

Child safeguarding

ISNTD staff and associated personnel must not:

• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking

• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18

• Sexually abuse or exploit children

​

Adult safeguarding

ISNTD staff and associated personnel must not:

• Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

• Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults

​

Additionally, ISNTD staff and associated personnel are obliged to:

• Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy

• Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an ISNTD staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member

​

Enabling reports

ISNTD will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with. ISNTD will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies. 

​

How to report a safeguarding concern

ISNTD members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to their Safeguarding Focal Point or senior member of staff (Marianne Comparet, Director and Kamran Rafiq, Communications Director) at ISNTD or via info@isntd.org.

 

Response

ISNTD will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations. ISNTD will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy and will follow up on other instances in accordance with procedure. ISNTD will also support victims to the best of its capacity.

​

It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.