Summary

Vulnerable adults and children are the key populations with which we work. The Council has zero-tolerance for all forms of exploitation including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and neglect, and it is our policy to ensure the safety of and protection from such behaviors. We implement this policy through safeguarding measures, reporting, and monitoring procedures that are incorporated in our research and program interventions.

Our Work

The Population Council conducts research and identifies solutions to address critical health and development issues. Our work allows couples to plan their families and chart their futures, helps people avoid HIV infection and access life-saving HIV services, and empowers girls to protect themselves and have a say in their own lives. Our research identifies cost-effective, practical, and long-term interventions and policy change to ensure sustainable programs serving the most vulnerable populations in the countries where we work. Some of our research focuses on sensitive, and sometimes controversial, issues related to family planning, reproductive health, HIV prevention, gender norms, and the social, economic, and educational development of adolescent girls.

Policy

Vulnerable adults and children are the key populations with which we work. The Council has zero-tolerance for all forms of exploitation including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and neglect, and it is our policy to ensure the safety of and protection from such behaviors. We implement this policy through safeguarding measures, reporting, and monitoring procedures that are incorporated in our research and program interventions. This policy and related procedures apply to all Council full-time and part-time employees, interns, seconded staff and fellows (“Staff”) and all other parties working on Council projects, including  sub-awardees, contractors, vendors, consultants, and others with whom we collaborate (“Collaborators”).

Our Safeguarding Policy (or “Policy”) is supported by other Council policies and procedures including whistleblowing; recruitment; research ethics; risk management; child protection; anti-discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; bullying; anti-trafficking; and conflict of interest.

Prevention

  1. Ensure that all Staff and Collaborators are properly vetted and continue to demonstrate the highest ethical standards and behavior.
  2. Provide training on Safeguarding during orientation sessions with new Staff, renew annual signatures for all Staff of receipt and continued understanding of our Safeguarding Policy, and require refresher training on safeguarding and global conduct policies, including whistle blowing. We maintain a record of training.
  3. Ensure that all Staff and Collaborators are informed about and understand the consequences of violating the Safeguarding Policy (see Section IV. below).
  4. Provide Collaborators with which the Council has an agreement the procedure and contact information on how to report safeguarding concerns.
  5. Include adherence to our Safeguarding Policy in the terms of subagreements/contracts with downstream partners. Require that these partners participate in their own mandatory training on safeguarding.

Supervisors’ responsibilities for safeguarding

All Council staff who have a supervisory role are required to:

  1. Act as a positive example for all Staff and ensure that all persons within the scope of their supervisory responsibilities have read, understood, and confirmed the contents of the Policy.
  2. Ensure that staff under their supervision complete mandatory safeguarding training.
  3. Maintain a culture of openness to enable the discussion of issues or concerns around sexual abuse, harassment, or exploitation, and ensure accountability of staff so that potentially abusive behavior is addressed according to the procedures described here.
  4. Monitor the workplace to ensure adherence to the Policy, recognition of potential abusive behavior, and initiation of appropriate investigative action.
  5. Handle any concerns raised with staff expediently and with objectivity, sensitivity, confidentiality, and fairness in accordance with this Policy.
  6. Inform the Council’s Human Resources Director about reports of actual or threatened violations of this Policy.

Human Resources Director’s responsibility for safeguarding

The Council’s Human Resources Director is the organization’s safeguarding lead. The Human Resources Director will ensure that the Policy is consistently applied across the organization, handle reports and investigations of violations of the Policy, and maintain a central Council safeguarding register. The Human Resources Director will keep the Safeguarding Officer (defined below) regularly updated about safeguarding matters.

Safeguarding Officer’s oversight responsibility for safeguarding

The Vice President of Corporate Finance and Administration (VPCF&A) is the executive level officer (Safeguarding Officer) with overall responsibility for the Council’s Safeguarding Policy and will keep the other members of the Council executive team and Board of Trustees regularly updated about safeguarding matters.

Reporting, investigation, and response

The Population Council ensures that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting and investigating safeguarding concerns are made available to its Staff and Collaborators. This includes the following measures:

  1. Information about abuse or breach of the Safeguarding Policy may come from anyone involved in our work, including: project participants, project staff, mentors, community members, or project Collaborators.  Anyone concerned or informed of concerns about the safety of an individual has several options for reporting. All Collaborators will be informed of the reporting options outlined below.
  2. Any Staff or Collaborator who wants to make a good faith report about a concern or suspicion related to sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment related to the Council’s work should report this to their immediate supervisor, Project or Program Director, Country Director (if applicable), or an executive team member.  The supervisor who receives such a report must inform the Council’s Human Resources Director no more than one day (24 hours) after receipt of the report.  Failure to report in a timely manner will result in disciplinary action.
  3. Individuals may make their reports in writing, in person, by telephone, or by email.

If an individual wants to make a good faith report about a concern or suspicion related to child safety related to the Council’s work, he/she has the option to remain anonymous and contact the Council’s external ethics and compliance support firm, Navex Global. Navex Global implements a 24 hour per day, 7 day per week, platform that allows Representatives to report information anonymously.  Navex Global will then create electronic reports based upon the individual’s replies to specific questions. These reports are forwarded to the appropriate person at the Council.

This service can be accessed via the web portal found at this: link.

  1. In consultation with the Human Resources Director in New York, the Safeguarding Officer, the Country Director and/or Program Director, as applicable, relevant Council staff will take all appropriate and reasonable steps to protect the individual involved as an immediate course of action.
  2. Following this, the HR Director and Safeguarding Officer will decide on a course of investigation, mindful of the legal framework in the country where the alleged incident took place. Indications of illegal activity will be directed to the appropriate body in the country, including law enforcement. Infractions or indiscretions which are legal but violate the Council’s safeguarding policy will be investigated internally, or in collaboration with downstream partners, as appropriate. An independent panel may be appointed to undertake a situation review and report back findings and recommendations. Based on the findings of an internal or collaborative investigation, or the recommendations of an independent review panel, disciplinary measures may be taken against individuals found in violation of this policy. In the case of Council staff, contractors, vendors, consultants, interns, fellows, the Human Resources Director, Country Director, Program Director, and/or Safeguarding Officer, if and as appropriate, will take necessary disciplinary measures, including but not limited to verbal or written warnings, suspension, or termination. In the case of personnel working for suppliers or downstream Collaborators through a Council subaward, the Council will hold the relevant employer accountable to take the necessary disciplinary action(s) and may terminate the partnership or other business relationship if this does not occur. The process undertaken for all concerns and allegations will be documented in the Council’s Safeguarding Register.
  3. Staff and Collaborators who have been brought under investigation by Population Council or by official law enforcement authorities for the sexual abuse, harassment, or exploitation of an individual may be suspended and shall have no access to the vulnerable participants in Council projects during the investigation. The employee will be informed of the charges and given an opportunity to respond to either law enforcement or the review team, as appropriate based on the situation.

Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality is 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 always be kept secure. However, subject to applicable local laws, Population Council reserves the right in the event an employee is discharged for proven abuse, to disclose such information, if requested by a prospective employer.

Associated Council policies and procedures

  • Code of Conduct
  • Bullying
  • Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
  • Disclosure of Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistle Blower policy)
  • Child Protection
  • Recruitment
  • Research Ethics
  • Anti-trafficking
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Enterprise Risk Management

Last update: 01 April 2020

Contact Email: hr@popcouncil.org