Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding — protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes; taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, including sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment; and responding appropriately when harm does occur. This pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust or vulnerability, including for sexual purposes.

Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our programmes, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse, and having transparent systems for response, reporting and learning when risks materialise. Those systems must be survivor-centred and protect those accused until determined responsible.

A child means a person below the age of eighteen years, as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

A vulnerable/at-risk adult means a person aged 18 years or above who either identifies themselves as unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or exploitation, or who — due to gender, age, frailty, mental health, learning or physical disability, disaster or conflict — may be unable or unwilling to identify themselves as vulnerable or subject to abuse, but is deemed to be at risk.

GHP recognises that harm, violence and abuse of power against children and at-risk adults is prevalent throughout the world and in all societies. This policy aims to protect people, particularly children, at-risk adults and persons receiving assistance, from harm arising from: the conduct of staff or personnel associated with GHP; the design, development and delivery of GHP's programmes and activities; or a lack of access to GHP's safeguarding processes and support.

This policy applies to the whole of GHP — Board members, staff, volunteers and interns, consultants, contractors and representatives of partners engaged in GHP's work, including everyone using the Learning Hub.

GHP is fully committed to the safeguarding of all children and at-risk adults from all forms of violence and abuse. We take very seriously our responsibility and duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, and anyone who represents us, does not in any way harm, abuse or commit any other act of violence against children and young people, or place them at risk of the same.

GHP commits to addressing safeguarding throughout our work through three pillars: prevention, reporting and response.

GHP staff and associated personnel must:

• Ensure the best interests of the child are the primary consideration in decision-making
• Respect children's rights, including the right to protection and to participate in decisions affecting their lives
• Ensure equality of opportunity regardless of gender, ability, race, ethnicity, circumstances or age
• Work in an honest and transparent way, and keep information confidential, shared only on a need-to-know basis

GHP staff and associated personnel must not:

• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18, or sexually abuse or exploit children
• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children, including child labour or trafficking

GHP staff and associated personnel must empower, support and encourage adults to make their own decisions and obtain informed consent, and must not sexually abuse or exploit an adult, or subject any adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, or commercially exploitative activity such as forced labour or trafficking.

On Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), GHP staff and associated personnel must not exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity, and must not engage in any sexual relationship with a beneficiary of assistance, since these are based on inherently unequal power dynamics.

Breaches of this policy will be investigated in accordance with disciplinary procedures, contractual agreements, and may be referred to statutory authorities for criminal investigation. Breaches may incur sanctions including disciplinary action up to dismissal, and termination of contractual and partnership agreements. A genuine concern raised in good faith that is later found unfounded will not result in action against the reporter; false and malicious accusations will, however, be sanctioned.

All Health Partnerships receiving funding from GHP must attend a mandatory Safeguarding Session and complete the Safeguarding Protocol — a tool to align partners' safeguarding policies and processes, taking account of national legislation and existing processes in the country of implementation.

All appointed staff undergo security/background checks commensurate with the safeguarding requirements of their role, are asked a safeguarding question during recruitment, and undertake initial and regular refresher safeguarding training. New staff sign to confirm their understanding of and commitment to this policy, which is reviewed annually alongside its supporting tools.

Alleged safeguarding concerns should be reported to the nominated Safeguarding Focal Point or a Safeguarding Committee member. All reports should be submitted to safeguarding@globalhealthpartnerships.org. Reports can also be submitted anonymously via the GHP website, and are automatically forwarded to the same inbox. GHP's Whistleblowing policy covers the protections in place for anyone raising a genuine concern.

The Nominated Lead Person for the purposes of this policy is Ben Simms, Chief Executive Officer.

GHP will investigate safeguarding reports according to policy, procedure, and legal and statutory obligations, offering support to survivors of harm led by their own wishes, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out. Confidentiality is maintained at all stages, with information shared strictly on a need-to-know basis.

This policy connects to GHP's Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing policy, Disciplinary and Grievance policies, and Anti-bullying policy. This page summarises GHP's Safeguarding Policy (August 2025); the full document, including detailed reporting and investigation procedures, is available to GHP staff and associated personnel internally, and to partners on request through their GHP programme contact.