SHEA & Safeguarding Officer Ukraine Response

Background

ActionAid is a global federation working for a world free from poverty and injustice in 45 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression.

Our strategy is to build international momentum for social, economic, and environmental justice, driven by people living in poverty and exclusion. In practice, this means working closely with people living in poverty and exclusion, civil society organisations, social movements, and supporters.

Together, we deliver grassroots programmes, provide emergency relief and campaign for things such as women’s economic rights, tax justice and climate justice. For further information, please see: https://actionaid.org/who-we-are

ActionAid’s SHEA and Safeguarding Approach

ActionAid’s SHEA and Safeguarding approach is about preventing and responding to any form of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse and any form of child abuse and abuse of adults at risk. ActionAid is committed to ensuring that our staff and representatives (e.g partners, contractors, volunteers etc) and our programmes/processes do not cause harm. ActionAid takes a feminist and survivor centred approach to this work, and is committed to working with survivors and others to ensure safe approaches to Safeguarding harms.

A Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team sits in the ActionAid secretariat (GS) who lead on developing and embedding Safeguarding across the ActionAid Federation. ActionAid has a well-established global SHEA and Safeguarding approach which is supported by a global network of Safeguarding Officers.

ActionAid has four global SHEA and Safeguarding Policies that support this work:

• Overarching SHEA and Safeguarding Policy (2021)
• Child Safeguarding Policy (2021)
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy (2021)
• Sexual Harassment, Exploitation, and Abuse (SHEA) at Work Policy (2021)

ActionAid’s Humanitarian Approach

Emergencies are a strategic priority for ActionAid. We believe that crisis and disaster-affected people have the right to assistance. Our emergency responses are guided by our Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) and Humanitarian Signature – our federation-wide, non-negotiable approach to humanitarian preparedness, response, and recovery which all humanitarian interventions must adhere to, and which is built around the pillars of:

• Aiming for all programmes to be women- and young-people led, supporting women, young people, their organisations and networks to have more influence at the national, regional and global level.
• Shifting the power from North to South, international to local, from a male-dominated system to one where women, young people, their organisations, and networks play a central role.
• Working with communities and local organisations to hold agencies (e.g. national governments, donors and INGOs) accountable.
• Supporting community resilience to prepare for, mitigate, respond, recover, and build back better from crises. Interventions with a long-term perspective.

ActionAid’s response to Ukraine Crisis

Given the acute situation in Ukraine and its global impact, ActionAid decided to immediately respond to the humanitarian crisis.

ActionAid Spain (Alianza) is the lead for this response, supported by the ActionAid International Humanitarian and Resilience Team (IHART) in line with ActionAid’s internal emergency classification policy. ActionAid’s strategic objective for the overall Ukraine response is to protect the dignity and promote the rights of the most excluded and vulnerable affected people by the war in Ukraine, including women, youth, minorities and intersectional identities, empowering them and increasing their resilience. ActionAid will support and accompany a number of frontline organisations to respond to immediate needs and protection concerns of conflict affected people, especially women, youth, LGBTQIA+ and other marginalised groups, within Ukraine, as well as in neighboring countries.

Target groups: ActionAid prioritises conflict-affected populations housed in emergency shelters and/or host communities; women and girls affected by/at risk of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV); conflict-affected children and youth (girls and boys), elderly, and people living with disabilities. ActionAid also prioritises excluded and/or marginalised groups because of their diverse identities, such as LGBTQIA+, third country nationals, Roma people, among others, and those who have been made vulnerable as a consequence of the brutality of the war.

Objective

The SHEA & Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for leading their responding countries in aligning its culture, systems, processes, and policies with those of the AAI organisational safeguarding approach in order to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding are carried out. This will build off initial work done by the safeguarding consultant deployed to the response. They will work with others to ensure that all ActionAid staff and those we work with are aware of expectations regarding conduct and treat all people they come across in their working lives with respect and dignity.

• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will be the first point of contact for all AA and partner staff, volunteers, contractors, and community members who have SHEA and Safeguarding concerns and will work collaboratively with others to address these concerns in a confidential and survivor-centred way.
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will provide strategic oversight for all aspects of safeguarding work across their response programme. They will work collaboratively with others including the global SHEA and Safeguarding Team to develop a response strategy and ensure all activities are in line with AAI’s SHEA and Safeguarding approach.
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will deliver training and further awareness raising to staff and others, to ensure that all staff and representatives are aware of their responsibilities in line with ActionAid’s values, feminist leadership approach, and SHEA and Safeguarding approach.
• The role holder will be the main point of contact on SHEA and other safeguarding concerns with AAI, and with fellow SHEA & Safeguarding Officers in other countries.

The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will have a direct reporting line to the Senior Regional Emergency Manager. The Global SHEA & Safeguarding Lead , Global Child Safeguarding Advisor and the Global PSEA Advisor will provide technical support and oversight to the SHEA & Safeguarding Officer.

SHEA & Safeguarding Officer Code of Conduct

• I recognise the seriousness of SHEA and Safeguarding in all its forms and will treat all survivors and complainants with respect, without judgement, and with an awareness/acceptance that there is no ‘right’ way for them to respond after experiencing sexual, harassment, exploitation, or abuse.
• I understand that I cannot respond to SHEA and Safeguarding concerns by acting alone; I will take guidance from the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team and work collaboratively with everyone.
• I recognise that I am not an expert and must practice and demonstrate self-awareness while carrying out this role.
• I recognise the need to practice strong personal boundaries and maintain confidentiality at all times in this work, encouraging others to do the same and recognising that to break confidentiality may result in disciplinary action.
• I recognise the importance of building a working culture that upholds the rights and dignity of all and will be proud to carry out this role boldly and purposefully.

Key Deliverables

1. Receiving disclosures of SHEA and Safeguarding concerns:

• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will receive concerns and complaints relating to SHEA and Safeguarding and work with others to address them in a sensitive and confidential manner
• Refer all concerns to the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team within 24 hours
• Work with the Global Safeguarding Team and others to develop a SHEA and Safeguarding Stakeholder Panel which is tasked to receive and address all SHEA and Safeguarding concerns, and actively lead these meetings to ensure AAI’s SHEA and Safeguarding approach is upheld
• Develop complaints mechanisms internally, and support staff to develop external complaints mechanisms. Seek regular feedback on the use of these mechanisms and monitor their use to ensure they are fit for purpose.
• Work collaboratively with relevant internal and external stakeholders to develop complaint mechanisms.
• Create and facilitate a culture of safety to enable staff and others to raise concerns, share ideas, and collaborate freely.
• Collaborate with ActionAid to facilitate safe spaces to enable diverse groups to share concerns freely.
• Work with complainants and survivors to ensure they receive support, in line with AAI’s survivor centered approach (e.g. medical support, psycho-social support)
• Lead on ActionAid’s engagement with relevant inter-agency spaces for Safeguarding/PSEA/Child Safeguarding to ensure alignment with inter-agency approaches and to advocate for ActionAid’s approach.
• Support mapping and identification of referral mechanisms for PSEA/Child Safeguarding cases and ensure these mechanisms can respond quickly and appropriately in line with ActionAid’s policies and values.

1. Delivery on strategic priorities and policy work:

The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will support in contextualizing and implementing the AAI safeguarding policies. In doing so, they will:

• Conduct, Monitor, Update and Review the Safeguarding risk analysis and risk mitigation plan together with staff and partner teams (and with the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team) in each of the response locations to form the basis of the Ukraine Response Safeguarding Plan, and to feed into the wider Ukraine Response Security Management Plan.
• Review and adapt policies and procedures provided by AAI as appropriate to ensure that they are relevant to the context in which the ActionAid responding country.
• Attend PSEA network and other intergency meetings for their respective coverage areas, support fulfillment of the network’s ToR, implementation of the work plan, and support with relevant updates to the network concerning AA’s Safeguarding activities (e.g. trainings)
• Work collaboratively with the SEM, and the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team to create a SHEA and Safeguarding strategy for their response area(s).
• Support the development, roll-out, and communication of safeguarding implementation plans (these will include reporting mechanisms, tools, training programmes etc.)
• Regularly monitor, review, and update local SHEA and Safeguarding policies and procedures and ensure they are effective in protecting people from potential or actual harm.
• Work closely with AA staff and with partners as appropriate to ensure consistent Safeguarding measures (e.g. creating accessible complaints mechanisms in communities, ensuring that appropriate vetting is carried out on all staff and other representatives) are implemented in all ActionAid programmes and activities.
• Ensure that all AA staff and partners raise community awareness of SHEA and Safeguarding policies and processes, especially when it comes to reporting safeguarding concerns (including complaints mechanisms)
• Carry out community visits, in refugee camps, and, where appropriate, make necessary recommendations for improvements .
• Assess current/potential ActionAid partners on Safeguarding, and lead on the implementation/ improvement of Safeguarding in partners in line with ActionAid’s partnership requirements for Safeguarding.
• Ensure that partnerships and links are developed and maintained with relevant internal and external stakeholders, external agencies, and government departments.
• Support partners to manage concerns relating to SHEA & Safeguarding in a mutually enhancing approach in line with the Incident Management Guidelines.

1. Training and Inductions:

The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will establish a thorough plan of safeguarding training for AA staff and partner staff, and will work with HR to induct new staff, contractors, and volunteers by:

• Ensuring that training programmes are in place to enable AA and its partners’ staff, volunteers, and contractors to fulfil their duties and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding
• Ensure continuous roll-out and monitoring of the SHEA & Safeguarding e-learning course.
• Ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities with respect to Safeguarding when it comes to interaction with people we work with and those who are especially at-risk; and is provided with the necessary information, training and support on safeguarding matters
• Supporting programme staff to ensure that partner organisations are also aware of our safeguarding standards and procedures
• Supporting AAI in induction of newly hired staff and ensure that the induction will include safeguarding related policies and expectations of all staff including the Code of Conduct
• Ensuring key documents are signed by staff and filed, and trainings are documented to monitoring of progress
• Ensure that trainings are translated to local languages and can reach diverse groups.

1. Communication and Consultation:

• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will work with others to ensure confidentiality is maintained when addressing any SHEA or Safeguarding concerns and will share as appropriate on a ‘need to know’ basis in line with Safeguarding best practice.
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will create and facilitate spaces for staff to discuss safeguarding policies and procedures
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will be the main point of contact with the Global Safeguarding Team and will share case reports with them, work with them and update them as required in line with AAI policy.
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will maintain their own confidential database of all safeguarding concerns, and their outcomes for relevant internal and external reporting purposes
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will raise with the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team and their SLT any barriers and risks they face in creating a positive working culture of safeguarding
• The SHEA and Safeguarding Officer will continuously review progress on safeguarding and report on measures to the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team and their SEM as appropriate. The role holder will actively network with other Officers and participate in events run by the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team (e.g. training, webinars).
• Ensure that communications on SHEA & Safeguarding are contextual, fit for purpose and translated to local languages.

Essential Knowledge, skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience in and commitment to Safeguarding (other related areas also of interest e.g protection, VAWG and GBV, gender justice) including experience designing and delivering training
• Ability to work with highly sensitive material in a confidential way; ability to show empathy for the challenges survivors face in reporting Safeguarding concerns and the pressures Safeguarding investigations place on all stakeholders, including those accused of misconduct.
• Excellent self-awareness and understanding of the need for self-care
• Able to uphold ActionAid’s values, including commitment to Feminist leadership and a Human Rights Based Approach
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate, negotiate and influence at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties.
• High degree of organisational ability, working well to deadlines. Ability to work under pressure and willingness to work flexible hours in the event of emergencies.
• Ability to maintain and support a network within an organisation.
• Experience developing internal communications to build capacity and enhance networks
• Experience of project management, managing short-long term processes or projects
• Excellent experience of presenting complex information in a succinct and compelling manner
• Strong IT skills
• Excellent written and spoken English, as well as Polish/Romanian, and Ukrainian/Russian depending on the area(s) of coverage

Desirable knowledge skills & Experience

• Good understanding and experience of working within the humanitarian and / or development context.
• Ability to identify and champion ActionAid’s approach
• Previous experience working with activist movements and/or with coalitions
• Russian and/or Ukrainian as an additional language would be an advantage
• Preferably a Bachelor degree in Human Rights, GBV or Sexual Violence, Social Work, Child Protection or relevant field
• Knowledge of sector standards on PSEA, Safeguarding, Child Safeguarding, and the survivor-centred approach.

Job conditions

Reporting To: Senior Regional Emergency Manager

Support To: Senior Emergency Managers

Working Closely With: Ukraine Response Team, IHART Director, Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team; ActionAid Spain (Alianza) and IHART wider teams; External Safeguarding Counterparts

Location: Roving Poland/Romania/Moldova or Ukraine

Starting Date: Immediately.

Contract: Fix-term employment contract.

Salary: In accordance with the organisation’s local hiring wage bands.

1. Selection Criteria

Committed to preventing sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse

Excellent understanding of confidentiality and information sharing in relation to SHEA and Safeguarding concerns

Non-judgemental attitude with excellent communication skills (particularly active listening) and an ability to empathise with others

Able to make themselves highly visible in their response programme

Highly professional and with high emotional intelligence, with the ability to be self-reflective and constructively challenge themselves and others

Willing and able to take continual guidance from the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team

Commitment to take on the post for a minimum of 1 year

Commitment to engage with the Global SHEA and Safeguarding Team, participate in training, and share best practice across the Officer network

Confident in influencing stakeholders at all levels and promoting SHEA and Safeguarding to those who challenge its purpose or value

Experience and confidence in delivering training and facilitation

Relevant previous experience (e.g. Gender, Protection, HR)