Creating Safer Spaces: Implementing Safeguarding Policies and Practices for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria

– Oluchi Ihedoro

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) play a vital role in providing essential interventions for communities in need following conflict, natural disasters, economic and health challenges, human rights deprivation, and other crises. These interventions are usually provided through humanitarian or development programmes. However, the involvement of NGOs in vulnerable communities also increases the risk of safeguarding harms, making it essential for organisations to ensure the safety of both the individuals they serve and their staff. Following the increase in safeguarding concerns globally, the need for organisations to increase their focus on implementing effective safeguarding policies and practices has become crucial.

This article explores the importance of creating safer spaces within NGOs in Nigeria through the effective implementation of safeguarding policies, drawing insights from the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH).

About the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) Nigeria

The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) is a Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded programme which aims to support organisations in the international humanitarian and development sectors to strengthen their safeguarding policy and practice against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEAH).

The RSH Nigeria Hub is specifically designed to support smaller, local organisations in Nigeria on the above. Our vision is to be a collaborative catalyst which is driven by the needs of less-resourced civil society organisations, guided by survivor-centred principles and focused on providing contextualised products and services.

Understanding Safeguarding

The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub defines safeguarding as a process of taking all reasonable steps to prevent Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) and other forms of harm (such as bullying, discrimination, harassment) from occurring and to respond appropriately when harm does occur. These harms may be caused by a staff member (or representative), the organisation’s programmes, or operations.

More simply put, safeguarding means ensuring that we do not harm people who come into contact with us.

NGOs are expected to create safer spaces or environments where abuse of any kind is not tolerated, and mechanisms are in place to prevent, report, and respond to any safeguarding violations.

Best Practices for Implementing Safeguarding Policies: Creating Safer Spaces

To effectively implement safeguarding within Nigerian NGOs, thereby creating safer spaces, it is essential to adopt best practices in safeguarding. The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub provides valuable guidance for NGOs to follow:

1. Ensure Leadership Involvement and Ownership: NGO leaders must prioritise safeguarding and model the right attitude and behaviour for their team members to follow. Organisational culture forms the heart of effective safeguarding implementation in every organisation, and it requires a top-down approach where the organisation’s leadership is fully involved in the process; ensuring diversity, inclusion, adaptation and a non-toxic work environment for all.
2. Develop a Comprehensive Safeguarding Policy: NGOs must develop clear, robust and contextualised safeguarding policies that define what constitutes abuse, exploitation, or harassment. They should also outline the steps that will be taken to prevent, report, and respond to such incidents. This policy should be tailored to the local context and communicated effectively to all staff, volunteers, other representatives, and programme participants. The safeguarding policy should be a working document which guides the work of the organisation, not just a “tick box” project. Click here for a resource on how to develop safeguarding policy.
3. Provide Training and Capacity Building Support: Training is critical to ensure that all members of an NGO understand safeguarding principles and their roles in upholding the organisation’s safeguarding commitments. The RSH emphasises that staff at all levels should be equipped with the skills to recognise potential safeguarding issues and know how to report them appropriately. Capacity building should also extend to local partners and community members, ensuring a broad understanding and ownership of safeguarding measures. Click here for free RSH E-Learning.
4. Create Effective Reporting Mechanisms: NGOs must establish accessible, confidential, and safe channels for reporting safeguarding concerns. Accessibility means that the channels should cater to everyone expected to use them, regardless of their age, gender, class, ability, or literacy level. Individuals should feel comfortable using them without the risk of encountering harm or challenges while accessing them. Confidentiality is also crucial, as individuals are less likely to use these channels if they fear their identities will be revealed, which could lead to retaliation. It is not encouraged for organisations to have different reporting channels for safeguarding; this can be aligned with their existing channels if they are effective. Ultimately, the received reports will be filtered and responded to appropriately. However, organisations can set up separate safeguarding reporting channels if preferred depending on the context and requirements. These mechanisms should be designed to protect complainants and ensure that all reports are taken seriously and handled with survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches. RSH advocates for the use of community-based complaint mechanisms, which involve working with local leaders to build trust and encourage reporting. Click here for RSH resource on establishing reporting mechanisms, click here for the resource on establishing disability inclusive reporting mechanisms.
5. Establish Safeguarding Focal Points: Safeguarding should not be an afterthought but a core part of an NGO’s governance structure. NGOs should designate safeguarding focal points—individuals within the organisation who are responsible for overseeing the implementation of safeguarding policies, handling complaints, and ensuring accountability. NGOs should note that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SAFEGUARDING FOCAL POINTS. The Safeguarding Resource Hub stresses the importance of leadership commitment to safeguarding as key to the effectiveness of these focal points. Click here to access the terms of reference for safeguarding focal person.
6. Mainstream Safeguarding in Recruitment Processes: NGOs must ensure that adequate systems are in place to prevent potential perpetrators from becoming part of organisations. It is important to include the organisation’s safeguarding commitments on the website, job adverts, interview questions, onboarding sessions, and conduct active background checks on potential employees. Adequate orientation on safeguarding and their roles in contributing to a safer organisation should be conducted for new employees.
7. Plan for Safeguarding: Many Nigerian NGOs operate with limited funding, which can constrain their ability to invest in safeguarding initiatives. The need to prioritise immediate project objectives may lead to safeguarding being overlooked. To mitigate this, NGOs must be intentional and plan for their safeguarding implementation by including safeguarding in their project proposals and budgets, finding creative ways to align them with their ongoing activities, and mapping organisations, networks or agencies that they can partner with for support. Conducting safeguarding risk assessments is an essential mitigation strategy for effective planning. The action plans should be included in the proposals and budgets accordingly for successful implementation. Click here for robust resources on addressing safeguarding risks.
8. Make safeguarding a culture not just for compliance: The primary objective of safeguarding is to put the right systems and practices in place to prevent exposing people to harms of SEAH and other forms of harms. NGOs should make safeguarding a culture which promotes a safe space where everyone feels protected, appreciated, and included despite their diversities. This goes beyond having a safeguarding policy or meeting with safeguarding demands of your donors or funding partners.
9. Monitor and Review Safeguarding Practices: Safeguarding is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and review to ensure policies remain effective and responsive to emerging challenges. The RSH suggests NGOs regularly monitor the effectiveness of their safeguarding processes, collect feedback from project participants, and adjust practices accordingly.
10. Engage Local Communities: Cultural sensitivity and nuances are essential in safeguarding. NGOs must work with local communities to understand their values and concerns and integrate these into their safeguarding strategies. Fostering trust and collaboration with local leaders can help address resistance to safeguarding measures and make interventions more sustainable.

Conclusion

Creating safer spaces for vulnerable populations and staff is essential for the success of NGOs in Nigeria. By implementing robust safeguarding policies, providing training, fostering community engagement, and ensuring accountability, NGOs can protect those they serve and prevent harm. The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub offers invaluable support in this regard, helping NGOs navigate the challenges of improving their safeguarding capacity. Additionally, RSH emphasises the need for collaboration between NGOs, local communities, and government agencies to ensure safeguarding policies are effectively implemented. By offering both strategic support and practical tools, the Hub enables Nigerian NGOs to take proactive steps in creating safe spaces for their programme participants and staff.

The Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) is a relevant resource for NGOs in Nigeria seeking to improve their safeguarding practices. The Hub provides a wealth of FREE safeguarding resources which are available on the website. Some of these resources are accessible by clicking on the hyperlinks included in this article. The Hub also offers FREE E-learning modules on safeguarding tailored to meet the needs of small and local organisations. This is accompanied by a FREE Certificate of Completion. NGOs in Nigeria are encouraged to explore these resources.

For more detailed resources, Nigerian NGOs can access guidance from the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub at www.nigeria.safeguardingsupporthub.org and www.safeguardingsupporthub.org.

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