Adult Safeguarding Policy

The IRC has a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of exploitation and abuse of adults. All IRC workers, visitors, sub-grantees, suppliers, vendors and implementing partners must at all times act in accordance with the Behavior Protocol, as required as a condition of employment or by contract with the IRC. 

All IRC workers, visitors, sub-grantees, suppliers, vendors, and implementing partners must: 

• Treat all adults protected by this policy with respect. 

• Ensure depictions of adults protected by this policy respect their privacy and present them in a dignified manner. 

• Obtain informed consent from adults protected by this policy before taking photographs of them. When possible and appropriate, this consent should be in writing and adults protected by this policy should be informed of how the images will be used. 

• Ensure use of images of adults protected by this policy shall be restricted to professional, respectful, awareness raising, fundraising, publicity, and programmatic purposes. 

• Respect principles of confidentiality, abide by data protection protocol, and only share personal information on a need-to-know basis. 

• Make all efforts to minimize the risk of harm to adults protected by this policy. 

• Report suspicions or allegations of exploitation and abuse or policy non-compliance in accordance with the IRC’s Global Reporting Guidelines and Guidelines for a Survivor-Centered Approach to Reporting Safeguarding Misconduct 

All IRC workers, visitors, sub-grantees, suppliers, vendors, and implementing partners must not: 

• Physically harm or abuse adults protected by this policy. 

• Act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade adults protected by this policy, or otherwise engage in any form of emotional abuse. This includes language or behavior around or towards adults protected by this policy that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, or demeaning. 

• Imply or request that any favor, including economic or sexual, be given in exchange for access to IRC-provided or -supported services or activities. 

• Invite adults protected by this policy into their home, or sleep in the same bed or room with adults protected by this policy. 

• Discriminate against, show differential treatment to, or favor particular adults protected by this policy to the exclusion of others. 

• Develop relationships with adults protected by this policy that could in any way be deemed inappropriate, exploitative, or abusive. This includes engaging in sexual activity with adults protected by this policy, whether or not the individual believes they have obtained consent. Consent is determined from the perspective of the adults protected by this policy who experience the prohibited behavior. 

• Use any computers, mobile phones, video cameras, or social media to harass adults protected by this policy. 

• Engage the services of a sex worker, regardless of whether it is legal in the country where the service is purchased. 

• Hire any client of an IRC-provided or –supported service to work in a personal or domestic service capacity.