Building on our Code of Conduct and feminist approach, The Youth Cafe is committed to preventing sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse (including child abuse and adult at-risk abuse) and responding robustly to these harms. We recognize that all these harms are rooted in an imbalance of power, particularly gendered and sexualized abuses of power.
We have a duty to prevent and respond to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse because of the power imbalances inherent in the international aid sector and within the broader social norms and structures in which we work.
We take all concerns seriously and conduct timely and robust responses to allegations of harm. No one will be victimized for making a complaint, and TYC is committed to taking a survivor-centered approach throughout.
We work with survivors to ensure they are central to any response, are not further harmed or disempowered by any processes, and receive support throughout.
TYC views any form of sexual violence as a gross violation of human rights. In line with Feminist Principle 10 (Zero Tolerance), we will not tolerate any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm carried out towards our employees, rights holders, communities, or anyone we contact through our work.
Zero tolerance means we will always take action when Safeguarding harm takes place, ensuring that support is offered to all affected and that the organization learns from the harm so it does not happen again.
We recognize that gendered forms of sexual violence disproportionately affect women and girls, and our work also recognizes the impact on boys, men, transgender, and non-binary people.
We are committed to having an inclusive safeguarding approach and working with the marginalized, oppressed, and hard-to-reach groups, recognizing the impact of sexual violence on people living in poverty, people from LGBTQI communities, and people of different ethnicities, religions, races, classes, and abilities. We will listen to and learn from them so that our SHEA and Safeguarding approach supports their work to promote their rights, so they may live their lives with dignity.
As part of living out our feminist principles, we will champion intersectionality by recognizing different groups' diverse and connected experiences and take action to ensure we do not compound harm. We will take action to ensure our approach is anti-racist, inclusive, and safe for all.
Recently, the #metoo and #Aidtoo movements have reminded us that those working with TYC have increased power and privilege. We must do everything we can to stop staff/representatives from abusing that power.
We are committed to safeguarding all people who come into contact with TYC from abuse of the power and privilege in any form. This applies to everyone irrespective of race, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, dress, language, political affiliation, health status, class, caste, ethnicity, marital status, disability, location, pregnancy, and religion.