Our values and principles

CJP does not allow any partner, supplier, sub-contractor, agent or any individual engaged by CJP to engage in any form of child abuse, abuse, maltreatment of children and adults, or poor safeguarding practice. 

A child is anyone under the age of 18, and all children have an equal right to protection regardless of any personal characteristic, including their age, gender, ability, culture, racial origin, religious belief, and sexual identity. Children and adults with disabilities may be at particular risk of harm, exploitation, and abuse. This policy includes both children and adults.

This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives, suppliers and business partners. It applies during or outside of working hours, every day of the year. 

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse consists of anything, which individuals, institutions or processes do or fail to do which directly or indirectly harms children or damages their prospect of a safe and healthy development into adulthood.

This policy covers all forms of child abuse. CJP recognises five categories of child abuse, which are sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Other sub-categories may be adopted from time to time. The policy also covers any poor safeguarding practice, which results in or creates a risk of child abuse or harm. 

Definitions of Child Abuse: 

Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Adult males do not solely perpetrate sexual abuse. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Physical Abuse: Physical abuse is the non-accidental use of physical force that deliberately or inadvertently causes a risk of/or actual injury to a child. This may include hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing non-accidental physical harm to a child. Physical harm can also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness or temporary, permanent injury or disability of a child.

Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse involves doing harm to a child’s emotional, intellectual, mental or psychological development. This may occur as an isolated event or on an ongoing basis. Emotional abuse includes but is not limited to any humiliating or degrading treatment (e.g. bad name calling, threats, yelling/screaming/cursing, teasing, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming etc.), failure to meet a child’s emotional needs, and rejecting, ignoring, terrorising, isolating or confining a child

Neglect: Neglect includes but is not limited to failing to provide adequate food, sufficient or seasonally appropriate clothing and /or shelter. Neglect is also failing to prevent harm; failing to ensure adequate supervision; failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment or providing inappropriate medical treatment (e.g. administering medication when not authorised); or failing to provide a safe physical environment (e.g. exposure to violence, unsafe programming location, unsafe sleeping practices, releasing a child to an unauthorised adult, access to weapons or harmful objects, failing to child- proof a space that children will occupy etc.). It can also be CJP staff, partners, contractors, suppliers and sub-grantees failing to apply minimum requirements as set out in mandatory procedures.

Exploitation: Child exploitation is an umbrella term used to describe the abuse of children who are forced, tricked, coerced or trafficked into exploitative activities. For CJP child exploitation includes modern slavery and trafficking of children and children forced or recruited into armed conflict. Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity; in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur with the use of technology. Within CJP child sexual abuse and exploitation also includes child early and forced marriage.

Child Labour: Child Labour is work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It is work that: 

• is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and 
• interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

If a young person, under the age of 18 is part of an apprenticeship scheme within the statutory law of the country and does not meet any of the above, this would not be considered by CJP as child labor. However, any partner, supplier, contractor or sub-contractor must inform CJP of the name of any apprentice who will be directly involved with our work. 

It is not acceptable for any staff or representatives to engage anyone under the age of 18 to work as domestic help in their place of work or at home. 

Child labor may also be a form of child slavery. Child slavery is the transfer of a young person (under 18) to another person so that the young person can be exploited. 

Adults at increased risk

In all activities involving adults who are at additional risk because of disabilities, age, gender, or other circumstance, CJP will be guided by the human rights principles of respect for dignity, autonomy, independence, choice, non-discrimination, and equality.

Children and adults with disabilities

CJP recognises that children and adults with disabilities are at increased risk of violence and abuse. CJP commits to communicating this policy throughout the organisation, to partners and, where relevant, to children themselves, their parents, and others; in order to challenge stereotypes and cultural norms around disability, particularly with regards to children’s potential and rights.

Zero tolerance:

• At CJP, we have a culture of zero tolerance for all forms of abuse and mistreatment, including Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying.
• Every concern is fully responded to and where necessary prompt action (including conducting an investigation and taking disciplinary action, if applicable) is taken.
• We will hold our people to account against the same standards and subject them to the same processes, as everyone else regardless of their position or reputation within the organisation.

Child abuse and exploitation is a violation of fundamental child and human rights. Abuse of adults and persons with disabilities is a violation of human rights. Abuse may also be a criminal act. CJP has a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to taking action in protecting children and adults from all forms of exploitation and abuse. We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure exploitation and abuse is not taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains or partnerships. 

CJP is also committed to ensuring there is transparency in our own business and in our approach to preventing and responding to any child safeguarding or other safeguarding violations throughout our supply chains, and relationships with third parties, consistent with our national and international disclosure obligations, and shall comply with all applicable laws, statutes, regulations and codes from time to time in force, including: 

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); 
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD);
• UN Secretary General’s Bulletin: Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; 
• UK Modern Slavery Act 2015; 
• US Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000; 
• USAID ADS 303 Mandatory Standard Provision, Trafficking in Persons (July 2015); and
• International Labour Standards on Child Labour and Forced Labour. 

Where the guidance in this policy conflicts with any applicable laws or regulations, the higher standard must be observed at all times. 

Our approach to preventing abuse and exploitation 

CJP is committed to preventing abuse and exploitation, including through the following means: 

Awareness: Ensuring that all staff, representatives and third parties connected to CJP are aware of the high standards of behavior and conduct expected of them to protect children and adults from any form of abuse and exploitation in their private and working lives. 

Prevention: Ensuring, through awareness and good practice, that staff and those who work with CJP minimise the risks of any form of abuse and exploitation, including but by no means limited to conducting relevant vetting and background checks of staff as part of their recruitment process. 

Reporting: Ensuring that all staff and those who work with CJP are clear on what steps to take where suspicions or concerns arise regarding allegations of abuse or exploitation.

Responding: Ensuring that immediate action is taken to identify and address reports of abuse and exploitation, and to ensure the safety and well-being of the child/ren or adults involved. 

To help you identify incidents of abuse, exploitation, and poor safeguarding practice the following are examples of prohibited behaviour and practice, which are not tolerated by CJP: 

1. Physically, sexually, or emotionally harming or threatening to harm a child or adult. This includes beating them or any other form of physical or humiliating discipline.
2. Engaging in any form of sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18, regardless of age of consent or custom locally.
3. Exchanging money, employment, goods or services for sex, including sexual favors or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviors. This includes exchange for assistance that is due to beneficiaries and their families. 
4. Sending private messages to children you have met through CJP, for example private messaging on social media or by mobile phone.
5. Engage anyone under the age of 18 in exploitative and harmful labor. 
6. Employees engaging in commercial exploitation of children or adults, for example a hotel employee facilitating sexual abuse by hotel guests or indirectly.
7. Causing the death of or seriously injuring a child or adult due to reckless or careless driving.
8. Failing to ensure the required health and safety at construction or other sites where services are being provided and work implemented on behalf of CJP.
9. Failing to follow the law or required procedures and regulations which result in the death or harm of a child or adult.

The commitment we expect from you 

CJP expects the same high standards from all of our partners, contractors, suppliers and all third parties working with or for CJP, including taking measures to prohibit their staff and representatives from engaging in any child sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or any other form of abuse or exploitation in their working and person lives. 

1. You must have a zero-tolerance policy on Child abuse and exploitation and take all measures available to you to prevent and respond to actual, attempted or threatened forms of child abuse and exploitation involving CJP staff or representatives, or your organisation’s employees or representatives that arises during performance of the terms of this Agreement. 
2. You must ensure that your staff members and those working with CJP under your control are fully aware of this policy and encourage them to report incidents of suspected or actual child abuse involving CJP staff or representatives, or your organisation’s employees or representatives that arises during performance of the terms of this Agreement. 
3. You must immediately report any suspicion of child abuse or exploitation occurring in CJP, your organisation or the organisations you work with, that arises during the performance of the terms of this agreement with CJP . Failure to report will be treated as serious and may result in termination of any agreement with CJP. 
4. When you or any staff working for CJPunder your control suspect or become aware of a child safeguarding or other safeguarding concern in relation to work for CJP, you are obliged to:

• act quickly and immediately report suspicions or knowledge of a safeguarding concern or incident to a relevant contact at CJP;
• keep any information confidential between you and the person you report this to;
• cooperate with CJP in any investigations of concerns reported under this Agreement and keep CJP promptly updated on any concerns reported under this Agreement, including but not limited to actions taken by you in response.  

Please contact CJP if you have any further questions.