Protection of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT EUROPE (JA EUROPE) Protection of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policy
(Version November 2023)
JA Europe has established PSEA policies, to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Policy objective:
To establish a policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) for all JA Europe employees and related/associated personnel and ensure that roles, responsibilities and expected standards of conduct in relation to SEA are known within JA Europe.
Definitions
JA Europe understands the importance of providing clear and comprehensive definitions about Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), so everyone within the organization has the knowledge needed to understand the importance of protection of SEA.
Sexual Exploitation : refers to any form of sexual activity or conduct that involves an abuse of power or authority and is intended to gratify the desires, financial gain, or other interests of the perpetrator, at the expense of another person’s dignity and rights.
Sexual abuse : means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. It includes sexual slavery, pornography, child abuse and sexual assault.
Commitment to PSEA:
JA Europe is committed to preventing and addressing all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, to ensure the safety of all the organization’s members. Also by ensuring the implementation of the appropriate measures, the organization’s reputation is preserved.
JA Europe has a list of policies and practices that follows, helping to prevent, detect and handle incidents of SEA.
The PSEA policy refers to the processes JA Europe undertakes to evaluate the measures implemented for preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse incidents.
Purpose
This policy has the purpose of setting a clear and comprehensive policy that defines the strengths and weaknesses in the organization’s policies. JA is acknowledged of the importance of continuous improvement, so the organization implements audits that ensure its procedures are updated and aligned with the needs and the ethics of JA Europe. Maintaining a safe environment, free from SEA, by taking appropriate measures for this purpose, internally and in the communities where JA Europe operates.
Core principles:
JA Europe follows a strict and holistic schedule for the protection of sexual exploitation and abuse, within the organization.
- Comprehensive policy, for ensuring the commitment to PSEA, by well-trained team.
- Clear definition of the policies, the expected behavior and the prohibited actions.
- Mandatory training and raising awareness of PSEA and the programs that the organization offers to its employees, so everyone to be informed about the inappropriate actions, how to identify, to handle and report a situation like this.
- The highly trained team is required to undergo a PSEA (Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) refresher training every six months, as outlined in the organization’s HR policy framework. JA Europe commits to the up-to-date compliance while adapting to the ever-evolving landscape of PSEA and any changes in relevant laws or regulations.
- Inform for the legal obligations that JA’s staff has to know, comply, report and cooperate.
- Reporting mechanisms, ensuring confidentiality on reporting incidents of SEA.
- Investigation processes, ensuring impartiality and fairness.
- Regular monitoring and improving of the organization’s procedures, to ensure that they are reliable and up to date.
- Safeguarding and PSEA Capacity Building for JA Europe’s staff and partners.
- Support and protection for the whistleblowers, victims and all parties involved. This is ongoing process in partnership creation with specialized organisations in mental and social support of victims.
- Third parties’ collaborators must comply with the ethics of the organization, about dignity, fairness, respect, inclusivity and zero tolerance to abusive actions.
The PSEA framework
Prevention:
JA has established code of conduct that outlines the excepted behavior from staff or any associated with the organisation.
Provides regular and mandatory training to all staff and volunteers on SEA, including definitions, how to recognize, how to handle and report situations like this.
JA Europe has adopted the zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse, to prevent prohibited actions and clearly define the consequences for violations.
PSEA Capacity building programs providing knowledge and raising awareness.
Screening processes are implemented, to ensure the compliance of any individual that has a connection with JA Europe
Monitoring systems are implemented to evaluate the effectiveness and the applicability of the organisation’s policies, to ensure the rules are followed.
Detection:
Reporting mechanisms are essential, JA has developed a confidential mechanism for reporting complaints and incidents.
JA Europe has appointed a responsible and well-trained team, to handle with confidentiality reports of SEA incidents. The team consists of 3 people, to give a 6 eye perspective in the evaluation process.
The regular audits that JA undergoes ensure the transparency and the effectiveness of the implemented measures for PSEA.
A database for collecting all the incidents and the complains, helps to analyze possible patterns, to identify potential dangers.
Handling:
The reported incident is handled by the responsible team within a specific timeline.
Investigation procedures are conducted with confidentiality and respect for all the parties involved, rights.
All the findings are kept providing evidence on the final result.
Collaboration with special authorities, if needed, compliance to the Belgium legislation during the investigation process.
Update the procedures to improve the methods and the effectiveness in protecting sexual exploitation and abuse.
JA Europe PSEA team coordinates with the local Focal Points of the JA members, to ensure the effective and smooth roll out of the PSEA framework.
JA Europe provides support to the victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse through partnerships with local expertise organisations. Also provides a list of emergency hotlines.