Our commitment
IPGA works on gender equity, gender-based violence and the experiences of men, women, boys, girls and marginalised groups. That work brings us into contact with people who may be at risk. We accept that this places obligations on us, not only on the people we work with.
No one should be harmed, exploited, intimidated or exposed to risk because they took part in an IPGA programme, spoke to an IPGA researcher, or appeared in something we published.
Who this applies to
Everyone acting on behalf of the Institute, including:
- Board members, staff and interns
- NYSC corps members on placement with us
- Volunteers and research assistants
- Consultants, facilitators and resource persons we engage
- Partners delivering work jointly with us
How we work
- Participation is voluntary and informed. People are told what a study or session is for, and may decline or withdraw without consequence.
- We do not offer or imply that participation brings an advantage, payment or opportunity that it does not.
- Research involving people who may be at risk is designed so that taking part does not expose them to further harm.
- Personal information given to us in the course of research is kept confidential, and reported in a way that does not identify individuals unless they have agreed.
- Power imbalances between researchers, facilitators and participants are acknowledged and managed, not ignored.
Children and images
We take particular care with children and young people. We do not publish photographs or identifying details of a child without documented consent from a parent or guardian, and we will remove an image on request without requiring a reason.
Photographs are only published where the people in them were told they were being photographed and how the images would be used. Where an image documents work led by another organisation, we caption it accordingly rather than presenting it as our own.
Raising a concern
If you have a concern about the conduct of anyone acting for IPGA, whether it concerns you or someone else, please tell us. You do not need proof, and you do not need to be certain.
Report a safeguarding concern
executivedirector@i-pga.orgConcerns are treated confidentially and shared only with those who need to know in order to act. If you would rather speak to someone, say so in your message and we will call you.
- We will acknowledge your concern and tell you who is handling it.
- We will not retaliate against anyone who raises a concern in good faith.
- Where there is a risk of serious harm, or a legal duty to report, we will involve the appropriate authorities.
- We will tell you the outcome so far as we properly can.
Status of this policy
The Institute has a full Safeguarding Policy, drafted as part of its governance policy suite and progressing through Board adoption. This page summarises the commitments in it. The full policy is available on request to partners and funders.
This summary will be updated when the Board formally adopts the policy, and the date at the top will change.