1. INTRODUCTION
   1.1 Why this policy for child protection?
   1.2 Child protection policy scope

2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 Child
2.2 Child abuse
2.3 Physical abuse
2.4 Emotional abuse
2.5 Sexual abuse
2.6 Negligence
2.7 Child labour
2.8 Participation of children in light work

3. PRINCIPLES: PREVENTION OF ABUSE
3.1 General principles
3.2 Awareness
3.3 Prevention

4. IMPLEMENTATION AND PROCEDURES
4.1 Recruitment, selection, initiation period
4.2 Procedure for reporting policy violations.
4.3 Confidentiality
4.4 Design of contracts with partners

5. MONITORING/EVALUATION

1. Introduction

1.1 Why this policy for child protection?
All children who take part in or are impacted by the activities of the Cameroonian Community in Germany e.V. (KAGEDEV E.V.) are to be protected. Children with disabilities receive extra attention because of its mandate. The same rights that apply to ordinary children also apply to children with impairments. However, because they frequently experience various sorts of prejudice, abuse, forgetfulness, or solitude, they might be more susceptible. They lack authority, respect, and life perspectives in many nations. KAGEDEV E.V advocates for the rights of children with disabilities to participate in society, learn, express themselves, and reach their full potential. Children with disabilities have the right to live, grow, and be safeguarded in their families and communities, according to KAGEDEV E.V.

1.2 Child protection policy scope
Children require special attention from anyone who works with them. As an organization, KAGEDEV E.V. and all of its employees must be aware of the dangers to children, assume accountability for safeguarding them from exploitation and abuse, act in the child's best interest at all times, and conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity. The purpose of this policy is to shield kids from maltreatment, whether deliberate or not. It is applicable to KAGEDEV E.V. as an organization and to all individuals who collaborate with it, including partner and provider organizations. This policy applies to all situations, whether private or professional, during or outside of working hours, for individuals under KAGEDEV E.V.'s responsibility (those under fixed-term or indefinite employment contracts with KAGEDEV E.V., families accompanying international collaborators, interns, volunteers, and people invited to the premises or to participate in programs). KAGEDEV E.V. makes sure that everyone it works with is aware of the kid protection policy's existence and contents. Activities inside projects and programs address broader child safety issues that come up outside the organization's boundaries. In December 2019, the Board approved this revised Child Protection Policy.

2. Definitions

2.1 Child
A child is defined as any person under 18 years of age.

2.2 Child abuse
The term "child abuse" refers to any physical or emotional maltreatment, including sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation, that involves actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development, or dignity, especially when it occurs in a relationship involving authority, trust, or responsibility.

2.3 Physical abuse
This refers to actual or perceived physical abuse or a failure to prevent physical violence or any suffering of a child.

2.4 Emotional abuse
Verbal abuse, prejudice, neglect, and psychological abuse are all included in the notion of emotional abuse. These are real or imagined negative impacts on a child's mental or behavioral growth brought on by severe or ongoing rejection or maltreatment.

2.5 Sexual abuse
Any physical intrusion of a sexual nature, committed by force, constraint or an unequal relationship, or the threat of such an intrusion.

2.6 Negligence
Considering the situation, resources, and context, negligence is defined as any voluntary or involuntary conduct, by omission or insufficiency, that jeopardizes the child's growth, safety, and health. It describes a child's ongoing incapacity to have his basic bodily and/or psychological requirements met, which is likely to have a major negative impact on his development both physically and cognitively.

2.7 Child labour
Le travail des enfants est notamment régi par les règles de la convention 138 de l’Organisation internationale du travail (OIT), qui prévoient plusieurs limites d’âge, dont les suivantes :

• The minimum age required for employment or work must be at least 15 years old and not less than the age at which obligatory education finishes.
• In the case of job or work that, by its very nature or the circumstances under which it is performed, is likely to jeopardize children's health, safety, or morals, this minimum age cannot be less than 18 years old. If the adolescents' health, safety, and morals are completely ensured and they have undergone specialized and suitable education or vocational training in the relevant field, this age limit may be lifted to 16 years old.

The phrase "child labour" in this Directive refers to the employment and work of children under the age of fifteen. KAGEDEV E.V. is watchful over this last age restriction, particularly in regards to protecting children's access to school and career training. Furthermore, KAGEDEV E.V. is responsible for making sure that all employees are at least eighteen years old, and it urges all employees to adhere to this regulation while also following national laws.

2.8 Participation of children in light work

This is when a child engages in a paid activity on occasion that doesn't interfere with his growth or health and doesn't prevent him from attending school or receiving vocational training. Children under the age of twelve are prohibited from engaging in light labor (ILO convention 138).

The principles: Prevention of abuse

3.1 General principles
KAGEDEV E.V. is committed to upholding the principles flowing from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), including its optional protocols:

• Every children have the right to be protected against abuse and exploitation.
• Every adult has a responsibility to help and protect children and must act with full regard for the best interests of the child.
• Organizations have a responsibility to take care of youngsters they or their representatives interact with while conducting their business. They must take the best possible action to help create a safe atmosphere and give children the support they require.
• Children are actors of their own protection and development, which does not exempt educators and parents from their responsibilities.
  KAGEDEV E.V. is committed to defending the rights of children and reaffirms its policy of
  zero tolerance towards child abuse.
  KAGEDEV E.V. encourages the creation of children’s spaces in its programs, where children can ask questions about their safety.

3.2 Awareness
In accordance with point 1.2 of this policy, KAGEDEV E.V. commits to educating all individuals involved in order to ensure that they comprehend its tenets and provisions, as well as its alert protocols and follow-up actions. This awareness specifically consists of:

• Information of the above-mentioned persons on:
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), including its optional protocols, which are the reference for our policy on child protection.
  These texts can be consulted on the KAGEDEV E.V intranet
• The policy on the use of social networks by KAGEDEV E.V. staff, which stipulates in particular that the use of images can only be done with the consent of the children, their families and their community, and in respect for their dignity.
  View the policy on the use of social networks: policy on the use of social networks by staff and volunteers.
• The strict prohibition to own or watch pornographic material.
• Particular awareness of the following:
• Every children with disabilities have the same rights as other children and must be treated with dignity, respect, sensitivity and fairness.
• Gender vulnerabilities in child protection.
• Community-based programs are part of KAGEDEV E.V. commitment to ensure that children with disabilities have access to education, are not victims of forced labor and have the opportunity to be heard.

3.3 Prevention
Based on the situation, an evaluation of the risks covered by this policy is conducted as part of the execution of KAGEDEV E.V. actions. In order to reduce risks to children and adhere to the 'Do No Harm' principle, a risk reduction strategy that includes preventive measures is designed and taken into consideration while implementing activities involving or influencing children. In its communications with its partners, KAGEDEV E.V. is dedicated to mentioning prevention strategies, giving special consideration to youngsters who are disabled because of their susceptibility.
KAGEDEV E.V ensures that its partners integrate the 'Do No Harm' approach into their interventions.
No Harm

4. Implementation and procedures

4.1 Recruitment, selection, integration period
Before a candidate starts working at KAGEDEV E.V., he must go through all the steps of a safe recruitment procedure and undergo a background check.
This child protection policy is communicated to all individuals who have a fixed-term or indefinite work contract with KAGEDEV E.V., consultants, interns, volunteers, or volunteers that KAGEDEV E.V. recruits. Another provision in the KAGEDEV E.V. code of conduct addresses upholding children's right to be shielded from abuse.
In particular, the employee agrees to follow the kid protection policy, according to a condition in the employment contract.

4.2 Procedure for reporting policy violations
When a suspicion or report of abuse or neglect is reported, the procedure is as follows:

• The person initially informed of the abuse must:
• Either inform the Protection focal point directly at the intervention site,
• Either the regional director / program director / country director / country referent,
• Use the professional alert mechanism, details of which are available on the KAGEDEV E.V. website and Intranet.
  If the abuse was committed by a regional director / program director / country director / country manager, the person concerned must:
• Either inform the office manager directly
• Use the professional alert mechanism, details of which are available on the KAGEDEV E.V. website and Intranet.
• If the individual in question is a staff member, they may be suspended immediately as a precaution until the inquiry is finished and suitable action is taken. In other situations, KAGEDEV E.V. has the right to deny access to its facilities, tools, and operations while conducting an investigation and implementing the necessary actions. For the duration of the investigation and the implementation of suitable measures, KAGEDEV E.V. may request that its partners suspend or place the incriminated individual on leave.
• According to the terms of the contract, specifically the law and internal regulations, the employee of KAGEDEV E.V. will face a disciplinary consequence based on the significance of the wrongdoing. KAGEDEV E.V will formally ask the partner organization to take the necessary action against the accused for the same reasons.
• In any case, KAGEDEV E.V does not interfere with local legislation and makes every effort to ensure a fair trial in the event that one of its local or expatriate employees is involved.
• False, malicious, or offensive statements made against anyone with a fixed-term or indefinite employment contract with KAGEDEV E.V., their families, consultants, interns, volunteers, or international employees may be investigated and subject to appropriate action, including disciplinary measures.

4.3 Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a top concern in all areas pertaining to this policy. This implies that no information on any kind of child abuse that is reported by kids or other people can be published without the prior approval of the child, parent, legal guardian, or the person who made the report.
KAGEDEV E.V. makes sure that the kids involved (as well as their families) are aware of the incident management procedure and its repercussions. Any suspicions, accusations, or disclosures are documented in writing.
Reports shall be as specific as possible and contain a detailed description of the facts, their chronology and the measures taken. All reports are kept in a locked location, which only the regional director/ country CIO can access.
programme director / country director / country manager under the control of headquarters (directors of geograpKagedev e.Vque and human resources department). at any time, the transmission of information (oral or electronic) must be done in respect of confidentiality.
If the allegation concerns a member of another organisation, the regional director / programme director / national director / national officer will decide how to handle the case with the involved organisation before considering forwarding the case to a third party, in compliance with the local laws in force.

4.4 Conclusion of a contract with partners
As stated in point 2, KAGEDEV E.V. does not collaborate with any organization whose employees or members have a history of abusing children. If KAGEDEV E.V. learns of such behavior, it will end the cooperation unless the partner pledges and ensures a significant change in behavior.

5) Monitoring/evaluation
This policy and its implementation are monitored continuously.
Disseminating information about this policy and its implementation, monitoring any abuse issues within the KAGEDEV E.V. network, and reporting them to the Head of Protection Policy and the Heads of Operations and Human Resources at headquarters are the responsibilities of the Regional Director, Program Manager, National Director, or Country Manager.