How Catholic Releif Service Helps Trafficking Victims

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) works in some of the most difficult and volatile areas of the world, and we are committed to creating and maintaining an surroundings which promotes its core value of human dignity and prevents abuse and exploitation of its employees, partners and beneficiaries.

CRS staff, including Board Members, interns, volunteers, and visitors too every bit partners, suppliers, service providers, and consultants are:

Expected to treat all people with whom they have contact with respect, to actively prevent all forms of harassment, abuse, and exploitation, including all forms of sexual misconduct and trafficking, and to ensure our programs do no harm to the communities in which we work
Prohibited from facilitating or aiding another humanitarian worker'southward harassing, abusive or exploitative behavior—whether tied to CRS or not
Obliged to report any concern or suspicion of harassment, abuse or exploitation

To ensure that we agree ourselves to the highest standards, nosotros take rigorous policies and systems in place to ensure that our staff, affiliates, partners, suppliers, service providers, and community members can report harassment and safeguarding concerns, protected from the threat of retaliation. All reports trigger prompt and thorough assessment which may include investigation, and any substantiated violation of our policy results in appropriate action, which may include termination of employment and reporting to the appropriate local authorities.

CRS will not knowingly provide a positive referral for anyone terminated for cause and is committed to working with our colleague organizations in the development and humanitarian sector to make sure we have ways to forestall perpetrators from being hired into other agencies.

Read the full text of the CRS Safeguarding policy.

View our FY2021 Safeguarding Report.

An Overview of CRS Safeguarding Policy related to Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Bullying, Corruption, Exploitation, and Trafficking

Safeguarding is the responsibleness that all organizations take to ensure that their Staff and programs accolade and protect the rights and dignity of all people-especially children and vulnerable adults-to live free from corruption and harm.

At Catholic Relief Services (CRS), this responsibleness is paramount given that safeguarding is seen as in integral part of the mission and values of the Cosmic Church and one that is firmly rooted in our belief that each individual has a unique worth created in the epitome and likeness of God.

CRS is committed to creating and maintaining an environs-both in our workplace and in our projects-that promotes our core values and prevents the corruption and exploitation of all with whom we collaborate. Corruption and exploitation constitute acts of serious misconduct and are therefore grounds for disciplinary activeness including termination and, equally relevant, notification to specific donors and/or advisable law enforcement regime.

Likewise, CRS is committed to piece of work only with organizations-including partners, suppliers and service providers, including consultants--who are as committed to the nobility of individuals and every bit vigilant to preventing and addressing corruption and exploitation.

In addition, CRS is committed to ensuring that program participants-and members of communities in which they live-are aware of what staff behavior is acceptable and how they tin can raise their concerns or questions in a confidential and secure manner.

All CRS Staff are obligated to report any concerns or suspicions of harassment, corruption and exploitation involving CRS Staff, partners, beneficiaries, suppliers and service provider, or aid workers associated with some other organization.

All reports volition be promptly investigated and addressed and treated with due regard for the privacy of the individuals involved. Any form of retaliation is grounds for disciplinary action including termination.

Harassment

Harassment is defined equally unwanted, unwelcomed and uninvited behavior that demeans, threatens or offends and results in a hostile environs. This includes, merely is not limited to, harassment based on race, color, organized religion, ancestry or national origin, sexual practice, historic period, marital status, sexual orientation, concrete or mental disability or handicap, medical condition, protected veteran status, or genetic information and any other status protected past police.

Bullying

Bullying is defined as persistent and repeated mistreatment of ane or more targeted persons past one or more than perpetrators and includes (but is not limited to) threats; intimidation; public humiliation/proper name-calling; persistent and unwelcome teasing; abuse or use of power to undermine, humiliate or denigrate; intentional work interference/sabotage; or stalking.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a specific blazon of harassment which can cross age and gender boundaries and may include unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; verbal or physical bear or gesture of a sexual nature; or whatsoever other beliefs of a sexual nature that might reasonably exist expected/perceived to cause offense or humiliation to some other and when such conduct interferes with work; is made a condition of employment; or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

Abuse and Exploitation

Exploitation is the apply of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, charade, corruption of ability or position of vulnerability; or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person.

Prohibited exploitation includes of child labor, that is piece of work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental evolution.

Prohibited exploitation also includes sexual exploitation, defined as any bodily or attempted abuse of position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including only not limited to profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of some other.

In addition, knowingly facilitating or aiding another aid worker to perform acts of exploitation or abuse is strictly prohibited and will be treated with the same level of event as if the activity was existence washed directly by CRS Staff.

Abuse

Abuse is a deliberate act of ill handling that tin can harm a person's safety, well-being, dignity and development. It ofttimes involves individuals who have a relationship of responsibility and care for the victim including project staff, parents, guardians, teachers, community workers, healthcare providers, religious leaders, friends or other children. Forms of abuse include sexual corruption, concrete abuse, emotional abuse, and fail/negligent handling.

Trafficking

Trafficking in persons is defined as the recruitment, transportation, or receipt of persons by means of charade, coercion, threat, or forcefulness for the purpose of exploitation, such equally labor, prostitution, or sexual exploitation. CRS strongly condemns trafficking in human beings-children, women, and men-as a criminal act that violates fundamental human being rights and the inviolable nobility and integrity of the human being person.

All CRS staff, affiliates, partners, suppliers, and service providers are prohibited from engaging in trafficking in children, women and men. CRS places a special focus on anti-trafficking of women and children, given their specific vulnerability and given the cruelty and perversity to which trafficked women and children are particularly subjected.

All CRS staff, affiliates, partners, suppliers, and service providers are also prohibited from employment practices related to trafficking every bit well as knowingly obtaining piece of work-related goods or services that have been provided or produced past trafficked or forced labor.

CRS Protects Resources

Consistent with CRS' Guiding Principles, all employees are responsible for the practiced stewardship of all CRS resource, including public/private support and any Federal funds in the form of a grant or contract, which enables CRS to continue its mission. The arrangement'due south internal controls and operating procedures are intended to detect, prevent and deter improper activities and misuses of those resources. Unintentional or intentional violations of internal controls and operating procedures and/or of laws and regulations are to be reported. to report suspected fiscal and accounting misconduct and/or fraudulent activity in accordance with this policy. CRS will investigate allegations of misconduct and protect those individuals who in good faith written report such allegations.

I. ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING

ane. Fraud or deliberate error in the grooming, evaluation, review or audit of any financial argument of the organisation.

2. Fraud or deliberate error in the recording and maintaining of fiscal records.

3. Deficiencies in compliance with the organisation'south internal bookkeeping controls.

4. Misrepresentation or false statements to or past a senior officeholder, employee or accountant regarding a matter independent in fiscal records, financial reports or inspect reports.

5. Deviations from total and fair reporting of the organization's fiscal position.

vi. Any fraud or violation of constabulary, rule, or regulation relating to acts of financial misconduct of the Agency or related to a Federal contract or grant (including the competition for, or negotiation of, a contract or grant).

Two. Embezzlement/Fraud

Misuse of bureau funds for personal gain, whether money, holding, or assets.

Three. Falsification of Contracts, Reports or Records

Altering, fabricating, falsifying, or forging all or any parts of a document, contract, or record.

Iv. Improper Supplier or Contractor Activity

Negotiation, alteration or illegal activity with suppliers or contractor awards.

5. Partners' Inappropriate Use of Resource

Use of agency or donated resources such as cash, food, bolt, materials for purposes other than those intended.

VI. Kickbacks, Bribery

Pay or giving annihilation of value to a regime official, directly or indirectly, to secure improper reward.

Seven. Theft

VIII. Substantial and Specific Danger to Public Wellness or Rubber

IX. Gross Mismanagement/Gross Waste of Award Funding, Federal Funds or Grants

Ten. Corruption of Authority Related to a Federal Contract or Grant

Xi. Other Illegal or Criminal Use of Agency Holding or Avails

To report an incident of harassment, violation of abuse or exploitation, trafficking of humans or fiscal misconduct, you may do and so at EthicsPoint^TM.