In 2018, the media revealed to the public the extent of abuse and exploitation in the delivery of life-saving aid and development by international organizations. The revelations prompted the establishment of Project Soteria, named after the Greek goddess of safety, a powerful partnership between INTERPOL, the UK Government, and aid organizations. The globalized nature of humanitarian and development work, combined with the urgency with which staff often need to be recruited and deployed, presents challenges for aid organizations in conducting thorough screening of staff both before and after their hiring. Too often, past sexual offenders are able to continue working and moving within the sector, putting children and vulnerable adults at risk. In this workshop, you will learn about the nature of the challenge and the ways in which INTERPOL's expertise and reach are being applied to combat abuse and exploitation in some of the most fragile and challenging countries in the world.
Learning Objectives:
Explain the public and political pressure applied to the aid sector to improve its safeguarding arrangements.
Describe the safeguarding risks associated with humanitarian aid work.
Articulate the objectives of Interpol’s Project Soteria and how it will contribute to cross-sector work to tackle abuse and exploitation.
Explain the learning that INTERPOL has gained through its feasibility phase and initial stages of operation.
Describe how they can utilize Project Soteria if suitable cases come to their attention.
