Sfligvolunteers Child Protection Policy 

SFLIGvolunteers takes the welfare of children as very important and makes it a point to ensure their safety and to avoid any violation of their rights and safety. 

The Child Protection Policy provides guidance for SFLIGvolunteers  staff and volunteers on appropriate behaviour when interacting with children. SFLIGvolunteers respects the rights and welfare of all peoples and their involvement in providing safe environments. 

The Child Protection Policy operates in conjunction with common and statute law and does not exclude or replace the rights and obligations of any individual under Ghana common and/or statute law. 

A ‘child’ means every human being below the age of 18 regardless of the age of consent in Ghana. 

Sfligvolunteers employees and volunteers shall:

• Treat children with dignity and respect regardless of ethnicity, race, colour, gender, age, language, religion, political or other opinion, disability, or other status; 

• Conduct themselves in a manner appropriate with their position as a representative of SFLIGvolunteers in all their dealings with children; 

• Immediately raise concerns regarding a child’s safety or well being in accordance with SFLIGvolunteers  Reporting Procedures and observe procedural fairness when engaged in decision-making;

• Be visible when working with children and, wherever possible, ensure that another adult is present when working in the proximity of children; 

• Listen to children and allow them to be engaged in decisions that may affect them;

• Comply with all relevant Ghanaian legislation and legislation, including labour laws in relation to child labour; 

• Follow organisational policy and guidelines regarding the safety of children. 

Sfligvolunteers employees and volunteers shall not: 

• Use language or demonstrate behaviour towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, demeaning, sexually provocative, or culturally insensitive;

• Engage children in any form of activity that is demeaning, offensive, sexually provocative, abusive or culturally inappropriate or insensitive; 

• Engage children in any form of sexual activity or acts, including paying for sexual services or acts; 

• Invite unaccompanied children into their home, unless they are at immediate risk of injury or in physical danger; 

• Access child pornography through any medium; 

• Sleep in close proximity to unsupervised children; 

• Hire children for domestic or other labour which is inappropriate given their age or developmental stage, which interferes with their time available for education and recreation activities, or which places them at significant risk of injury; 

• Exclude or favour a particular child; 

• Use equipment including but not limited to computers, mobile phones, video or digital cameras inappropriately or without the consent of the child and his/her parent or guardian; 

• Physically assault, discipline or punish children; 

• Touch a child in an inappropriate or culturally insensitive manner. 

Representatives in direct medical care positions are to follow Ghanaian industry guidelines. 


The Photo Policy for Using Children’s Images

 When photographing or filming a child for work related purposes, SFLIGvolunteers  employees and volunteers must: 

• Assess and comply with local traditions or restrictions for reproducing personal images;

• Obtain legitimate consent from the child or a parent or guardian of the child. As part of this an explanation as to how the photograph or film will be used must be given (see consent form); 

• Ensure images are honest representations of the context and the facts;

• Ensure file labels do not reveal identifying information about a child when sending images electronically; 

• Ensure images of children available for public use do not reveal any identifying information.  Any suspicion or disclosure of child abuse must be immediately reported to the relevant of  Member SFLIGvolunteers.