UNICEF CHILD SAFEGUARDING PERSONNEL STANDARDS

Document Number: DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001

Effective Date: 1 August 2019

RATIONALE

1. The Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards (“Personnel Standards”) are introduced under section 6.4 of
CF/EXD/2016-006 on Policy on Conduct Promoting the Protection and Safeguarding of Children (“Child
Safeguarding Policy”).

2. The Personnel Standards clarify obligations in the Child Safeguarding Policy and set out the standards of
conduct with respect to child safeguarding that all UNICEF personnel are required to follow, at all
times, including in their personal lives. The Personnel Standards also set associated vetting, training and
performance management measures.

3. The Personnel Standards complement other specialized child safeguarding measures related to UNICEF’s
work, and all other standards of conduct for UNICEF personnel, including those set out in the UN Charter, the
UN Staff Regulations and Rules, and the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service.

4. UNICEF is committed to the welfare of all children. UNICEF cannot ignore reported risks or concerns of
abuse of a child by UNICEF personnel, even if they occur outside the workplace. 1 The Personnel Standards
regulate such conduct.

APPLICABILITY / SCOPE

5. The Personnel Standards apply to all UNICEF personnel.

6. The Personnel Standards and local laws must generally both be followed, 2 in order to provide maximal
protection of children. Should a member of UNICEF personnel find it impossible to comply with both
standards, s/he should promptly raise the issue with his/her Head of Office, who may seek information from
local authorities and/or from the Senior Advisor (Child Safeguarding) in New York.

STANDARDS STATEMENTS

Definitions
For the purpose of these Personnel Standards:

7. “Child” or “children” refers to a person or persons under the age of 18, regardless of the age of adulthood
under local law, and regardless of any mistaken belief in age.

8. “UNICEF Personnel” refers to UNICEF staff, individual consultants and contractors, individuals serving on
loan or deployed under Stand-by Personnel arrangements to UNICEF, UNVs, interns and volunteers, persons
working for UNICEF through an employment agency or similar arrangement, and gratis personnel.

1 e.g. Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service, para. 42: “International civil servants must…bear in
mind that their conduct and activities outside the workplace, even if unrelated to official duties, can compromise
the image and the interests of the organizations.”
2 Staff Rule 1.2(b), (d).

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Vetting potential personnel
9. UNICEF shall screen all potential personnel to disqualify candidates where:

9.1. he or she was subject to a disciplinary separation from UNICEF or any other entity for a relevant child
safeguarding concern, or separated while under investigation for such a concern and was not
subsequently cleared;
9.2. the selection process, such as reference checks or interview questions, reveal relevant child
safeguarding concerns;
9.3. self-disclosure or personnel files from other employers or regulatory bodies reveal child safeguarding
concerns;
9.4. a criminal conviction for an offence that involved a child safeguarding concern has been discovered
or disclosed;
9.5. he or she is a potential member of personnel and, at the time of application for a role, is married to
someone who is a child; or
9.6. There is other evidence of an unacceptable risk to children, or lack of commitment to child
safeguarding, according to the provisions of the Personnel Standards.

10. Roles involving greater child contact or child safeguarding risk shall be identified. For such roles,
appropriately-trained personnel shall more closely examine potential child safeguarding concerns during
vetting.

Personnel Standards
UNICEF personnel are:

11. Prohibited from engaging a child as a household servant: CF/EXD/2016-006 (Child Safeguarding Policy).
Personnel are prohibited from economically exploiting children or engaging them in work that is likely to
interfere with their education or otherwise negatively affect their development.

12. Prohibited from sexually exploiting a child, such as by procuring sexual favours from him/her or engaging in
acts associated with child sexual abuse materials (child pornography): ST/SGB/2003/13. Personnel are
prohibited from deliberately exposing a child to a sexual activity or material, for purposes related to sexual
gratification of an adult.

13. Prohibited from engaging in sexual activity with a child.

14. Prohibited from entering into a marriage or a similar union with a child.

15. Prohibited from engaging in corporal punishment of or physical violence against any children.

16. Prohibited from verbally or emotionally abusing children or subjecting them to other degrading or humiliating
language or treatment.

17. Prohibited from neglecting or negligently treating children as the parent, legal guardian or caregiver of the
child.

18. Prohibited from exposing children to domestic violence, or deliberately exposing them to extreme violence or
cruelty.

19. Prohibited from engaging in practices harmful to children, such as female genital mutilation/cutting,
amputations, bindings, scarring, burning, branding, violent or degrading initiation rites, forced or early
marriage.

20. Prohibited from engaging children in or facilitating children’s participation in illegal activities or exposing
children to situations that may foreseeably and unreasonably endanger them.

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21. Prohibited from attempting, soliciting, encouraging, or assisting in, as applicable, any of the acts described in
paragraphs 11 –20.

22. Required to comply with orders of child support issued by local and/or concerned authorities.

23. Required to adhere to all applicable child safeguarding Procedures and Standards, and should follow
Guidance, established by authorized divisions, addressing issues such as specific preventative behavior in
interacting with children during programming, research standards, data protection, or other issues under the
Child Safeguarding Policy or Child Safeguarding Framework.

Non-compliance with the Personnel Standards

24. A breach of the Personnel Standards, or the obligations set out in the Child Safeguarding Policy, may amount
to misconduct, and warrant a formal investigation and subsequent disciplinary measures in accordance with
DHR/POLICY/2019/001 (Disciplinary Process and Measures, as it may be amended) for staff 3 and other
sanctions for other UNICEF personnel. 4

Reporting
25. UNICEF Personnel are required to follow the Child Safeguarding Framework, Annex 3, in addressing
incidents and issues. If a report cannot be made to the person indicated because they are involved, his or her
supervisor should be contacted. These obligations apply regardless of whether a member of UNICEF
personnel reports the matter to local authorities.

26. These Standards do not prescribe specific responsibilities of UNICEF Personnel to report to local authorities.
Programmatic standards and local laws may inform those responsibilities. In deciding whether, when and how
to make such a report, the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration: see Child
Safeguarding Policy, section. 2.2. UNICEF may also contact local authorities at any time. 5

Records of breaches
27. For each member of personnel or potential member of personnel, UNICEF shall record in the personnel
official status file, as appropriate, any concerns listed in paragraphs 9.1 to 9.6 and any breaches of the
Personnel Standards. Breaches of the Personnel Standards that do not amount to misconduct may be the
subject of administrative measures, such as a written reprimand, reference in a performance evaluation
report, remedial training, or the like.

Training
28. The Division of Human Resources will make available one or more courses addressing child safeguarding,
which, among other things, describe child safeguarding obligations and how to recognize and report child
safeguarding concerns.

3 Staff Rule 10.1: “Failure by a staff member to comply with his or her obligations under the Charter of the United
Nations, the Staff Regulations and Rules or other relevant administrative issuances or to observe the standards of
conduct expected of an international civil servant may amount to misconduct and may lead to the institution of a
disciplinary process and the imposition of disciplinary measures for misconduct.”
4 Some established violations of the Personnel Standards will always amount to misconduct: e.g. sexual
exploitation and abuse of a child, under UN Staff Rule 10.1 (b), constitutes serious misconduct.
5 Should OIAI reasonably suspect that a crime has been committed, it shall consult with the relevant Head of
Office and UNICEF Legal Advisor to determine whether a referral to local authorities is appropriate. A referral may
be made at any time, giving regard to all the circumstances, including: (i) the evidence gathered; (ii) clarity and
applicability of the relevant laws; (iii) the seriousness of the apparent offences; (iv) the need to secure evidence or
cooperation or protection of witnesses; (v) consent of witnesses to disclose information to or cooperate with local
authorities; (vi) the need to engage local authorities in victim assistance; and (vii) any other apparent urgency of
intervention by local authorities.

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29. Within 6 (six) months of the availability of the course(s), or within 6 (six) months of commencement of service,
all staff members and non-staff personnel are required to complete the designated course(s) addressing child
safeguarding. Staff members assigned to functions and responsibilities that have been designated as
involving significant direct or indirect contact with children will be required to complete the course(s) within 30
(thirty) calendar days of the availability of the course(s) or of commencement of service.

30. UNICEF may require child safeguarding course(s) to be repeated on a regular basis.

UNICEF travel of children in split-custody arrangements

31. UNICEF staff who are divorced or (legally) separated from the other biological or adoptive parent of a child
will be required to provide proof of exclusive legal custody, legal authorization, or consent of the other parent
before travelling the child at UNICEF’s expense.

Special Considerations in Emergency Contexts

32. These Personnel Standards apply equally in emergency contexts.

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DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION PAGE

Document Title UNICEF Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards

Document Number
Effective Date
Mandatory Review Date
Responsible Business Owner
Responsible Manager
Document Summary
Regulatory content the Document
Replaces
Topics Covered
Corporate Risk Area
DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001
1 August 2019
1 August 2021
Division of Human Resources
Bart Willemsen
The Personnel Standards clarify obligations in the Child Safeguarding
Policy and set out the standards of conduct with respect to child
safeguarding that all UNICEF personnel are required to follow, at all
times, including in their personal lives.
N/A
Child safeguarding personnel standards, vetting, non-compliance,
reporting, training and performance management measures.
Human Resources

Reference / Links to Enabling

United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules
Legislation and Background
Links to Relevant Policy
Links to Relevant Procedure
Links to Relevant Guidance
Links to Relevant Training
Materials
Links to Other Knowledge &
Information Resources