YANINDAYIZ Association Policy of Protection Against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment
YANINDAYIZ Association prepared this policy document to ensure protection against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment applied by its own team and affiliated workers. The document defines sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (all inappropriate behavior involving sexuality).
It explains basic principles and commitments and defines the procedure of responding to claims of inappropriate behavior.
This study is completed with YANINDAYIZ Association Regulation, Data Protection and Security Policy and the association’s strategic plan.
Our Policy enters into force after its approval by YANINDAYIZ Association’s Board of Directors. The policy is open to access of all stakeholders in Turkish.
SCOPE:
· It is valid for members of YANINDAYIZ Association, its volunteers, consultants, interns, and representatives.
· Sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment is evaluated in the scope of “Feedback and Complaint Mechanism.”
RESPONSIBLE PARTIES:
· YANINDAYIZ Association board of directors is the general responsible party. This is valid for anyone that represents the association.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: May 2022
REVISION: It is targeted to revise this text biannually. In case of changes in legal regulations and need, revision could be conducted before expecting this time.
WRITER(S): Ali Mert Karaköy, Training and Stakeholder Management Coordinator, Irmak Çil Arslan, Project and Operation Management Coordinator
APPROVAL: Nur Ger, Chairman of the Founder Board of Directors
POLICY DECLARATION
YANINDAYIZ Association puts gender equality in the framework of human rights at the center of its activities. The association aims at changing the mentality establishing bridge from men to men. Inappropriate behaviors including sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment create a major deficiency in this mentality change. In addition, this violates various international legal processes. Members, employees, volunteers in the association will never accept such behaviors. They are responsible for handling all possible complaints in all seriousness and take immediate action for solution. Association managers are liable for ensuring sexual exploitation, abuse, and exploitation claims are investigated and suitable discipline measures are taken.
DEFINITIONS[1]
Sexual Exploitation: Sexual exploitation is using the power had based on position is used for sexual relation. Sexual exploitation includes achieving monetary, social, or political benefits from another person’s sexual exploitation. In addition, the concept is not limited to these but includes a sensitive situation, power relationship or confidence to be used or attempted to be used for sexual purposes.
Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse is the sexual activity physically conducted or threatened to be conducted using force or under compelling circumstances. Sexual abuse includes sexual attacks using force or through pressure.
Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment includes non-sexual unwanted statements, behaviors or bodily implications and expressions. This covers sexual attack, attempted sexual attack, rape and rape attempt.
All three of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment expressions are types of inappropriate behavior including sexuality.
All three of the inappropriate behaviors including sexuality are accepted to be serious and heavy breaches.
PRINCIPLES[2]
Sexual exploitation and abuse by YANINDAYIZ Association employees is a serious breach and in case evidence is found, it constitutes basis for disciplinary measurements including summary dismissal.
Having sexual relationship in return for money, job, goods, assistance, or services, including preferential treatment and other humiliating, disgracing or exploitative behaviors are prohibited. Purchasing sex from sex workers is in the scope of this prohibition.
Employees are prohibited from inappropriately using their positions and having any sexual relationship with beneficiaries.
COMMITMENTS
In order to assist execution of this policy, YANINDAYIZ makes the following commitments:
Creating orientation and training programs from standards and procedures on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment,
Providing orientation to employees as soon as possible, ideally within the month following the start of their employment contract,
Investigate past and criminal records within applicable legal regulations in order to prevent re-employment and reassignment of perpetrators of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment,
Taking appropriate steps in an impartial and protective manner by evaluating allegations and complaints regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment based on statements,
Monitoring the processes determined in the feedback and complaint mechanisms,
Review policies to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment at least every three years.
RESULTS
Employees that breach the principles and behaviors determined in this policy document would be subjected to disciplinary sanctions that may result in dismissal.
MALICIOUS ALLEGATIONS
Claims made in bad faith or without a concrete basis (such as claims heard by the employee but without proof) are taken seriously. Those who knowingly make such claims are subject to sanctions, including but not limited to written warning, temporary suspension, dismissal, and termi
[1] UNHCR, ‘Reporting Sexual Exploitation and Abuse & IASC Learning Package on Protection from Sexual Misconduct’
[2] Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Force on Prevention and Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse