I. Introduction

This policy guideline aims to ensure the ethical safeguarding of information for Mexoxo’s non-profit organization, which operates globally to empower and educate asynchronously vulnerable women and anyone who is identifying as a woman, in collaboration with local NGOs and academic institutions.

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II. Self-Assessment

1. Current Policy Review

Conduct a comprehensive audit of the existing safeguarding policy. Board members and leadership team evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of the current policy.

Frequency: Review and update this policy every three years.

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III. The Policy

1. Formation of Safeguarding Team

Anastasia Elpida Kokkota is the current dedicated safeguarding/compliance officer. In case of any replacement the new safeguarding/compliance officer should have a proven background in compliance, social work and should undergo a two-week training on Mexoxo’s safeguarding practices.

2.     Compliance with Laws

Ensure policy alignment with local and international laws. Yearly consult legal expert to review and update the policy in accordance with evolving legal standards and obligations.

3.     Policy Visibility

Distribute the safeguarding policy to all stakeholders. Display the policy prominently in Google Drive accessible for all employees and partners. Conduct onboarding sessions on policy safeguarding and send out policy to all recipients via email.

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IV. Staff and Volunteer Training

1. Organized Training and Ongoing Education

Implement a continuous learning programs and conduct comprehensive training sessions. Suggest masterclass lectures, fellowships and sessions with experts to upskill and stay relevant with the mission and vision of the organization and safeguarding policy. Train staff and volunteers on tools and platforms that ensure data management, community building, conflict management, ethical practices and research.

  2.  Cultural Sensitivity

Equip employees and volunteers with practical skills for navigating cultural differences and resolving conflicts in diverse settings. Work with local NGOs and community leaders to adapt the safeguarding policy and respect cultural norms and address specific local risks.

•       Practices:

  1. Interactive Workshops: Yearly, one training session on cultural sensitivity, focusing on recognizing and addressing cultural biases, stereotypes, and microaggressions by experts.

  2. Conflict Resolution Techniques: Yearly, one training session or more per request on conflict resolution strategies tailored to multicultural environments, including mediation and negotiation skills by leadership team.

  3. Group Exercises: Collaborative activities and group discussions to practice cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution in a supportive environment.

  4. Post-Training Survey: Collect participant feedback on the training’s effectiveness and their confidence in applying what they’ve learned.

  5. Long-Term Follow-Up:  Assessments to monitor the application of skills in the workplace and identify ongoing training needs.

3.   Community Involvement

Engage participants, local NGOs, and community leaders in the design process to ensure cultural sensitivity, safeguarding practices, ethical manners and program relevance.

• Practices:

1. Agreements & MOUs: Sign contracts and documents with partners to ensure engagement, meeting organization’s standards and delivering programs KPIs in an ethical way, on the agreed time and in an impactful way.

2. Community Building Techniques: Conduct focus groups and surveys with the community. Develop targeted surveys to ensure relevance and effectiveness of the program, challenges, ideas in order to modify and redesign programs.

3. Direct communication: Promote direct communication with participants, staff and partners to resolve and motivate active participation and the effectiveness of the programs.

4. Online meetings: Promote direct communication with participants, staff and partners and facilitate any challenges.

4.     Collaborative Program Development Sessions

Foster a sense of ownership and commitment among staff and partner NGOs by involving them in the design and planning of programs that align with the organization's mission.

• Practices:

  1. Cross-Functional Teams: Develop cross-functional teams that include members from different departments and officers from partner NGOs to ensure diverse perspectives and expertise are incorporated into program development.

  2. Inclusive Facilitation: Encourage participation from all attendees and ensure everyone's ideas are heard and valued.

  3. Feedback Loop: Provide feedback to partner NGOs in reflection to their actions and engagement.

  4. Recognition: Publicly acknowledge the contributions of staff and partners in the development process through emails, meetings, and social media.

5.     Regular Communication and Collaborative Platforms

Ensure transparent, continuous communication and foster collaboration among staff, volunteers and partner NGOs, reinforcing their alignment with the organization's mission.

• Practices:

  1. Online Collaboration Tools: Utilize online inclusive platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google drive, e-Learning platforms) for real-time communication, document sharing, and collaborative workspaces where staff and partners can interact and collaborate on projects which meets policies standards.

  2. Regular Meetings: Schedule regular virtual meetings, such as monthly check-ins, where staff and partner NGOs can discuss progress, share updates, and address any challenges together.

  3. Facilitators Platform: Train partner NGO officer on facilitation skill and monitor their performance through survey.

  4. Newsletters: Mentioning organizational achievements upcoming events, and stories from the field. Keeping everyone informed and inspired.

6.     Data Handling

Encrypt all sensitive data, restrict access to authorized personnel only, and conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with data protection laws and provide ongoing training on data privacy and security for all staff handling sensitive information.

• Practices:

  1. Lawyer Consultation: Use the lawyers to revise our GDPR documents and policies and ensure compliance with Greek, EU and International data protection laws.

  2. Frequency: The policy should be revised every year

  3. Consent and NDA Forms: All stakeholders who manage personal data is mandatory to sign yearly NDA forms developed by a  lawyer.

  4. Online tools and platforms: All platforms and online tools should meet the data protection protocols which comply with local and international data.

  5. Platforms: All learning platforms, other platforms, Mexoxo’s website, google forms, registration forms, surveys should have consent for data management and an the agreement that the policy was read and agreed upon.

  6. ISO 9001:2015 Mexoxo should have an active ISO certification.

7.     Reporting:

Establish a clear, confidential reporting system.

• Reporting Director: The personnel who are responsible to perform the reporting of different programs must have a thorough knowledge of the program and direct access to all information. The reporting should be performed to reflect the impact, the KPIs and outcomes of the program in consideration to GDPR policies and requirements. Funders guidelines and outcomes should be met and clearly communicated through the report. Access to these reports have only authorized personnel.

8.      Review of Photos and Stories

Secure informed, written consent for all photos and stories, and ensure they portray individuals in a manner that upholds their dignity and respect. Follow specific guidelines which are developed given by the funder, partners, lawyer, project manager and marketing director.

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VI. Conclusion

The ethical safeguarding of information is crucial for the protection and empowerment of vulnerable women globally. These guidelines are designed to ensure our organization operates with integrity and respect for all individuals we serve, while maintaining compliance with legal standards and promoting a safe and supportive environment.