b) Key Policy Terms
Safeguarding: Safeguarding at WAGGGS means the actions we take to prevent harm and promote the welfare of the children and young people we work with and for. Of particular importance is the need to create safe and supportive spaces for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to participate in our work, to reduce risks and for any (safety and welfare) concerns to be raised and responded to.
Abuse: any action or inaction resulting in actual or potential harm to a person. There are many forms of abuse which include but are not limited to:
Discriminatory abuse – is when someone picks on you or treats you unfairly because something about you is different. This can include unfair or less favorable treatment due to a person’s race, gender, gender identity, age, disability, religion, sexuality, appearance or cultural background.
- Emotional abuse – any action or inaction that causes mental anguish.
- Financial or material abuse – any use of a person’s money or possessions without permission.
- Neglect – the failure to identify and/or meet care needs.
- Online abuse – any form of abuse that happens while interacting with digital technologies.
- Physical abuse – any contact resulting in discomfort, pain or injury.
- Sexual abuse – is an act or threat of physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. This includes, but is not limited to attempted or committed rape, any forced and non-consensual sexual act, as well as sexual behaviour (for example exposing children and vulnerable adults to inappropriate material or language) that the victim finds humiliating and degrading. Sexual abuse is often committed against a child by an adult or older child – whether carried out by force, under duress, or by taking advantage of a position of superiority or trust.
- Sexual exploitation – is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. Sometimes sexual exploitation is accompanied by the promise of rewards for complying with a sexually-oriented request or the threat of reprisal for refusing such a request – including in exchange for good grades, school or membership fees, or supplies.
- Sexual harassment – is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favour, verbal or physical conduct. or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behaviour of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. While typically involving a pattern of behaviour, it can take the form of a single incident. Sexual harassment may occur between persons of the opposite or same sex. Both males and females can be either the victims or the offenders.
Harm: any detrimental effect on an individual’s physical, psychosocial, or emotional wellbeing.
Safeguarding Concern: a feeling or worry that a person may be at risk of harm or may have been harmed.
Safeguarding Disclosure: a process by which a person will let someone know that they are experiencing/ have experienced abuse. Abuse can be disclosed directly – in a specifics statement; indirectly – by implying something is wrong either through statement or behaviour; or a non-verbal disclosure – writing letters, drawing pictures or trying to communicate something is wrong in any other non-verbal way.
Participation: the involvement of participants (especially girls and young women) in decisions that concern them, doing so in a way that their perspectives, needs, and concerns influence WAGGGS vision, decisions, and projects.
Young Person / Youth: Any person aged 18 to 30 years, inclusive, taking into account global definitions of youth and our global audience.
Child: Any person under the age of 18 years according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Vulnerable Adult: a person aged 18 or older who has a diminished capacity to physically or mentally protect themselves from harm or exploitation.
WAGGGS Global Team: The WAGGGS Global Team is the central ‘business organisation’ part of WAGGGS used to manage the affairs of the organisation and deliver the WAGGGS Strategic Plan. It includes all staff and volunteers engaged by WAGGGS, both governance and implementation, and at region and world level.
WAGGGS Staff: All employees and contractors.
WAGGGS Volunteers: all governance roles including those on the World Board, World Board Committees and working groups and Regional Committees, all operational roles which include volunteer roles that support the delivery of membership services, programmes, events and other operational activities that comprise the WAGGGS Global Team operational plan and all volunteers at
the WAGGGS World Centres.
WAGGGS Partners: Are organisations or individuals who collaborate with us to achieve common goals. They can be non-governmental organisations (NGOs), corporations, foundations, educational institutions, and community groups. These partnerships focus on promoting girls' and young women's rights and leadership globally through shared values and joint efforts.