What is safeguarding?
In the UK, safeguarding in research is defined as “preventing and addressing any sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment of research participants, communities and research staff, plus any broader forms of violence, exploitation and abuse…such as bullying, psychological abuse and physical violence (UKDCR, February 2020).”
HFACT Safeguarding Statement
The NIHR Global Health Research Unit HFACT believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. HFACT will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
The HFACT Safeguarding Policy is available as a separate document and addresses the following areas:
- Child safeguarding
- Adult safeguarding
- Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
In addition, these key areas of safeguarding may have separate polices and procedures associated with them from the individual project partner organisations.
HFACT commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.