Protecting the people the system serves.
Safeguarding is the humanitarian sector’s term for protecting the people an organisation works with from harm it could itself cause or fail to prevent. This document sets out what that means for a technology vendor.
What this covers.
This statement applies to every person interacting with ReliefPay systems or with ReliefPay personnel, with particular emphasis on:
- Recipients of assistance. People receiving cash or voucher support through a deployment that uses ReliefPay.
- Children. Any person under the age of 18, directly or indirectly reached by a deployment.
- Vulnerable adults. Adults whose circumstances (disability, illness, displacement, dependency) place them at elevated risk of exploitation or harm.
- Implementing partner staff and volunteers. People working on a ReliefPay deployment on behalf of a humanitarian organisation.
Protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
Aligned with the IASC Six Core Principles, ST/SGB/2003/13, and the PSEAH commitments of our implementing partners.
Sexual exploitation and abuse by ReliefPay personnel or contractors constitutes gross misconduct and is grounds for immediate termination.
Sexual activity with anyone under 18 is prohibited regardless of local age of majority, regardless of consent, regardless of context.
Exchange of money, employment, goods, services, or assistance for sexual favours or any form of humiliating, degrading, or exploitative behaviour is prohibited.
Any sexual relationship between ReliefPay personnel and recipients of assistance is prohibited during the period of a deployment, recognising the inherent power imbalance.
Personnel who witness or suspect sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by any party involved in a deployment are required to report it through the channel described below.
Reports of suspected violations are taken seriously, investigated promptly, and handled in a manner that protects the reporter and the survivor.
Data about people can harm people.
In humanitarian contexts a data leak is not only a privacy concern; it can be a protection risk. We design around this.
Our full technical approach is in the Commitments document. The summary for safeguarding purposes:
- No personally identifying information is written to the public ledger. Case identifiers on-chain are cryptographic hashes.
- Recipient personal data is held by the implementing organisation, not by ReliefPay. We do not maintain a global recipient database.
- Recipient purchase history is visible to the recipient and the implementing organisation; it is not visible to donors, governments, or third parties outside lawful process.
- Mass requests for recipient data, including from governments, are resisted and disclosed in a transparency report.
- We do not sell, share, or monetise recipient data in any form.
How to report a concern.
If you witness or suspect behaviour by ReliefPay personnel, contractors, or systems that violates this statement, we want to hear from you.
Write to hello@reliefpay.org.
Monitored by a senior person who is not otherwise involved in day-to-day deployment operations. Reports are acknowledged within 48 hours.
Anonymous reports are accepted and treated with the same seriousness. We understand that a person raising a concern about a power imbalance may need to protect their identity. We do not require identifying information to investigate.
- Acknowledge receipt within 48 hours.
- Begin investigation within 5 working days.
- Protect the identity of reporters and survivors.
- No retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith, whether or not the report is substantiated.
- Inform the reporter of the outcome where it is safe and lawful to do so.
This reporting channel is not an emergency service. People in immediate danger should contact local emergency services, or, in a humanitarian operation, the nearest UN or Red Cross/Red Crescent office.
How this is kept.
This statement is reviewed at least annually, and after any substantiated safeguarding incident. Material changes are versioned and explained here.
All ReliefPay personnel read and sign this statement at onboarding, and renew acknowledgement annually. Personnel working directly on a deployment receive additional training appropriate to the operating context, provided by the implementing partner.
Where ReliefPay is deployed under an implementing partner’s safeguarding regime, the stricter of the two policies applies.