Conduct code

Always act in the children’s best interests by:

– Provide a safe, respectful and supportive environment;
– Behave and communicate appropriately and respectfully;
– Protect children from all forms of violence, neglect, exploitation and discrimination;
– Protects their privacy;
– Inform the organizer in case of suspicion or risk to the child.

A SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

  • Ensure that all children and young people you come into contact with through the Volunteers Online program or platform feel welcome;
  • Always address them in appropriate language, with respect and with respect for cultural and other differences;
  • Ensure that all participants have an equal opportunity to participate and express their opinion;
  • Ensure, if possible, that another adult is present when working with children;
  • Your behavior must not in any way provoke unwanted, inappropriate and risky situations;
  • Ensure that participants are not exposed to inappropriate content from other sources during the planned activity;
  • Refrain from:
    • physical contacts with participants , except for those related to the purpose of the program;
    • giving gifts to children and providing services that are not within the framework of programs and planned activities;
    • private conversations, i.e. sharing of private information, including via social networks and means of information communication technology;
    • spending time with participants outside the agreed time for volunteer activity.

PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE, ABUSE, NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION

Any behavior that may lead to:

  • physical injury (physical violence );
  • threats to dignity, psychological and emotional health (psychological violence );
  • exclusion of the child from the group / activity (social violence );
  • injuries to other persons and dignity through misuse of information and communication technologies (digital violence).

Any activity of a sexual nature is prohibited:

  • sexual harassment, solicitation or coercion to observe or participate in sexual activities;
  • use for prostitution, pornography and other forms of sexual exploitation;
  • any other behavior that is or may be related to sexuality and activities of a sexual nature.

Any behavior that:

  • constitutes abuse of a child, i.e. by means of which a child is exploited ;
  • has the character of neglect and careless behavior;
  • represents human trafficking;
  • promotes, encourages and enables participation in ideologically motivated violence.

No form of indirect or direct discrimination against the child and discriminatory treatment (unjustified distinction or unequal treatment, ie exclusion, limitation or priority on any basis) is allowed.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

  • It is forbidden to:
    • photographing and filming children, as well as publishing photos and recordings in any way (including through information and communication technologies), except in the case that it is part of the program and with previously signed appropriate consents and measures to protect against unauthorized use of records;
    • collecting, processing and publishing data about the child’s personality, except to the extent necessary for the implementation of the program. Personal data about the child must not be made available to unauthorized persons.

The ban also applies to cases where there is consent from parents/care providers, if the publication of data is not for the purpose of implementing the program.

  • Information entrusted to a volunteer for one purpose may not be used for other purposes without the consent of the young person, unless there is an immediate danger to the child, the volunteer or a third person, or the information concerns the experience of violence and abuse of children and adolescents.

RESPONSE IN CASE OF RISK

  • Inform the organizers of any risks, threats, condemnations or inappropriate situations;
  • Report any violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination that you know or suspect has happened, is happening or is planned;
  • Contact the organizers if you have any guidelines for improving safety, respecting the rights and needs of all participants and volunteers.

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

  • During the duration of the program, you are representatives of the program and your external communication should be based on respect and understanding;
  • Always follow the following guidelines for social media posts. When using social media, it’s important to evaluate the implications of ” posting” content (whether your original content or third-party content), “commenting” and “linking,” and even “friending,” “liking,” or “following.” “. Each of us is personally responsible for any content we post on social networks. Keep in mind, even if you post a disclaimer (such as “The views expressed here are my own”), the social media community may still view you as a representative of UNICEF. Seemingly innocuous opinions about, for example, travel or lunch details, personal or professional, can be misinterpreted as a reflection of the behavior of UNICEF associates. Avoid posts, discussions and comments that are, or can be interpreted as offensive, derisive or rude. When using another person’s content (text, photo, video), make sure you have the author’s consent AND always sign it. It is not allowed to share internal, confidential or sensitive information about UNICEF, its partners, supporters or colleagues and employees. You must not give the impression that you are speaking on behalf of UNICEF unless you are authorized to do so in an official capacity. Avoid Don’t let social media practices hurt you, your colleagues, users or any other people you work with. Show respect for other people’s privacy, including their private views, beliefs or status, and do not post such information without their permission. Be especially careful when posting a situation, location, name or image of individuals, including your own and other people’s images. Show understanding about topics that can be considered sensitive – such as gender, sexual orientation, politics and religion. You must not use ethnic slurs, personal insults or engage in any behavior that would not be acceptable in the UNICEF community. This includes following, liking or sharing inappropriate material. Make sure your message is correct and complete before posting. If you make a mistake, be quick to correct the information. Think carefully about the content you post and your potential audience. Do not impersonate someone else. Do not plagiarize. Do not post photos of anyone (including any member of the support program) unless you have their prior permission, if the person is a minor you must have parental permission. Do not use the UNICEF logo. Respect the rules for using the name and logo of UNICEF and partner organizations.
  • Any independent appearance in the media, including digital media, on behalf of the program and/or organizer is prohibited . Any media invitation to make a statement about the program must be forwarded to the organizer.
UNICEF and volunteering organizers strive to ensure conditions for the smooth implementation of the program and respect for the rights and needs of all involved parties, as well as to react in a timely manner to prevent unforeseen situations.
In order to ensure this, all volunteers must agree to the Code and behave in accordance with the guidelines . Failure to comply with the Code will not be tolerated.