Terms of Reference for a mandate to develop PSEAH guidelines for the Caritas Germany (CG) field office in Afghanistan (COA)
General Background
CG-HQ level:
- CG is a non-governmental international organisation. CG has policies and guidelines in place to frame expected behaviour by its staff and associates, such as the Code of Conduct and the Whistleblowing policy. CG has additionally adopted policies of Caritas Internationalis such as the Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Safeguarding policy.
- Other relevant policies of CI are the Anti-harassment policy and the Complaints handling policy and procedures.
- CG has an internal guideline spelling out the procedures to be followed when handling and managing complaints reported in the context of our project work and partnerships.
CG-COA field office level:
COA has drafted a PSEAH policy as a mandatory policy for the protection of COA, its employees, partners, and service recipients.
Objective
- The consultant should review, refine, and finalize the drafted PSEAH Policy, ensuring alignment with our organization’s overall policies, procedures, and global best practices, considering the Afghanistan context.
Scope of assignment
- Finalize the COA PSEAH policy in close collaboration with COA management and key staff, and the CG HQ (Safeguarding Officer, Project Officer, Heads of Department QMC & MENA) for final approval
- Review the draft PSEAH Policy in detail and align it with:
- existing Ci and CI policies and procedures
- international, up to date standards for such policies, e.g. CHS Alliance, IASC Six Core Principles, UN SEA guidelines, donor safeguarding requirements etc.
- Adapt the content to the context of Afghanistan and to realities of the COA office as a representative of a non-governmental, European NGO.
- Identify gaps, risks, and areas for improvement, considering practical recommendations and the specifics of the organization to strengthen policies.
- Prepare a brief guidance note on operationalizing the policy (starting with awareness among staff/partners/beneficiaries, addressing concerns, reporting pathways, response steps, and monitoring mechanisms) in close collaboration with COA management, taking into account the specifics of the activities and the context of the country.
Deliverables
CG-COA expects the following deliverables from the consultant:
- Inception report outlining review methodology and work plan.
- In-depth review of the draft PSEA Policy with gap analysis.
- Final COA PSEAH policy (Revised and finalized, aligned with organizational and international standards).
- Implementation guidance note for staff and management.
- Presentation of key findings and recommendations to senior management.
Duration
The assignment is expected to take 10 working days between 1 and 31 October 2025.
