Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Course

Course Introduction

Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is a fundamental responsibility for all humanitarian, development, and organizational actors working with vulnerable populations. This course provides a comprehensive framework for preventing, identifying, and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse in operational contexts.

The program explores the principles of safeguarding, including zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, accountability to affected populations, survivor-centered approaches, and organizational duty of care. Participants will gain a deep understanding of ethical responsibilities and safeguarding obligations.

A strong focus is placed on recognizing risks and vulnerabilities that can lead to SEA in humanitarian and development environments. This includes power imbalances, lack of oversight, weak accountability systems, and contextual risks in emergency and fragile settings.

The course also examines reporting mechanisms, complaint handling systems, and survivor support structures. Participants will learn how to design safe, accessible, and confidential systems that encourage reporting while protecting whistleblowers and survivors.

International legal frameworks, organizational policies, and inter-agency standards such as the IASC PSEA guidelines are integrated throughout the training. Participants will understand how these frameworks guide prevention and response strategies in real-world operations.

By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with practical skills to design, implement, and strengthen safeguarding and PSEA systems that protect vulnerable populations and uphold dignity, integrity, and accountability in all interventions.

Duration

5 days

Who Should Attend

• Humanitarian program managers
• Safeguarding officers
• Protection officers
• NGO and INGO staff
• UN agency personnel
• Human resources professionals
• Field coordinators
• Community engagement officers
• Monitoring and evaluation specialists
• Child protection practitioners

Course Objectives

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) principles, enabling participants to design and implement effective prevention and response systems in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Strengthen the ability to identify risks, vulnerabilities, and power dynamics that contribute to sexual exploitation and abuse in organizational and field environments.
• Build proficiency in developing and implementing PSEA policies, codes of conduct, and safeguarding frameworks aligned with international standards and organizational requirements.
• Enhance skills in designing safe, accessible, and confidential reporting and complaint mechanisms for survivors and affected communities.
• Develop capability to apply survivor-centered approaches that prioritize dignity, safety, confidentiality, and informed consent in all response actions.
• Improve understanding of international legal frameworks, humanitarian standards, and inter-agency guidelines governing safeguarding and PSEA.
• Strengthen ability to conduct risk assessments and integrate safeguarding measures into program design, implementation, and monitoring.
• Gain expertise in training and capacity building for staff and partners on safeguarding responsibilities and ethical conduct.
• Develop skills in investigating allegations of SEA while ensuring fairness, confidentiality, and due process.
• Prepare participants to lead robust safeguarding and PSEA systems that promote accountability, prevent abuse, and protect vulnerable populations.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Safeguarding and PSEA

• Understanding safeguarding principles in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Exploring definitions and forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Identifying organizational responsibilities in safeguarding.
• Reviewing global frameworks and zero-tolerance policies.

Module 2: Power Dynamics and Risk Factors

• Understanding power imbalances in humanitarian operations.
• Identifying vulnerabilities that increase SEA risks.
• Analyzing contextual and environmental risk factors.
• Mapping high-risk roles and operational settings.

Module 3: Safeguarding Policies and Codes of Conduct

• Developing organizational safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Implementing codes of conduct for staff and partners.
• Ensuring compliance with safeguarding standards.
• Communicating policies effectively across organizations.

Module 4: Reporting and Complaint Mechanisms

• Designing safe and confidential reporting systems.
• Establishing accessible complaint handling procedures.
• Ensuring survivor-friendly reporting channels.
• Strengthening trust in reporting mechanisms.

Module 5: Survivor-Centered Approach

• Applying survivor-centered principles in safeguarding responses.
• Ensuring dignity, confidentiality, and informed consent.
• Providing psychosocial and referral support services.
• Avoiding re-traumatization in response processes.

Module 6: Investigation and Case Management

• Conducting ethical and confidential investigations.
• Managing SEA allegations with due process and fairness.
• Ensuring evidence handling and documentation standards.
• Coordinating case management and referral systems.

Module 7: Prevention Strategies

• Developing proactive safeguarding prevention systems.
• Strengthening organizational culture and ethics.
• Conducting staff training and awareness programs.
• Reducing organizational and operational risks.

Module 8: Community Engagement and Accountability

• Engaging communities in safeguarding systems.
• Strengthening awareness of rights and reporting channels.
• Promoting community-led protection mechanisms.
• Building trust between organizations and communities.

Module 9: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Compliance

• Developing safeguarding monitoring frameworks.
• Tracking effectiveness of PSEA systems.
• Conducting audits and compliance checks.
• Using data for continuous improvement.

Module 10: Institutional Strengthening and Future Trends

• Embedding safeguarding into organizational systems.
• Strengthening inter-agency coordination on PSEA.
• Exploring digital tools for safeguarding systems.
• Preparing for emerging safeguarding challenges globally.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue 

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment:

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.