Call for Participation – Safeguarding and Sexual Misconduct Capacity Building Journey for Private Sector

About ABAAD

ABAAD – Resource Center for Gender Equality is a UN ECOSOC accredited organization that aims to achieve gender equality as an essential condition to sustainable social and economic development in the MENA region.

ABAAD advocates for the development and implementation of policies and laws that enhance women’s effective participation, through a rights-based approach that would bring about tangible change to gender justice.

With the purpose of ending gender-based violence, ABAAD adopts a holistic care approach to provide protection and support services to GBV survivors/right holders during times of peace, war and disasters since 2011.

Background

In partnership with the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), ABAAD is offering a phased, layered, and practice-oriented capacity building and coaching journey to strengthen the institutional capacity of private sector actors to prevent and respond to Sexual Misconduct. The journey will engage 80 institutional duty bearers from 40 private sector actors. Participants will include management level staff, human resources personnel, programme leads, and designated safeguarding focal points with responsibility for policy oversight, staff conduct, and accountability mechanisms.

The journey will unfold across four sequential and mutually reinforcing phases, enabling institutions to progress from awareness to ownership and operationalization. This is a long-term institutional strengthening process rather than a standalone training opportunity, and participating organizations are expected to engage as institutions committed to embedding PSEAH within their systems, culture, and daily practice.  

The journey begins with foundational capacity building on safeguarding and sexual misconduct, establishing a shared understanding of key concepts, standards, and organizational responsibilities, including respectful and person-centered handling of disclosures. It then moves into a Training of Trainers (ToT) that prepares selected participants to deliver internal trainings and integrate the safeguarding digital platform within their companies/institutions. Designated focal persons subsequently receive advanced role-specific training and coaching to lead complaint handling, survivor-centered follow-up, and alignment with national and international standards. The journey concludes with ongoing coaching, mentoring, and tailored technical support to help institutions develop or revise their internal policies, code of conduct, reporting procedures and accountability mechanisms, ensuring that safeguarding if fully embedded in daily practice.

General Definitions:

Safeguarding:
Safeguarding refers to the policies, procedures, and actions put in place to ensure that employees, clients, customers, partners, and community members are protected from harm, abuse, exploitation, neglect, harassment, or any form of inappropriate behavior within or related to the organization’s activities and workplace.

Sexual Misconduct:
Sexual misconduct refers to any unwanted or inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature that violates a person’s dignity, safety, or rights. This may include sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, inappropriate comments or advances, coercion, sharing sexual content without consent, or any other behavior that creates an unsafe or uncomfortable environment.