Hawa Feminist Coalition conducted a refresher training on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) for its staff and volunteers on March 18, 2025 in Garowe, Puntland, Somalia, as part of the organization’s continued commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, accountable, and survivor-centered working environment.
The training built on Hawa Feminist Coalition’s previous PSEA capacity-building efforts, which have focused on strengthening staff understanding of SEA prevention, standards of conduct, reporting procedures, consequences of violations, and leadership responsibilities.
Strengthening Understanding of Hawa Feminist Coalition’s PSEA Policy
A key component of the training was a detailed orientation and refresher on the organization’s Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy. The session ensured that staff and volunteers understood their individual responsibilities under the policy and how its provisions should be applied in their day-to-day work.
The policy establishes Hawa Feminist Coalition’s commitment to preventing harm, promoting accountability, providing clear procedures for reporting and responding to SEA allegations, building community trust, and ensuring survivors have access to safe, confidential, and accessible reporting and support mechanisms. It further establishes a zero-tolerance approach to SEA across the organization.
The training emphasized that the PSEA Policy applies not only to permanent and temporary employees but also to volunteers, interns, Board members, consultants, contractors, suppliers, service providers, partner organizations, and other representatives acting on behalf of Hawa Feminist Coalition.
Key Topics Covered
Through presentations, discussions, practical examples, and scenario-based learning, participants strengthened their understanding of:
- Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse: Definitions, examples, risk factors, power imbalances, consent, sexual harassment, and prohibited transactional sex.
- Zero tolerance and standards of conduct: Expected professional and ethical behavior when working with colleagues, communities, beneficiaries, and partners.
- Prevention responsibilities: How staff and volunteers can identify risks and take practical steps to prevent SEA within programs and organizational activities.
- Mandatory reporting: The responsibility of staff and volunteers to promptly report suspected, observed, or disclosed SEA incidents.
- Safe and confidential reporting: Available internal reporting channels and the importance of confidentiality, protection from retaliation, and responsible information handling.
- Survivor-centered response: Prioritizing survivors’ safety, dignity, informed consent, confidentiality, choice, and access to appropriate support.
- Accountability and consequences: Organizational procedures for addressing violations and the disciplinary consequences associated with breaches of the PSEA Policy.
These areas reflect the six core principles adopted in Hawa Feminist Coalition’s PSEA framework, including zero tolerance, prohibition of sexual activity with children, prohibition of transactional sex, duty to report, confidential reporting mechanisms, and survivor-centered response.
Staff and Volunteers as Safeguarding Champions
The training reinforced that preventing SEA is a shared responsibility. Under Hawa Feminist Coalition’s policy, staff and volunteers are required to comply with the PSEA Policy and Code of Conduct, maintain professional boundaries, report concerns, respect confidentiality, participate in induction and refresher training, and identify potential SEA risks within programs and working environments.
Regular training is an important element of the Coalition’s prevention approach. The PSEA Policy requires comprehensive induction for staff and volunteers and annual refresher training to ensure that personnel remain able to recognize, prevent, report, and appropriately respond to SEA.
Reinforcing a Culture of Safety and Accountability
Through the March 18 training, Hawa Feminist Coalition reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that safeguarding and PSEA principles are understood and practiced throughout the organization.
The Coalition will continue strengthening staff and volunteer capacity, promoting safe and confidential reporting, reinforcing accountability, and integrating PSEA considerations across its programs and operations. Through these efforts, Hawa Feminist Coalition aims to ensure that its workplaces and programs remain safe, respectful, inclusive, and free from sexual exploitation and abuse.