Safeguarding
Continue moving forward on
the path of Safeguarding
The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, in its journey of legal, moral, and spiritual obligations as an entity of the Church and as an important actor in the humanitarian and development field, has as a priority the safeguarding of children and person/s in vulnerable situation/s. For this reason, every unit, community, and ministry affiliated with the Congregation must comply with the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures that are consistent with the highest international human rights standards.
Thanks to the work of evaluating and revising the 2019 Congregational Child Safeguarding Policy – with input from canon lawyers, experts in the field of safeguarding, and individuals in the Congregation – to bring it in line with changes in canon law and to include person/s in vulnerable situation/s, the Congregation has a new version of the Congregational Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. It builds on all previous documents. This policy will reinforce and add to the work of safeguarding children and person/s in vulnerable situation/s that has been carried out to date. There is a need to further deepen the understanding of abuse and its effects and what needs to be done to eradicate it.
The main objective of any measure is to protect children and person/s in vulnerable situation/s and to prevent them from becoming victims of any abuse; be transparent and acknowledge abuses that have occurred; remedy past failures and ensure that current protection systems are effective; and foster a culture of sharing and learning that will enable the Congregation to develop an effective and lasting culture of safety.