Building a strong Safeguarding Focal Point Network – for a safer sector

In October 2023, WaterAid held its first-ever Participatory Safeguarding Workshop, bringing together 43 safeguarding champions from 29 countries. Nicci Morgan and Renae Davies shared their takeaways and learnings from the event. Read their blog here.

The resource below is a follow-up from the session.

WaterAid’s safeguarding approach

WaterAid’s mission is for everyone to has access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. We know that the only way to fulfil this mission with impact and credibility is to ensure that our people, organisation, operations and programmes do no harm to those we come into contact with. WaterAid’s safeguarding approach prioritises prevention and risk mitigation, while fostering a safe environment for speaking up and learning from incidents. In an organisation consisting of seven members and 29 implementing countries, this requires intentional investment.

Aside from a Global Safeguarding Team that provides safeguarding leadership, coordination, technical advice, case management and community engagement support, WaterAid has an extensive network of highly regarded Safeguarding Focal Points (SFPs) who tailor safeguarding to their local contexts. This means that SFPs can inform their approach by considering the nature of their partnerships and programmes, as well as the size, culture and practices of communities and staff they work with, to ensure that the safeguarding systems are robust and effective.

SFPs are volunteers and add these responsibilities to their existing roles at WaterAid, which means the SFP network is drawing from experience across personnel from various backgrounds. To strengthen learning, collaboration, and foster connection within the network, the Global Safeguarding Team hosts an in-person training every two years with at least one SFP from each WaterAid country participating.

Participatory Safeguarding Workshop

This October, 44 SFPs from WaterAid countries, regions, and members gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, for a five-day interactive training. A follow-up to the session held two years ago, it aimed to increase SFPs’ ownership of safeguarding priorities, build confidence in delivering them locally, and encourage reflection on personal motivation and purpose in safeguarding work. Live English-French-Spanish interpretation was provided throughout.

About half of participants were returning, while the others met in person for the first time. The programme began with connecting, reflecting, and refreshing, focusing on WaterAid’s values and how they are embedded in our safeguarding work. Honest conversations about leadership, accountability, and ownership set the foundation for the week.

The following days, sessions focused on:

• Purpose and prevention: deep diving into community engagement, reporting mechanisms and safer practices.
• Raising voices: reflecting on power, decolonization, and hearing from those affected by safeguarding concerns.
• Taking action: challenging biases and practicing a survivor-centred approach through a case scenario investigation.
• Committing: shaping a shared vision and reflecting on our individual and collective responsibilities to make that vision real.

Practical sessions explored safeguarding policies, prevention work, and responding sensitively to disclosures to maintain a safe speak-up culture. This was informed by an in-depth session on unconscious bias, examining how biases shape perceptions and actions in safeguarding contexts – both positively and negatively. Although SFPs do not investigate concerns at WaterAid, a case scenario was provided to them to investigate to help them understand case management and respond to disclosures with clarity and empathy, but also understand duty of care to all, procedural fairness and the importance of evidence and due process in investigations. Teams reviewed the evidence provided, created interview questions and conducted interviews with actors playing the individual affected and the subject of concern. It was inspiring to see how the discussions on unconscious bias directly informed how participants approached the investigation — applying self-awareness and fairness throughout.

Through the training, I gained rich exposure—both culturally and through scenario-based sessions—and through the survivor centered approach. The safeguarding case scenario investigation was one of the standout components. I’ve achieved clearer understanding, greater clarity, and practical insight into how to apply and implement these approaches in practice.

– Safeguarding Focal Point

Based on feedback from the training in 2023, additional discussion time between SFPs, on topics they chose, was embedded in the agenda. This time proved valuable, revealing that concerns thought to be isolated in fact exist across regions, providing opportunities to collectively adapt approaches. It was a powerful reminder of what happens when we bring this network together: ideas spark, collaboration deepens, confidence grows and best practice – that often has low to no financial implications – emerge that will keep people safer.

Being part of the SFP training in Bangkok really reminded me that safeguarding isn’t just about policies, it’s about people. When we come together to learn, share, and challenge ourselves, we strengthen that shared commitment. The courage and creativity colleagues brought from across regions gives me real hope that our safeguarding culture will keep growing, creating safer spaces for everyone we work with.

– Global Safeguarding Advisor

Although running a five-day training requires significant financial and facilitation investment, the outcomes are vital. Compared to the last event two years ago the evolution was stark. Apart from the increased collaboration and sharing of best practices, it was obvious that SFPs have deeply internalised and embedded safeguarding into their roles – whether that be in human resources, communications, programmes, IT or other areas of work. There is a tangible sense of being confident, empowered and supported to both safeguard in their roles and advocate for safeguarding in their country offices. Key takeaways ranged from leading with courage to questioning the status quo, speaking up, and supporting partners to build SFP networks. Participant feedback also reflected a sense of stronger connection to each other within the network, and to the Global Safeguarding Team.

The week concluded with the co-creation of a new Safeguarding Charter, shaping a shared vision and highlighting individual and collective responsibilities, encapsulated in the charter’s strap line:

We commit to lead with courage and empathy, and to create an environment where everyone matters and feels safe.

The value of Safeguarding Focal Points

WaterAid recognises that Safeguarding Focal Points are vital to achieving our safeguarding goals. Apart from our day-to-day engagement as a safeguarding community at WaterAid, and aside from our quarterly regional webinars, we know that investing in SFP capacity and meaningful connection is a no brainer. Bringing SFPs together in person to share knowledge and propagate best practice, and to raise concerns and collaboratively find solutions with the technical support of the Global Safeguarding Team catalyses safeguarding for the organisation, and for the sector. In just two years these SFPs have become bolder at showing up in spaces beyond their usual roles to voice safeguarding needs and concerns, proactively cultivating safe culture and practice. The returns have been significant from this investment, and we are excited about what our network will have achieved by the time we all next meet in 2027.