PREVENTION OF ABUSE

Institutional Safeguarding Guidelines (ISG) put into force

21.07.2021

The Bonifatiuswerk is actively committed to preventing abuse of children and young people and has adopted Institutional Safeguarding Guidelines (ISG)(document to download: PDF – German language only) with effect from 12 July 2021, which are binding for all staff members. In addition, the conditions for funding projects are adapted to support the all-round efforts of church organisations, religious orders and spiritual communities to effectively protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.

For domestic project partners, project funding will be dependent on the submission of ISG from 1 January 2022. The Bonifatiuswerk will randomly check compliance with the funding eligibility requirements in the future. Appropriate test criteria are currently being developed. For project partners abroad, the new funding eligibility requirements are expected to apply from 2023.
 

Background

On 18 November 2019, the “Framework – Prevention against Sexualised Violence against Minors and Adults in Need of Protection or Assistance in the Area of the German Bishops' Conference”(Rahmenordnung – Prävention gegen sexualisierte Gewalt an Minderjährigen und schutz- oder hilfebedürftigen Erwachsenen im Bereich der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz) was adopted by the Permanent Council of the German Bishops’ Conference (Ständiger Rat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz) in Würzburg. This framework stipulates, among other things, that every legal entity within the German Bishops’ Conference, including church aid organisations, must have institutional safeguarding guidelines in place.

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