The following text outlines Yücel Cultural Foundation's ethical principles and zero-tolerance approach in combating abuse and sexual harassment. This policy applies to the Foundation’s trustees, board members, staff, volunteers, scholarship recipients, interns, consultants, and all affiliated collaborators.
1. Definitions / Key Terms
Affected Person:
Individuals who participate in or benefit from Yücel Cultural Foundation and its sub-projects for livelihood and educational support, protection, or assistance. This definition includes any individual within the organization, partners, donors, volunteers, and service providers working in the local communities where the organization operates.
Abuse:
Any act of neglect, emotional, physical, and/or sexual exploitation or abuse (including sexual harassment) committed by any member of our staff, volunteers, or solution partners against a child (any person under 18), young person, or adult.
Complaint:
The "complaint mechanism" refers to the secure and reliable channels through which an affected person or community member can report complaints safely and seek assistance.
Gender-Based Violence:
A broad term used for any harmful act committed against a person’s will, based on socially ascribed (gender) differences between men and women. It includes acts causing physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion, and other deprivations of liberty. These acts can occur in both public and private spaces.
Yücel Cultural Foundation’s trustees, staff, volunteers, scholarship recipients, interns, and consultants are all included within the scope of this policy.
Integrity:
Accountability, independence, impartiality, respect, and professional commitment are fundamental principles documented in our Code of Business Ethics. Yücel Cultural Foundation has zero tolerance for physical violence and sexual harassment. This policy aims to regulate the behavior of Yücel Cultural Foundation staff and collaborators toward third parties, to protect vulnerable individuals from sexual exploitation and abuse by staff and collaborators, and to ensure the credibility of our activities.
Sexual Harassment:
Refers to actual or threatened physical or psychological intrusion of a sexual nature under coercive, unequal, or forced conditions. It includes, but is not limited to, engaging in sexual activity with anyone benefiting from Yücel Cultural Foundation’s services or programs or anyone under 18 years of age. It also includes gaining financial, social, or political benefits from another person's sexual exploitation, transactional sex, and exploitative relationships.
Sexual harassment also encompasses any unwanted verbal, non-verbal, or physical sexual conduct intended or resulting in the violation of a person’s dignity while creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.
Victim:
Refers to an individual who has suffered sexual exploitation or harassment.
Third-Party Personnel:
Refers to any individual employed by a third party and indirectly related to Yücel Cultural Foundation through a service or rental contract.
Whistleblower:
Refers to a person who reports concerns about wrongdoing. Whistleblowers provide information based on a reasonable suspicion that wrongdoing has occurred.
Yücel Cultural Foundation Board Members, Trustees, Staff, and Volunteers adhere to a zero-tolerance policy against involvement in any form of sexual exploitation or abuse. In practice, this means an immediate operational response when a concern is raised, and an obligation for all staff, volunteers, and relevant personnel to report concerns as soon as they arise. This also includes protecting whistleblowers or other individuals who report concerns and ensuring no retaliation occurs.
2. Action Plan to Reduce Risks Within the Program
Risks:
When planning project activities, we analyze protection risks, including the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse by staff and volunteers, and ensure that risk mitigation actions are integrated throughout the activity.
Confidentiality and security of information (when processed internally, transmitted, and externally communicated); safe spaces for program activities; gender-balanced teams; and monitoring/control mechanisms to ensure that staff and volunteers are never alone with a child (under 18) or vulnerable adults are critical elements. These approaches help field staff, volunteers, and collaborating partners identify and minimize risks.
Situation Analysis:
Yücel Cultural Foundation evaluates whether there is any risk in reporting allegations to the authorities under relevant national laws. It assesses current trends regarding child abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking, and exploitation in project communities, as well as societal attitudes, traditions, and practices that may contribute to these issues.
Institutional and Personnel Assessment:
Project/service delivery staff, volunteers, and scholarship recipients are considered to have accepted and signed all ethical policies and rules upon registering on our website. Recruitment screening, orientation, and relevant safe practices are established. Gender representation balance is considered in the project/service delivery team.
Project Evaluation:
Is there a risk in project implementation? For example:
These factors are carefully evaluated.
Community Consultation:
Perspectives on the risks associated with planned project activities are gathered. Special attention is given to identifying individuals from all gender identities, ages, and abilities, with a focus on vulnerable groups.
3. Reporting Sexual Harassment
Reporting incidents of harassment or concerns can be difficult; it may take years for a person to come forward with a claim of rape or sexual harassment. Many community members may be reluctant to report. Therefore, Yücel Cultural Foundation provides regular training for volunteers and staff and ensures access to a safe reporting mechanism.
Reports can be made anonymously or with identity disclosure. The reporting process is evaluated by responsible individuals, and necessary measures are taken. Reported cases are handled in accordance with confidentiality principles, and the identity of whistleblowers is protected.
Reports must be made in good faith. False or malicious complaints will be subject to review, and disciplinary actions may be applied if necessary.
4. Conclusion
Yücel Cultural Foundation upholds a zero-tolerance policy against abuse and sexual harassment. The Foundation is committed to continuously improving awareness and protection efforts by assessing risk factors in all its activities and taking preventive measures in advance.
This policy ensures the protection of the Foundation’s members, collaborators, and target audiences against sexual exploitation and harassment while maintaining the credibility of the Foundation’s activities.
This policy is reviewed at least once a year or whenever necessary to reflect the evolving needs of the Foundation and current legal regulations.
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