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Disability & Public Policy

CBM’s policy on disability and development represents the back bone of CBM’s work as it addresses disability in the wider context of development, highlighting important aspects that are crucial to be dealt with, if CBM wants to make an impact on the lives of people with disabilites. It is the main reference document for future CBM policy papers, which discuss specific approaches to disability. The Disability and Development Policy is also the main reference for CBM’s regional strategies, which are developed to put global strategies into action. CBM’s policy papers are subject to regular updating and revision.

The CBM Disability and Development Policy Paper aims to:

• Explain the links between disability and development in the areas of poverty, human rights, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and malnutrition, gender, children, environment, conflict and emergency situations
• Promote the importance of the inclusion of disability issues in mainstream development practice
• Endorse both the "twin-track approach" to disability and a "human rights approach" to development within CBM as an organisation, its partners and beyond
• Outline the role that CBM and its partners need to assume when addressing disability and development in a comprehensive way.

The policy paper was written by a CBM working group, consisting of Geert Vanneste (former Chief Executive Officer of CCBRT in Tanzania), Monika Brenes (Policy & Consultancy Department, Germany), David Lewis (International Programs Director, CBM Australia), Barbara Oosters (EU Liaison Officer, Belgium), and Martin Ruppenthal (Regional Representative for Latin America, Ecuador). Feedback from the whole organisation, including partner organisations in developing countries, have been factored into the new Disability and Development Policy.

Download the CBM Disability & Development Policy Paper

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Child Protection Policy

In all countries children can face obstacles to the realisation of their God-given potential through poverty, disease, injustice and abuse at the hands of both adults and other children. We note with concern that children with disabilities are at least, twice as likely to be abused as children without disabilities. The children our projects target to assist are therefore some of the most vulnerable in the world. Adults with disabilities also face abuse at levels far higher than in the general population.

The purpose of this policy is to protect children, both with and without disabilities (and vulnerable adults), from sexual exploitation and sexual, emotional or physical abuse, including neglect, which are totally unacceptable to CBM International. We endorse the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” as an important set of standards for the rights of children and will strive to ensure a child-safe environment is maintained within the sphere of our activities.

We encourage our personnel, project partners and all others associated with CBM International to participate actively in building and maintaining a child-safe environment. “Child Protection” is a corporate and individual responsibility. Working with personnel, project partners and other associated individuals, CBM International will take all practical steps to develop child protecting procedures and practices as a continuous process.

Guidelines and training packages will outline the responsibilities of the Human Resources Department of CBM e.V. and the Member Associations in seeking to assure that children and vulnerable adults are protected from abuse.

These guidelines will cover:

• The recruitment of project personnel.
• Detecting signs of abuse.
• Suggested procedures for reporting and handling of allegations of abuse and inappropriate behaviour.
• Procedures for counselling children who have been the victims of abuse, and their families.
• Procedures for counselling and assisting vulnerable families to ensure their children are not sold into prostitution or forced labour.
• Techniques for building awareness in families, communities, institutions and in the children who are clients and patients of projects.

(This document was prepared by David Lewis, on behalf of the “Child Protection” Task Force and approved on 5 December 2003 by the CBM eV Presiding Board. Members of theTask Force were Mike Davies, Martin Rothmund and David Lewis.)

Download the CBM Child Protection Policy Paper

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