PREAMBLE
International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) is a registered NGO will the justice department of Azerbaijan. The organization was registered as a nonprofit entity and based on this it will abide by all law that governs the operations of such entities. This Code of Conduct will not only reflects its own core values and ensures the observance of its norms, but also leads to effective and efficient co-ordination and collaboration with the Government, the general public and other partners.
PURPOSE OF THE CODE
The Code of Conduct will ensure the following:
Transparency and accountability in the performance of activities by voluntary self-regulation;
Improve services provided by IEPF to the society by helping to adopt high standards of conduct and to devise efficient decision-making processes;
Promote communication between the IEPF working staff and the various stake holders and civil society.
Strengthen the performance of IEPF working staff by encouraging the exchange of experiences among its members and learning from proven best practices.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
1. People-Oriented
I. We see our efforts as a means for people and communities to solve their problems by themselves. We encourage and enable the development of self-reliance and advance the right of people to fully participate in decisions that affect their lives.
II. We shall act in solidarity with the goals of the communities that we work with and the priorities that our community partners identify for themselves.
III. We shall involve all the men, women, young people and children of our target communities to the greatest possible extent, making them responsible for the conception, implementation and evaluation of projects and programs.
IV. We shall respect indigenous knowledge, the dignity and identity of individuals and their culture, faith and values. But we will not support traditional practices that may harm an individual or the community.
V. The design of our programs will take into account the needs of the people and the well being of the environment and the country.
VI. Our programs will be planned, designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated with egalitarian practice and the participation of the people concerned.
VII. We shall abide by the principle to allocate resources efficiently and effectively within our organization and our target communities.
VIII. We shall respect and adhere to internationally recognized human rights.
2. Fairness and Equity
I. We shall exercise and promote fairness, impartiality and equity in all of our activities and in our dealings with interested parties, community partners and the civil society.
3. Fairness and Equity
I. We shall exercise and promote fairness, impartiality and equity in all of our activities and in our dealings with interested parties, community partners and the general public.
4. Moral and Ethical Integrity
I. We shall be truthful in all our activities and refrain from practices that undermine the moral and ethical integrity of our organizations.
II. We shall utilize all the resources and privileges available to our organizations in order to meet our mission and strategic objectives.
III. We shall accept funds and donations only from sources whose aims are consistent with our mission, objectives and capacity and which do not undermine our independence and identity.
5. Transparency and Accountability
I. We shall be transparent and accountable in our dealings with the Government and community partners, the public, donors and other interested parties. We shall use all means available to inform the public about our work and about the origin and use of our resources.
II. We shall maintain and make available to all concerned bodies, periodic audit, financial and activity reports.
III. We shall conform to the constitution, laws, rules and regulations of the Government of Azerbaijan.
IV. We shall devise and develop sound financial policies and systems in order to manage our accounts.
V. We shall be truthful and honest in all matters related to the raising, using and accounting for funds. All financial statements shall be available upon a request by relevant and interested parties.
VI. We shall maintain a sound financial and accounting system that ensures the use of resources in accordance with intended purposes.
6. Good Governance
I. We shall abide by organization written constitution or a memorandum of association that clearly defines our mission, our objectives and our organizational structure.
II. We shall develop a written policy that affirms our commitment to equal opportunities in: our employment practices; the promotion of staff; and board composition.
III. All of our organizational transactions shall be free of conflicts of personal and professional interest.
IV. The services of the governing body shall be given freely and voluntarily other than reimbursements for essential costs incurred during service.
7. Independence
I. Our activities and practices shall promote the interests of our target populations and the sector at large.
II. Although we shall always respect community values and traditions, we shall strive to maintain our autonomy and to resist conditions that may compromise our missions and principles.
8. Communication and Collaboration
I. We shall foster an atmosphere of collaboration and co-operation in our partnerships and supportive relationships to the best advantage of our organizations and target populations.
II. We shall promote harmony, collaboration, and team spirit within and outside the sector.
III. We shall share and exchange information, experiences and resources pertinent to our mission with the view to promoting, learning and, common understanding within and outside the sector.
9. Gender Equity
I. We shall seek to advance gender balance and equity and endeavor to ensure the equal participation of women in all our development initiatives.
II. We shall fully integrate gender sensitization into our human resource development and promote non-discriminatory working practices and relationships.
III. We will strive to increase (where they are currently under-represented) the number of women in senior decision-making positions at headquarters and in the fields, in boards, and in advisory groups.
IV. Our policies and procedures will be designed to promote gender equity in recruitment, hiring, training, professional development and advancement.
10. Sexual Exploitation
We must all conduct ourselves with respect in other to ensure every human dignity is preserved. We must abide by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee six core principles, same that is applicable at the United Nation, on the prevention of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation and they are the following:
I. “Sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers constitute acts of gross misconduct and are therefore grounds for termination of employment.
II. Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) is prohibited regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief regarding the age of a child is not a defense.
III. Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual favors or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behavior is prohibited. This includes exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries.
IV. Sexual relationships between humanitarian workers and beneficiaries are strongly discouraged since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of humanitarian aid work.
V. Where a humanitarian worker develops concerns or suspicions regarding sexual abuse or exploitation by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency or not, he or she must report such concerns via established agency reporting mechanisms.
VI. Humanitarian workers are obliged to create and maintain an environment which prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of their code of conduct. Managers at all levels have particular responsibilities to support and develop systems which maintain this environment.”
11. Environmental Consciousness
I. We shall exercise a responsible and responsive approach to the care of the environment and to the proper management of the eco-system in all our activities.
12. Sustainability
I. All our programs will be designed in full consultation with community and other interested parties. Projects that will be taken over by target communities or by government bodies shall be designed and facilitated to enhance sustainability.
II. We shall work towards the self-reliance of our communities and/or our community partners.
13. Impact
I. We shall develop and promote clear and measurable impact indicators for our programs/projects in order to gauge their relevance and effectiveness.
II. We shall formalize various monitoring and evaluation tools to gauge our performance in relation to our objectives and the short and long term goals of our activities.
III. We shall make accessible to the public the findings of any assessments or evaluations of our activities.
IV. We shall institute proper mechanisms for the internal and external evaluations of our programs.
ENDNOTE:
This code of conduct is adopted by the IEPF Executive Board. The Chairman of IEPF as a representative of the Board is authorized to endorse this Code of Conduct as a binding document to the functions of the organization.