Community Participation Guidelines for IFRC Solferino Academy’s events
IFRC Solferino Academy’s events are about connecting, inspiring each other, learning together and building new ideas and initiatives. We request that all event participants accept and adhere to these Community Participation Guidelines in order to help us create a safe and positive community experience for all.Privacy Guidelines
It is our commitment to take all necessary and appropriate steps to protect vulnerable and at-risk groups. We want our events to be safe spaces for open discussions without fear of intimidation or threat of reprisal. Some of our events are internal for the Red Cross Red Crescent, meaning that we request that only people from the RCRC network join and attend. Some of our events are open to the public, meaning that anyone can register and attend. While this allows us to be inclusive and representative of diverse voices, we recognize also potential implications this may have for participants who have taken risks to be present and participate. Certain sessions may allow participants and other members of the public to view the identity of participants. When this is the case, moderators and organizers should make this clear before the session. Please respect the privacy of the other participants by not recording, photographing, or posting on social media anything that may identify other participants, without their permission. For further information on how data can and should be handled during our events, please refer to the Event Privacy Policy.Participation Guidelines
These guidelines aim to support a community where all people should feel safe to participate, introduce new ideas and inspire others. The following behaviours are expected of all who attend our events.Be Respectful
Be respectful in all interactions and communications, especially when debating the merits of different options. Be open to different possibilities and to being wrong. Be constructive and positive. Take responsibility for your impact and your mistakes – if someone says they have been harmed through your words or actions, listen carefully, apologize sincerely, and correct the behavior going forward. Be respectful of people with different cultural practices, attitudes and beliefs. Work to eliminate your own biases, prejudices and discriminatory practices. Use preferred titles (including pronouns) and the appropriate tone of voice. Respect people’s right to privacy and confidentiality.Understand Different Perspectives
Value each other’s ideas, styles and viewpoints. We may not always agree, but disagreement is not an excuse for poor manners. Strive to be an example of inclusive thinking.Be Inclusive
Seek diverse perspectives. Encourage all voices. Help others to be heard and listen actively. If you find yourself dominating a discussion, take a step back and encourage other voices to join in. Provide alternative ways to contribute or participate when possible. Be inclusive of everyone in an interaction, respecting and facilitating people’s participation whether they are:- Not native language speakers
- Coming from a different culture
- Using pronouns other than “he” or “she”
- Facing challenges in participating
Behaviour That Will Not Be Tolerated
The following behaviours are considered to be unacceptable under these guidelines.Violence and Threats of Violence
Violence and threats of violence are not acceptable – online or offline. This includes incitement of violence toward any individual, including encouraging a person to commit self-harm. This also includes posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information online.Personal Attacks
Attacking someone for their opinions, beliefs and ideas is not acceptable. It is important to speak directly when we disagree, but such discussions must be conducted respectfully and professionally, remaining focused on the issue at hand. It is not okay to insult, demean or belittle others.Derogatory Language
Hurtful or harmful language is not acceptable. If you’re unsure if a word is derogatory, don’t use it. This also includes repeated subtle and/or indirect discrimination; when asked to stop, stop the behaviour in question.Unwelcome Sexual Attention
Unwelcome sexual attention is not acceptable. This includes sexualized comments, jokes or imagery in interactions, communications or presentation materials. This includes sharing or distribution of sexualized images or text.Disruptive Behavior
Sustained disruption of events, forums, or meetings, including talks and presentations, will not be tolerated.Influencing Unacceptable Behavior
We will treat influencing or leading such activities the same way we treat the activities themselves, and thus the same consequences apply.Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior
Bad behaviour from anyone attending our events will not be tolerated. Intentional efforts to exclude people (except as part of a consequence of the guidelines or other official action) from the event are not acceptable and will be dealt with appropriately. Reports of harassment/discrimination will be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the people responsible for the safety of the space, event or activity. Appropriate measures will be taken to address the situation. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately. Violation of these guidelines can result in you being asked to leave the online space, either temporarily or for the duration of the event, or being banned from participation in spaces, or future events and activities of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.Reporting
If you believe you’re experiencing unacceptable behaviour that will not be tolerated as outlined above, report this to [email protected]. After receiving a concise description of your situation, we will review and determine next steps. Please also report to us if you observe a potentially dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of these guidelines, even if the situation is not happening to you. If you feel you have been unfairly accused of violating these guidelines, please follow the same reporting process.These guidelines were inspired by the Mozilla Community Participation Guideline & the RightsCon Participation & Privacy Guidelines