Recipients
The recipients of the Code are:
Operators, volunteers and non-volunteers, who work together with the associations belonging to the VIM Coordination,
within the scope of their functions and responsibilities.
Ethical rules of conduct for association members, employees, collaborators,
volunteers, and interns:
With this document, the VIM Coordination and its member associations commit themselves and therefore commit the
members of the Executive Councils, employees, collaborators, volunteers, and interns to:
● take all necessary measures to prevent the violation of the following ethical principles and monitor compliance with them;
● after appropriate training and information, to comply with the regulations and customs of Madagascar;
● to refrain from unlawful or improper behavior towards people, cultures, or the environment;
● to protect and enhance human resources, guaranteeing them equal opportunities for human and professional growth for every type of volunteer work, and to promote working conditions that respect individual dignity;
● to use the Association's resources responsibly, avoiding uses other than those for which they were requested;
● use the Association's resources responsibly, avoiding uses other than those for which they were requested;
● refrain from activities and/or behavior that conflict with the Mission and objectives of the host Association;
● refrain from pursuing personal or third-party interests that conflict with the Association.
Code of Conduct for volunteers and collaborators.
The following guidelines serve to outline the rules of conduct for volunteers and
collaborators (hereinafter referred to as "volunteers") who provide their services to projects in
Madagascar.
It is the responsibility of each volunteer to commit fully to the project in which they are participating, to represent the values
of the association in all their actions, both in their conduct on site and in their
subsequent involvement in Italy.
The professional and personal spheres are difficult to separate, so a great sense of
responsibility is essential, even during free time. As guests, even in our personal behavior, we must remember that
we represent the sending association and the partner association that welcomes us. It is the latter that will be held accountable for
our conduct and face the consequences. Inappropriate behavior or a careless word can cause serious "damage" to the work and image that the organization has built up over many years.
Any clear and deliberate violation of one of these principles by a volunteer will lead the association to take the necessary measures, through decisions made by the President, reserving the right to take all necessary steps to safeguard the good name of the Organization.
Respect for diversity and non-discrimination.
Operators are required to respect the fundamental rights of the individual, without any form of
discrimination and with particular reference to the rights of children; they are also required to respect the culture,
religious beliefs and dignity of all people, who must be treated without distinction based on gender and
sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, religion, political opinions, personal and social conditions.
Culture and respect:
There are unwritten rules that are part of the local culture. We must dress appropriately and take care of ourselves
in a manner appropriate to the context and role. All volunteers are required to respect cultural and religious differences
, as well as to be sober and respectful in their lifestyles, such as eating habits, accommodation,
behavior towards women and the elderly, clothing, etc.
Respect for the law:
Each volunteer must comply with international legislation and the national laws of Madagascar and
submit to the decisions taken by the authorities responsible for enforcing them, regardless of whether
they are considered unfair or poorly applied.
Board and lodging
In contexts of poverty, volunteers' stays will be geared towards living and nutritional standards that are not in blatant
contradiction with the lifestyles of our interlocutors; the approach is one of sobriety and consistency, accepting even
the possible repetitiveness and frugality of the food on the table or the basic nature of the accommodation offered to us.
Observation and Listening
Volunteers are required to observe and listen as much as possible, taking the time to understand before judging, both on
site and in Italy. There is no need to be afraid to talk to the people who run the project, to ask for help in
understanding things and events from a different perspective, but it is essential to develop empathy and the ability
to see things from the other person's point of view and to put yourself in their shoes. It is also necessary to break with our habits
of rushing, not to be in a hurry, to make our relationship with the clock less frenetic, and to control performance anxiety.
Humility
Both the organizers and the members and volunteers of the associations are "guests passing through." We set out without the presumption
of changing the world on our own, but with the awareness that our actions contribute to a slow and delicate
process of change. Foreigners are often seen as people full of "possibilities" and able to offer them. We do not
lend money or give gifts unless agreed with the staff of the host organization.
Emotional Relationships and Friendships
The work of a volunteer is fundamentally about relationships, so we must always be mindful of who we interact with.
In managing our emotional relationships and friendships, we must be aware of and take into account what is considered ethical in the local culture, in accordance with the principles contained in the Universal Declaration and the European Convention on Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the
elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, and the Council of Europe Convention on the
prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence.
Staff, Italian volunteers, and local collaborators of the associations are strictly prohibited from engaging in
relationships, whether superficial or intimate, with members of local communities who are under the age of 18, whether confirmed or presumed,
or, regardless of age, in the presence of pre-existing emotional ties, whether legally established or not
. It is forbidden to frequent prostitutes or to benefit from paid sexual services of any kind.
Sexual exploitation
It is forbidden to engage in or solicit sexual relations with project beneficiaries. Relationships between project/organization staff and beneficiaries are discouraged where they create unequal power dynamics.
Exchanges of money, favors, gifts, employment, or promises of employment in exchange for sexual services are prohibited.
Collaborative relationships
In working and volunteering relationships with local people, whether men or women, no one should be placed in a position of subjugation through blackmail, threats, deception, abuse of authority, abuse of a situation of psychological inferiority, or a situation of need. Any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, is disapproved of and sanctioned.
Minors
The rights of children with whom volunteers come into contact must be respected, especially if they are in problematic situations that increase their vulnerability. In the event of a violation of children's rights by third parties,
each volunteer is invited to report the situation to local staff, who will report any abuse
to the competent authorities.
Respect for the environment:
Italian associations are ideally committed to protecting the environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity
in Madagascar and expect volunteers to do the same by respecting the nature of the places they visit.
visit, limiting their consumption of water and energy as well as any waste. However, any behavior aimed at causing pollution of the air, soil, subsoil, or water, or damaging or
removing protected flora and fauna without authorization, is strictly prohibited.
Respect for material goods provided
Volunteers are required to work diligently and behave responsibly, in line with the procedures/instructions
provided for the use of the goods, means, and tools entrusted to them. Careful and economical use of these items is required. Everyone
is responsible for protecting the resources entrusted to them and has a duty to promptly inform local managers of any
damage.
Personal safety
Your stay in Madagascar must be accompanied by health insurance and must be
communicated on the website https://www.dovesiamonelmondo.it/ of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For safety reasons, volunteers must take care to carry only the bare essentials in terms of money,
documents, and personal items.
For reasons dictated by the need to protect volunteers and their safety, there may be areas, as well as times, where
it is expressly forbidden to go.
Behaviour that leads or could lead to risks to health or safety for oneself or third parties must be completely avoided.
Communication
Contributions of documentation, whether in written, photographic, video, or other form, are valuable means of amplifying the experience, but they must be accompanied by extreme sensitivity and respect for others and must not be the purpose of the solidarity action.
Confidentiality
We must maintain strict confidentiality regarding everything that is confided to us or that we learn during our service.
Involvement in political activities
All operators are prohibited from involvement in Malagasy political activities or activities that subvert public order
.
PROHIBITIONS
• The use of drugs, rongony, qat, and alcohol abuse are prohibited, as is performing one's duties under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or substances that produce similar effects
. However, when working with
Muslim-majority communities, the prohibition of alcohol is important and, as a rule, is expressly prohibited.
• Smoking is always prohibited in the presence of minors.
• Violent behavior, whether verbal or physical, will not be tolerated.
• It is strictly forbidden to possess or distribute pornographic material.
• Relationships with minors must be conducted in an irreproachable manner in terms of fairness and respect for
morality. No form of child abuse will be tolerated.
• The distribution of gifts, presents, or any other type of benefit to representatives of the Public Administration or their relatives, in-laws, friends, etc. is prohibited, except for those of modest value and on special occasions, and always with the prior authorization of the project manager.
• It is forbidden to commit any act of corruption, extortion, or falsification in Italy or Madagascar. In particular, it is forbidden to engage in any behavior, even if carried out in the interest of one's own Association, that is directed or otherwise aimed at offering or promising (or causing others to offer or promise) money or other benefits that are not expressly due.
• Those who, within the Association, hold (also) the position of members of the Board of Directors of
are prohibited from soliciting or receiving money or other forms of benefits from private individuals in order to perform or omit acts contrary to the ethical principles
set out above.
• It is also forbidden to abuse one's authority or powers to coerce or induce someone, through deception, to
give or promise benefits of various kinds. Furthermore, any deceptive or misleading behavior
is expressly prohibited, even if carried out in the interests of the Association.
• It is prohibited to transfer to others information related to any analyses, summaries, or studies acquired as confidential information and processed by the Association, including formal and informal documents and activities transmitted verbally or in writing, following meetings, gatherings, or conversations, including telephone conversations.
Form #1:
Code of Ethics Acceptance Form
click on the link to download the form