We start by putting survivors first

Why do you do what you do? We typically ask one another this question to understand what drives people in their professions. Sometimes, the reason is practical, sometimes personal—for Talimba Bandawe, it embodies both. When she joined the global development sector, her early days were marked by challenging experiences that would shape her path. 

From purpose to practice 

At the beginning of her career, Talimba recalled visits from country representatives to programs in Malawi. As she noted, the safeguarding practices and internal reporting mechanisms in place at this stage were insufficient to effectively respond to and address sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) incidents. Describing what followed, she explains:

“They would take advantage of young women, especially from local organizations, and say: ‘If you don’t get into a relationship with me, your organization is going to lose funding.’ That was really difficult. You’re placed in this complicated situation. What do you do? Where do you report? There was hardly anything.”

As the SEAH Harmonised Reporting Scheme (HRS) findings reveal, limited awareness of available reporting systems, mistrust, and a fear of identifying perpetrators are all barriers to underreporting SEAH. Alarmingly, in 27% of reported incidents, assistance to victims/survivors was found not to be available to start with.

A turning point in Talimba’s career came when an opportunity arose at a different organization a few years later. The experience presented a chance to broaden her safeguarding knowledge and included supportive training to develop her expertise in this area. Talimba saw the growing demand for a stronger safeguarding culture, and reflecting on her experiences, felt this should be her next step.

Besides gender programming, she oversaw the organization’s safeguarding agenda, including training staff and young volunteers to protect themselves from potential harm——a crucial responsibility given the knowledge that SEAH is perpetrated through power imbalance and inequality, especially gender inequality, which compounds the need for improved accountability and preventative safeguarding measures.

Trends in Sexual Exploitation, Abuse & Harassment in the Aid Sector: CHS Alliance has released a six-month update on patterns of SEAH within the humanitarian and global development sector 

Supporting victims/survivors

As the sector started to take investigations seriously, Talimba decided to invest her time in the Investigator Qualification Training Scheme (IQTS) pilot training led by CHS Alliance: “I don’t think it’s a matter of waking up one day and calling yourself an investigator…you need specialized skills,” she says.

Understanding the complexities of SEAH cases and the urgency of ensuring appropriate support for victims/survivors, Talimba knew she needed to strengthen her skills and knowledge in the survivor-centered approach to investigations.

IQTS is a four-tiered course structured around the SEAH Investigation Guide. Learners must successfully complete Tier 2 and pass its exam before advancing to Tier 3.

“Tier 3 is not for the faint-hearted—it’s the most challenging Tier but very important because it’s the practical aspect…It’s not just attending webinars—you really have to be heavily involved and do the assignments.”

IQTS course structure

IQTS lessons and takeaways

Talimba was still working in South Sudan, a country deeply affected by armed conflict and SEAH, at the time of the IQTS training. In fact, South Sudan ranks second in gender-based violence prevalence rates in East Africa. Findings show that up to 65% of South Sudanese women in conflict zones have experienced physical or sexual violence—Talimba described the context as complex, rife with revenge killings and harmful gender norms.

Speaking to the IQTS course, a relevant takeaway included the need to identify and map available support and mental health services, especially since victims/survivors often face language barriers. Talimba faced the challenge of finding local partners with trained counselors while working for the INGO in South Sudan, which led to additional concerns about how to partner with others while maintaining safety and confidentiality.

From theory to action

When discussing how Talimba is operationalizing the survivor-centered approach in her work today, she spoke of informed consent and how this can be overlooked when the investigation team takes steps in the process without fully involving the victim/survivor.

“One of the key things I incorporate is keeping the survivor updated because if we’re not careful, then the next course of action can put the survivor at more risk in terms of their safety.”

The issue of information disclosure, especially when subjects of a complaint want to know the source and details of the accusation, is also highly relevant. To this point, Talimba underscored that disclosing details without care can jeopardize the investigation. In short, a need-to-know basis always applies.

As a consultant safeguarding advisor, Talimba has now put her skills to use as an investigation manager. This role allows her to provide detailed guidance to external investigators in their work, helping to professionalize investigations. Her responsibilities include reviewing plans, proposals, and final reports, and ensuring best practices are followed.

Do no harm

An emerging theme from Talimba’s IQTS reflections calls attention to nonjudgmental and respectful interactions, which is particularly important given the inherent power dynamic between investigators and victims/survivors. Talimba’s insights on the survivor-centered approach remind us that the handling of investigations has far-reaching impacts—the focus must always be on avoiding further harm.

Equally critical is that the reporting and feedback mechanisms are practical and fit for purpose—as Talimba emphasizes: “Are you just introducing a telephone helpline in an area that has no telephone network? How is that going to work? Or do you only have services available in English?” Providing appropriate and accessible channels can encourage improved reporting of SEAH and greater trust in organizational processes.

A continuing journey

Bringing everything together, Talimba is focused on reducing the risk of further harm to victims/survivors while working collaboratively and cross-culturally with her team and partners. Drawing on her knowledge and practical trainings like IQTS, she is able to guide those she works with to prioritize a survivor-centered approach. Talimba combines empathy and expertise in her investigations with the hope that in the future, situations like the one she first experienced are rare but, when reported, handled with sensitivity and care.

Funded by USAID | Partnered with CHS Alliance

Working for a CSO in the global majority? The Investigator Qualification Training Scheme equips you to become a SEAH investigator and is available in English, French, and Spanish. Join us in reducing gender and cultural gaps in investigations.

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