Why an AHEEN Safeguarding Framework?

AHEEN is a whole-of-society network that promotes access, retention, and completion of Higher Education degrees by forcibly displaced youth, with a strong employability focus. Safeguarding is not a compliance exercise; it is an enabling condition that underpins all AHEEN’s work.

AHEEN members can collectively address the specific safeguarding risks faced by refugees and other forcibly displaced youth; risks that are often not adequately factored into policies and practices designed for broader student cohorts. By intentionally identifying and mitigating these risks, the Framework enhances protection for displaced learners and strengthens the overall safeguarding environment as a public good that benefits every member of the AHEEN community.

This Framework establishes network-wide safeguarding standards that reflect the specific vulnerabilities of forcibly displaced youth, while aligning with national and institutional laws, international humanitarian principles, and the policies of AHEEN’s university and partner members.