All AfghanEvac Coalition members must abide by a shared Code of Conduct, which members may access directly and sign here.

 CODE OF CONDUCT

DEFINITIONS

●        #AfghanEvac - A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing organizations together toward the common goal of assisting Afghan allies. The organization is not the coalition but exists in part to administer that coalition of the same name. #AfghanEvac is not a government organization of any kind but has developed and maintains relationships with the U.S. government toward sharing information related to relocation and resettlement work. This relationship is not exclusive and therefore is not required for organizations who work in the field.

●        #AfghanEvac Coalition - The #AfghanEvac coalition is a coalition of private, public, and nonprofit organizations with the shared commitment to fulfilling the United States’ duty to Afghan allies and friends. The Coalition is administered by #AfghanEvac

●        #AfghanEvac Leadership - Board Members, the President, or volunteer of #AfghanEvac

●        Executive Advisory Council - Group of members from organizations within the coalition who have demonstrated competence, commitment to the mission, and a willingness to provide advice to the #AfghanEvac leadership team regarding the direction of the organization and needs of the community. Team is selected by leadership.

●        Coalition member organization - Organizations who apply online at afghanevac.org/join, undergo screening from #AfghanEvac, and are admitted into the ecosystem of signal channels, zoom calls, and government meetings that enable communication across the coalition

●        Participant - A volunteer or paid staff member of a coalition member organization who represents that organization to the coalition and shares information back to the parent organization

●        Harassment - any unwanted behavior, physical or verbal (or even suggested), that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed.

●        Harm to Afghans - Any action that causes, or may causes, detrimental effect on the physical well-being, immigration status, or security of Afghans volunteers are helping. Could be specific in nature or global (ie information shared on social media).

PURPOSE

Volunteers within the #AfghanEvac coalition must uphold the highest legal and ethical standards when operating on behalf of, representing, or interacting with the organization and / or coalition members.

Since the creation of the organization in August 2021, the landscape of needs, requirements, and opportunities to support our Afghan allies has changed significantly and often. To ensure our volunteers have information on both the coalition’s and the United States’ policies which govern our work and internal ethics, this Code of Conduct and Detailed Background have been crafted. The purpose is to enable a continuity of mission that best protects and serves our Afghan allies and their families during a time when they are particularly vulnerable.

Illegal, unethical, or harassing behavior; actions that cause harm (intentionally, knowingly, negligently, or recklessly) to Afghans or fellow Coalition members; or violations of Coalition Commitments / Individual Commitments will incur consequences up to and including removal from the Coalition and reports to appropriate authorities

#AfghanEvac is committed to conducting its mission while upholding the highest legal and ethical standards. To ensure the continuity of our efforts, volunteers who interact with #AfghanEvac and / or participate in the #AfghanEvac coalition are asked to review this document in full and affirmatively agree to also uphold these commitments and standards when operating on behalf of, or otherwise representing, the organization. In brief, and described in more detail below, these include:

Standards 

1. Duty of Care

2. Compliance With OFAC Requirements

3. Safe Relocation standards

4. Integrity in Governmental Dealings

5. Integrity in Collaboration

6. Prioritize the Mission

7. Integrity and Confidentiality of Information

8. Fostering a safe and Prosperous Community

9. Data Sharing

BACKGROUND

Duty of Care

The work undertaken by organizations involved in relocation efforts is inherently of a life-altering nature for the vulnerable populations being assisted. As such, organizations and individuals associated with AfghanEvac have a responsibility to use appropriate diligence and efforts for their skill level when assisting Afghans, interacting with other volunteers, and in sharing information gleaned as part of their work with the AfghanEvac community.

An appropriate level of knowledge is expected, commensurate with the seriousness of the work and the potential impact of actions taken or advice given, by volunteers. Organizations are expected to ensure the volunteers representing them to the Coalition are up to speed on the issues about which they are advocating.

Compliance With OFAC Requirements

Members of AfghanEvac should not be charging Afghans for fees related to their services, however in some instances reasonable cost-recovery may be allowed. The United States Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) has issued guidance on permissible humanitarian assistance transactions involving the Taliban, the Haqqani Network, and entities owned in 50 percent or more by these parties. Of particular relevance to #AfghanEvac members organization work is General License 14, which authorizes such transactions when they are:

“Ordinarily incident and necessary to” the provision of “humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan or other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan” by certain specified entities, including NGOs and “their employees, grantees, contractors, or other persons acting on their behalf.”

Under the OFAC guidance, payments are generally considered “ordinarily incident and necessary to” humanitarian assistance only if they are offered for taxes, fees, import duties, permits, licenses or public utility services. Those providing humanitarian services and goods to Afghanistan should perform their due diligence to ensure that all parties involved in and benefitting from the transaction are clearly identified to the fullest extent possible, and that the transaction fits within the scope of activity authorized by General License 14.

A non-exclusive list of example activities prohibited under OFAC guidance, that #AfghanEvac coalition member organization volunteers are prohibited from engaging in via their work for, with, or through #AfghanEvac, includes:

●        Providing any funding to directly support the Taliban or Haqqani Network, or an entity known by the volunteer to be owned in 50 percent or more by these parties;

●        Providing any funding to directly support an individual who identifies themselves to the volunteer as being a member of the Taliban or Haqqani Network, or an entity known by the volunteer to be owned in 50 percent or more by these parties; or

●        Providing funding to any entity or organization that provides humanitarian or basic human needs assistance in Afghanistan, when it cannot:

○        Explicitly describe how the funds are to be used,

○        Provide references or sources to corroborate how the funds are to be used,

○        Describe how it performs regular and consistent due diligence over its use of funds,

○        Provide documentation regarding its use of funds, or

○        Describe how it uses either regulated financial channels or alternative methods it reasonably believes are reliable, trustworthy, and protected against diversion in order to house, maintain, and expend funds.

Commitment to Safe Relocation Standards

Our allies are at a heightened risk for human trafficking given the nature of the ongoing resettlement landscape. To abate such risk, #AfghanEvac is committed to supporting the relocation of Afghan allies and their families only when there is a definitive resettlement plan in place which clearly identifies the end state, has been reviewed by #AfghanEvac leadership, and has been coordinated with the United States State Department or approved through the official government immigration department of a third party country.

In many cases, volunteers across the #AfghanEvac ecosystem may begin to develop deep experience and knowledge in matters across the relocation and resettlement pipeline. No matter how much experience one gains, volunteers must not provide legal advice on matters related to immigration unless they are a licensed immigration attorney to which the person or people being advised intends to relocate.This does not apply to sharing publicly available information, translating documents, or generally assisting in the understanding of the relocation process but does apply to giving advice or encouraging action to be taken by the traveler or family being assisted.

Volunteers and organizations within the AfghanEvac ecosystem must not take action that amounts to trafficking.

Integrity in Diligence and Truthful Reporting

#AfghanEvac and coalition member organizations endeavor to be trusted partners, acting legally and ethically at all times. AfghanEvac and coalition member organizations commonly coordinate and communicate our Afghan allies’ personal information to the United States Government in their pursuit of evacuation and resettlement assistance, including visa and other immigration approval processes. Our interactions must be truthful and offered in good faith, both as required by United States’ law and as to ensure that our allies are not negatively impacted by any intentional deception of the United States Government in their evacuation and resettlement.

Integrity in Collaboration

In its commitment to upholding the highest legal and ethical standards, #AfghanEvac will only partner with organizations who attest to have thoroughly vetted membership by organizational  leadership and found to comply with the same high standards. As such, volunteers may neither affirm outside partnerships on behalf of #AfghanEvac, nor work in support thereof, until #AfghanEvac leadership has completed its vetting process and authorized the official relationship.

Coalition member organizations are responsible for vetting the volunteers acting on behalf of their organization within the coalition as well the cases they take on to ensure eligibility for relocation.

Prioritize the Mission

#AfghanEvac, and the coalition of organizations served by it, is proud to be composed of volunteer members who have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and opinions, yet are united by the common purpose of working collectively to evacuate and resettle our Afghan allies and their families. That common purpose is greater than any one individual.

Consequently, volunteer communications which occur on the communication networks and channels created by #AfghanEvac’s leadership to facilitate volunteer activity, including email and Signal, may not be used by volunteers to disseminate their personal viewpoints or unverified information. The purpose of these channels is to facilitate the organization’s mission. The dissemination of information not related to relocation on these channels does not help #AfghanEvac or its volunteers evacuate or resettle Afghan allies or their families, and makes it difficult for volunteers to find and keep track of the information which does further the mission.

Similarly, volunteers may not represent in any outward capacity to any individual(s) or entity/entities that their personal viewpoints are those of #AfghanEvac or coalition affiliated groups.

Integrity and Confidentiality of Information

In coordinating ongoing relocation and resettlement efforts, #AfghanEvac Coalition volunteers routinely gain access to sensitive information involving our allies and larger humanitarian efforts (such as the names, photographs, and locations of Afghan allies and their families or the internal mechanisms for aid delivery programs). The sole purpose of such information-sharing is to strengthen the organization’s capacity for assistance and cross-coordination with similar groups.

To protect the integrity of this information, volunteers may not share or disseminate any data garnered as a result of their relationship to #AfghanEvac, in any form including social media, without the EXPLICIT knowledge and consent of the original source. Such information-sharing shall be undertaken with the highest commitment to the security of our allies and work processes. All members of #AfghanEvac are required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement which may be consulted for further information.

Fostering a Safe and Prosperous Community

The coordination of ongoing relocation and resettlement efforts is arduous and mentally exhausting work. As such, #AfghanEvac has a commitment to ensuring an environment that promotes resilience for members and a positive experience for all coalition members. All participants in #AfghanEvac communications channels, meetings, and events are expected to assume positive intent, critique ideas rather than people, and treat colleagues with dignity and respect at all times and in both public and private settings.

In some cases, it may become necessary for volunteers to take a “compassionate pause” due to their observed behavior and as determined by #AfghanEvac leadership. The sole purpose of this pause, which may be imposed voluntarily, is to give space for volunteers to take some down time to recover and ensure their trauma is not impacting others in the coalition.  

In no cases will harassment be tolerated. Harassment is any unwanted behavior, physical or verbal (or even suggested), that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed. 

Data sharing

Organizations within the #AfghanEvac coalition shall share all case and atrocity reporting information for the purposes of deduplication and validation with #AfghanEvac who shares it with relevant parties in the U.S. Government.

APPENDIX

ENFORCEMENT OF STANDARDS

Submitting Trust Reports
Anyone may submit a report through the Trust form (afghanevac.org/trust) or through trust@afghanevac.org. These reports go directly to the President, Board Chair, Secretary, and Chief Privacy Officer for investigation and for transparency, in the event that the report is about one of those three people.

The subject of a trust report may never participate in the investigation and members of their organization must also recuse themselves. If the Trust report is about an AfghanEvac team member, the balance of the review committee must consist of outside entities from the Executive Advisory Committee.

Trust reports may be submitted anonymously; however, if you want someone to follow-up with you, please provide contact information. Evidence of the activity or behavior (screenshots / video) is helpful and may be necessary to validate the claim.

We commit to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of reports within the requirements of the law, and all information is kept secure. We will, however, report illegal conduct to appropriate authorities.

Immediate action options

President has authority to temporarily suspend members pending review, in rare instances where they deem the suspension necessary to the health of the community or the reported party.

Permanent removal requires zoom or in person meeting discussion. Other outcomes may be decided via electronic communications

Reasons for removal

●        Violation of coalition commitments

●        Causing harm to Afghans

●        Poor treatment of fellow volunteers

●        Active and continual disruption

●        Inactivity

Review committee composition

●        Three to five members

○        One or two each from the internal team and executive advisory team

■        Not the President or Board Chair

●        Others as situation dictates

Appeals

Appeals will generally not be considered as complete information should be available during the course of the investigation. If extenuating circumstances exist, or new information becomes available, an appeal request may be submitted along with supporting documentation to trust@afghanevac.org which will be reviewed by the Board of Directors for reconsideration at their sole discretion.

Trust Reporting Investigation Process 

1. Report comes through trust reporting or incident occurs

2. Review committee investigates

1. Collect and review supporting evidence

2. Interviews with reporter

3. Interviews with key stakeholders

4. Interviews with reported person

5. Determination

1. Founded

2. Unfounded

3. Closed - Undetermined

6. Recommend action

1. Removal of individual

2. Removal of organization from coalition

3. Reprimand in writing to organization and individual

4. Discussion about behavior

5. Founded, but not relevant to coalition

6. Unfounded - no action

3. Zoom meeting with internal team, exec advisory, and review committee

1. Removal requires majority vote of those in attendance

4. Document in writing

5. Notify relevant parties of decision

1. Outcomes only, accusations and findings to be kept confidential

6. Document in database

COALITION COMMITMENTS

 Organizations in our coalition

1.    Share data they have gathered pertaining to people on the ground in Afghanistan in need of assistance with appropriate government partners

2.    Endeavor to be trusted partners, always acting ethically and within the bounds of the law

3.    Do not use US government equipment or assets inappropriately or cause the appearance thereof

4.    Do not share the contents and procedures of
our meetings with the press or on social media

5.    Do not send people outside of Afghanistan without a legal plan for their ultimate disposition

Individuals in our coalition

1.    Prioritize Afghans not egos, there is no time or space for folks who are on a vanity mission.

2.    Treat one another with dignity and respect at all times and in both public and private conversations.

3.    Assume positive intent, not everyone has the same level of experience or approach to crisis.

4.    Act ethically and within the bounds of the law, doing otherwise could jeopardize the future for someone we are trying to help.

5.    Share information that may help other groups but do not spread rumors and misinformation.

6.    Critique ideas rather than people.