Safeguarding policy

SENTRI is built for legitimate community safety. We are committed to protecting the welfare of all platform users, particularly vulnerable individuals including children, elderly residents, and people in crisis. We take all safeguarding concerns seriously and act promptly on any report of misuse.

This policy applies to all SENTRI users, coordinators, partner organisations, and staff. It covers use of the SENTRI app, dashboard, and any in-person training or onboarding activities carried out in association with the pilot programme.

SENTRI may only be used for legitimate, community-sanctioned safety purposes. Specifically prohibited uses include: • Using alert infrastructure to target, intimidate, or discriminate against individuals or groups. • Distributing alerts that incite panic, violence, or vigilante action. • Using incident reports to surveil or monitor individuals without authorisation. • Collecting or forwarding welfare check-in data for any purpose outside coordinated emergency response. Any suspected unlawful use will be reported to the relevant Nigerian law enforcement authorities.

We recognise that community safety platforms can, if misused, be used to harm vulnerable people. Our safeguards include: • Welfare check-in data is visible only to coordinators authorised by the community — not to other residents. • No personally identifiable information is shown in community-wide alerts. • The platform does not expose home addresses, movement patterns, or routine information about individuals. • SMS fallback is designed to be inclusive, not to create a "watched" list.

If you believe SENTRI is being used in a way that harms or could harm a vulnerable person, or that breaches this policy: Email: support@sentrinetwork.org with the subject "Safeguarding concern" Response time: we aim to acknowledge all reports within 24 hours and investigate within 5 working days. If there is immediate risk to life, contact the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on 0800-CALL-NEMA or your local emergency services (112).

All coordinators (Ward Leads, Estate Coordinators, Zone Managers) are required to: • Complete the Data Privacy for Coordinators training module (S-05) before exercising alert powers. • Acknowledge this Safeguarding Policy when accepting their coordinator role. • Report any incident in which SENTRI data is accessed, shared, or used inappropriately. Failure to comply with this policy will result in coordinator privileges being revoked pending investigation.

SENTRI accounts are for individuals aged 18 and over. SENTRI does not knowingly collect personal data from persons under 18. If we become aware that a minor has created an account, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who become aware of underage registration should contact support@sentrinetwork.org.

All safeguarding concerns are reviewed by a designated safeguarding lead within the SENTRI pilot team. Their details are available on request by emailing support@sentrinetwork.org.

This policy is reviewed at least annually or in response to any significant safeguarding incident. The current version will always be published at sentrinetwork.org/safeguarding.