WISE works with incredibly vulnerable groups of people who depend on external support for basic rights such as health and education. The power imbalance is enormous. In an increasingly competitive and media-savvy world, we may be tempted to showcase our work through sleek communications, but we must do so while respect the dignity of the communities we work with.
Therefore, we are committed to a thoughtful and responsible approach to our external communications.
Core values
The values that underlie our policy are:
Respect for the dignity of the people concerned;
Belief in the equality of all people;
Need to promote fairness, solidarity, and justice.
We recognise that failure to embody these values could lead to:
Harm to the people concerned and the communities they represent;
Increased risks of lawsuits and difficulty in defending a lawsuit;
Potential financial costs such as lawsuits and withdrawal of funding;
Potential reputational costs as a result of complaints or lawsuits.
Ethical principles
Principle
Considerations
Autonomy
How do I respect a person's right to decline or consent to share their story or photo?
How do I handle informed consent?
Do no harm (Non-maleficence)
Am I communicating stories and images that respect and do not harm the individuals involved?
Do good (Beneficence)
What is my intention in interviewing this person and/or taking their photo?
How can my stories and images be meaningful while doing no harm to the individuals involved?
Fidelity
Are my stories and images used in a context that fairly represents the situation, individuals involved, and location?
How am I properly crediting the authors, photographers, and subjects?
