Elayn M Sammon

Elayn is a former NGO leader and UNICEF staff member who, since 2015, has been consulting on social policy (child protection, social protection, health, education) in low and middle-income countries, fragile states and humanitarian contexts.

With a primary focus on gender-sensitive and inclusive protection, safeguarding is integral to her work. She can demonstrate a track-record in in design and execution of inclusive community-based protection systems, including institutional workforce development and capacity building. With extensive experience in social policy research where children and young people and other vulnerable groups have been involved, Elayn has developed protocols for approval by internal and external ethical review boards, ensuring that appropriate preventive and responsive safeguarding measures are in place.

During her early career she specialised in working with people with disabilities, and has carried this learning and experience into her current consultancy work, ensuring that the voice and needs of people with disabilities is integrated in all work, and with particular reference to safeguarding their rights and interests.

Recently and specifically safeguarding-related she has worked with the DFID Social Protection Approaches to COVID-19 Expert Advice Helpline with a focus on gender equality and inclusion of people with disabilities; was a member of the research team for the UNHCR Evaluative Review of Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), was Team Lead for the design of Mozambique’s social welfare system, as part of the national social security strategy, and has been a Member of the Panel of Experts for the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children Fund and the Education Cannot Wait Fund.

Elayn has extensive experience of liaison, advocacy and lobbying with grass roots community groups and at senior government level in a range of contexts in Europe and Central Asia, East and Southern Africa, East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia regions.