The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) announced this month the official launch of its CAF Safeguarding Toolkit, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the protection, welfare and rights of children and vulnerable persons across African football.
According to cafonline, Safeguarding Toolkit was launched as part of “Protect the Dream” initiative to address the need for a clear and consistent safeguarding framework across African football. It provides federations, clubs and football academies with practical guidance on safeguarding policies, risk prevention, reporting mechanisms, and response procedures.
This continental-wide initiative forms part of the broader vision of CAF President Patrice Motsepe of promoting integrity, responsibility, and excellence in African football.
As reported by CAF, the newly launched toolkit will be delivered through a hybrid model combining online and on-site engagement, starting off in Liberia as the first nation to launch the pilot phase of the programme scheduled for this month.
The toolkit includes clear safeguarding principles and defined roles and responsibilities, guidance on risk identification and mitigation, codes of conduct for staff, officials, volunteers and participants, reporting procedures and case management pathways, awareness, education, and capacity-building resources.
By offering adaptable templates and implementation guidance, the toolkit enables football stakeholders to embed safeguarding into daily operations, events, and competitions.
“Safeguarding in football is not optional; it is fundamental to the future of African football,” CAF Member Associations Director Sarah Mukuna said.
“The toolkit is designed to support our member associations, clubs and academies with clear, practical and effective tools to protect children and vulnerable persons. Under the vision of the CAF president, we are committed to ensuring that African football is played and managed in environments that are safe, respectful and accountable,” Mukuna said.
CAF’s safeguarding toolkit further underscores the governing body of African football’s firm commitment to upholding the highest standards of governance, protection and integrity, and reinforces its strategic objective of playing a leading role in strategically using African football’s powerful force for social impact.
Since its 2022 launch, the CAF Safeguarding Programme under the CAF IMPACT Programme, has become a cornerstone of CAF’s ongoing commitment to protecting children and vulnerable persons involved in African football.
The programme is to be piloted in selected member associations to provide clubs and football academies with guidance on safeguarding policies.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 26 February, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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