Statutes of the Vienna NGO Committee on the Status of Women

1. The aims of the Committee are:

• To facilitate the activities of non-governmental organisations represented at the United Nations in Vienna, which are interested in questions relating to the Status of Women;
• To convene meetings and to act as a forum for the exchange of information and views on matters of common interest;
• To facilitate liaison with UN Women.

Membership

2. Membership of the Committee is open to:

• NGOs having Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, in Category General, Special and the Roster, by action of the Council, which have a permanent representative accredited to the United Nations (Vienna);
• NGOs placed on the Roster by action of the Secretary-General, which have a permanent representative accredited to the United Nations (Vienna);
• NGOs placed on the Roster by virtue of their consultative status with specialised agencies or other United Nations bodies, which have a permanent representative accredited to the United Nations (Vienna);
• Admission to the Committee requires an application being submitted to the chairperson and approved by the Board;
• The full membership dues have to be paid on an annual basis. If a member is in arrear of payment, the treasurer shall send a written reminder. If a member is in arrear of payment by a total of two years, the membership ceases automatically.

Structure

3. The Committee consists of:

• The Member Organisations
• The Board
• The Officers
• The Auditors.

Committee

4. The Committee shall normally meet regularly, at least three times during the year. The Committee shall determine the date and place of meetings. The Board may convene the Committee sooner, or may postpone convening the Committee. However, at the request of one-third of the member organisations of the Committee, the Board shall convene the Committee within two weeks of the time such a request is received.

5. The Committee shall review its activities since the previous meeting, shall review the state of liaison between UN Women and other relevant UN bodies dealing with matters concerning women and NGOs and shall maintain close contact with other NGO groupings, especially the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York and the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, Geneva.

6. The Committee shall elect the Board and its Officers from among the representatives of member organisations.

7. The Committee shall decide on the amount of membership dues and approve the budget of the Committee.

8. Observers at the Committee may be invited by the Board from:

• NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, which are not member organisations of the Committee;
• National associations and international NGOs, not having consultative status with ECOSOC, but having expertise in the field of the status of women;
• Representatives of the UN system;
• Representatives of Governments.

9. The Committee may establish Sub or Ad Hoc Committees of the Committee at the request of five or more member organisations. When such a decision has been taken to establish such a Sub or Ad Hoc Committee, the Board shall notify the member organisations and invite them to an initial meeting.

Board

10. The Board of the Committee shall consist of the Chairperson, the First Vice-Chairperson, the Second Vice-Chairperson, the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, the Treasurer and the Deputy Treasurer and a maximum of four other members, and the Chairpersons of Sub or Ad Hoc Committees.

• The Board shall draw up the agenda of the Committee meetings and submit proposals to the Committee for adoption by consensus.
• The Board shall propose the disbursement of funds to the Committee for its decision.
• Only one person per organisation shall be eligible for membership on the Board.

Officers

11. The following shall be Officers of the Committee:

• Chairperson
• First Vice-Chairperson
• Second Vice-Chairperson
• Secretary
• Deputy Secretary
• Treasurer
• Deputy Treasurer.

12. The Chairperson shall convene and preside over meetings and maintain communications with other NGO Committees, competent groups interested in the problems of the status of women and with representatives of the UN system. He/she shall represent the Committee as and when required.

13. The First or Second Vice-Chairperson shall, in the absence of the Chairperson, act on his/her behalf.

14. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Committee, a record of membership and records of attendance at meetings. The Secretary shall arrange for distribution of the minutes of each meeting and other written material to the member organisations and to such persons or organisations as the Committee may decide.

15. The Deputy Secretary shall in the absence of the Secretary act on her/his behalf.

16. The Treasurer shall receive the membership dues and other contributions and be responsible for all disbursements and the maintenance of accounts. In the absence of the Treasurer the Deputy Treasurer shall act on her/his behalf.

Conduct of meetings

17. Decisions shall be normally by consensus except at the request of any member on specific questions. A quorum shall consist of at least one-third of the member organisations.

18. Where it is necessary to vote, each member organisation shall have one vote. There shall be no provision for absentee voting.

Matters of Substance

19. Any statement of the Committee on matters of substance must be signed by each member organisation with the approval of their headquarters. Such matters shall include in particular recommendations or statements of positions to be adopted in the name of the Committee.

Elections

20. A Nominating Sub-Committee shall invite nominations for election to the Board. Members of the Nominating Sub-Committee cannot stand for election. The Nominating Sub-Committee shall prepare a list of candidates who have been nominated. The report of the Nominating Sub-Committee shall be circulated to all member organisations of the Committee at least four weeks in advance of the election date. Nominations may also be made from the floor.

21. The Officers of the Committee and the other board members shall be elected for a term of two years and no person shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

22. Two auditors shall be appointed for a period of two years from among those members who are not members of the Board. They can be re-appointed once.

23. The election of the Board Members of the Committee shall be by a majority of member organisations with fully paid-up memberships, present and voting.

Amendments

24. A proposal to amend these Statutes may be made by a member organisation. Only the Committee can decide upon such a proposal.

25. Proposed amendments shall be notified to the Chairperson and shall be circulated to all member organisations of the Committee at least four weeks before its next meeting. In order to take effect, a proposed amendment must be ratified by a two-third majority of those present and voting in the Committee.

As amended and adopted on May 5, 2011.