Constitution
THE WORLD VETERANS FEDERATION
CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONAL RULES
WVF Credo
«None can speak more eloquently for peace than those who have fought in war.»
—Ralph Bunche, Nobel Peace Prize, 1950
The voices of war veterans are a reflection of the longing for peace of people the world over, who within a generation have twice suffered the unspeakable catastrophe of world war. Humanity has earned the right to peace. Without it, there can be no hope for the future. And without hope, man is lost. The voice of the people must be heeded. They aspire to a richer life in freedom, equality and dignity, as in things material; they pray for peace. Their will for peace and a better life can be, must be, crystallized into an irresistible force against war, aggression and degradation. The people have had to work and sacrifice for wars. They will work more willingly for peace. Let there be a dedicated effort, a greater crusade than history has ever known, for a world of peace, freedom and equality.”
PREAMBLE
We, the war veterans who have fought for the right of self-determination of peoples and so that mankind might live in peace and dignity, resolve to unite in order to actively contribute to the defense of the moral and material interests of the community of veterans and victims of war and their dependents throughout the world, and to the realization of the aims which the United Nations has thus formulated in its Charter:
- To maintain international peace and security, and , to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;
- To develop friendly relations among nations, based on
respect for the principle of equal rights and self- determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; - To achieve international cooperation in solving
international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and - To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
GENERAL STIPULATIONS
Article 1 Name of the organization
1. The name of the organization shall be “The World Veterans Federation” (henceforth referred to as: WVF).
2. The WVF is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization which is independent from governments, non-political and non-sectarian. It does not discriminate on the basis of racial, ethnic, religious, gender or national identities, nor does it allow its members to do so.
Article 2 Aims
The aims of the WVF are:
• to defend the spiritual and material interests of veterans and victims of war and their families by all available legal means;
• to promote international peace and security by the application to the letter and in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and by respecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms set forth in the International Bill of Human Rights and other international instruments;
• to promote the full reintegration of veterans and victims of war in their respective communities by campaigning for the provision of appropriate rehabilitation and other relevant legislation and actions to overcome the physical and psycho-social consequences of armed conflict;
• to further relations of friendship, solidarity, cooperation and partnership among Member Organizations ad Institutions with a view to encouraging the exchange of their expertise and experience in all fields of common interest;
• to promote and maintain the sacred duty of historical remembrance, both national and shared, and to spread its values and its profound significance among all sectors of society so as to establish understanding, rapprochement and solidarity amongst peoples.
Article 3 Seat of the organization
The seat of the WVF is located in Geneva (Switzerland).
It may, following due legal process, be transferred to any other location upon a decision by the Executive Board.
Article 4 Composition
The association consists of:
a) member association, henceforth referred to as “honorary lifetime member, honorary members, ordinary members, associate members”;
b) associations or organizations which support the WVF, henceforth referred to as “companion”
MEMBERSHIP
Article 5 Criteria and application for membership
1) National and international organizations or institutions of veterans and victims of war as defined in the Rules may apply for membership.
2) Legally instituted organizations and corporate bodies which support the aims and objectives of the WVF may be invited to join the WVF as companion members.
Article 6 Responsibilities and rights of members
1) Members agree to subscribe to the present Constitution and Rules of the WVF as well as to its aims, objectives and principles as long as they are members.
2) Honorary lifetime member, honorary members, ordinary members have full membership rights and will pay the prescribed membership dues.
3) Companion and associated members may attend meetings by invitation, may be given the right to speak at meetings, but have no voting rights.
Article 7 Admission
1) All new membership of the WVF may be conferred by the EB and approved by the General Assembly.
Article 8 Withdrawal
An ordinary member may decide to withdraw from the WVF at any time, but shall not be entitled to any reimbursement of paid dues. The organization shall notify the Executive Board, in writing, of such a decision at three months’ notice.
Article 9 Suspension and expulsion
1) If a member fails to comply with the WVF’s Constitution and its Rules or behaves in a manner likely to bring the WVF into disrepute or hinder its normal running, a motion for its suspension may be set down for consideration by the Executive Board. The ordinary member involved will be advised about such a motion and it will be afforded the opportunity to be represented at the relevant meeting of the Executive Board to show cause why the suspension should not be affected.
2) If a member which fails to pay its membership dues for any given year without written consent of the Secretary General can have its membership suspended by decision of the Executive Board. Such suspension will end on the day payment of membership for out-of-date payment for the years that have not been paid is received by the WVF Secretariat.
3) A member may be expelled for good cause from the WVF upon recommendation of the Executive Board. Such a recommendation shall have a suspending effect until the next meeting of the General Assembly, which shall decide on the recommendation by secret ballot. To be approved the recommendation must be passed by the votes of at least a four-fifths majority of the delegation’s present.
RESOURCES
Article 10 Financial resources
The financial resources of the WVF include:
a) dues from members, the amount of which is to be set by each General Assembly for the following years and payable annually in advance on the 31th October in advance for the coming year;
b) all legally authorized public and private subsidies;
c) income from investment
d) any other resources not prohibited by law
ORGANIZATION
Article 11 Elements of the organization
The organization of the WVF consists of the following permanent elements:
• a General Assembly;
• an Executive Board;
• a Secretariat;
• Regional Standing Committees;
• Standing Committee on Women;
• a Financial Committee.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Article 12 Composition
• The General Assembly shall be composed of delegations from the ordinary member organizations and each delegation shall consist of a maximum of three persons.
• Delegations from different ordinary members from the same country will amalgamate into one delegation from that country.
• For ease of reference during the General Assembly each delegation, single or amalgamated, will be referred to by the name of its country of origin
• Each delegation, single or amalgamated, will identify one person as the country representative and spokesman, and another person as alternate country representative. Their names will be submitted to the Secretary General at the start of the General Assembly.
• The members of the Executive Board shall attend the meetings of the General Assembly and they may participate in the deliberations but cannot vote.
• Associate members may be invited to attend the meetings of the General Assembly, they may be given the right to speak and vote by the Chair.
Article 13 Authority and functions
• The General Assembly is the supreme authority of the WVF. It shall be responsible for the achievement of the aims of this Constitution and shall deal with matters of interest to the WVF, in accordance with the provisions set forth therein.
• It shall elect the President, the Deputy President, the Treasurer General and the members and alternate members of the Financial Committee, who shall remain in office until the end of the next meeting of the General Assembly. It shall further ratify the ex officio appointment of the Chairpersons of the Regional Standing Committees and the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women as Vice Presidents of the WVF, who shall remain in office on the Executive Board as long as they hold their posts as Chairpersons.
• It shall adopt the audited accounts of the WVF and approve the forecast budget for the next 3 years.
• It shall set the scale of the membership dues for the following years on proposal from the Executive Board.
• It may decide to confer honorary titles upon the recommendation of the Executive Board.
Article 14 Meetings
1. The General Assembly shall meet at least once every three calendar years in ordinary session.
2. The General Assembly in ordinary session shall be convened by letter on at least six months notice by the Executive Board which shall also distribute at the same time the provisional agenda it has prepared.
3. After examination of proposals received for the date and place of the next General Assembly in ordinary session the Executive Board will decide on the same.
4. Extra-ordinary meetings may be held upon the decision of the Executive Board or at the request of ordinary member organizations representing at least one-third of the total number of votes that can be cast according to Article 15, paragraph 1). A request for the holding of a special meeting must be filed with the Executive Board at least ninety days in advance of the desired date of the meeting.
Article 15 Voting
1. For all matters on which a vote shall be taken by the General Assembly each single and each amalgamated delegation shall be entitled to one vote.
2. The quorum necessary for a valid vote in the General Assembly shall be two-thirds of the total number of delegations, single or amalgamated, present at the General Assembly.
3. Unless otherwise provided, decisions shall require a simple majority.
4. Proxy voting is not permitted.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Article 16 Composition
1) The Executive Board shall be composed of the President, the Deputy President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer General, and Vice-Presidents the Chairpersons of the Regional Standing Committees and the Standing Committee on Women who have been duly ratified in office.
Article 17 Authority and responsibility
1. The Executive Board shall be responsible to the General Assembly for the general management of the WVF and shall have the necessary powers.
2. It shall submit to each General Assembly audited Balance Sheets and Statements of Income and Expenditure for each of the three preceding years and a budget for the next three years.
3. It shall be responsible to the General Assembly for the proper use of the funds and the preservation of assets of the WVF.
4. It shall submit to each General Assembly a report on the activities of the WVF over the three years preceding the General Assembly.
5. It shall propose to the General Assembly the scale of membership dues for the following 3 years.
6. The decisions of the Executive Board shall be binding in regard to acquisitions, exchanges or transfers of property necessary for pursuing the aims of the WVF: raising mortgages or collateral securities, making any loans, entering into commitments, discharging obligations including the discharge of mortgages and empowering the President to carry out the said operations in its name.
7. It shall have the authority to establish and to dissolve the Regional Standing Committees as well as the Standing Committee on Women, to approve the Rules defining the modality of their operations and it shall monitor and review their activities.
8. It may establish Special Committees for the study of any matters relating to the activities of the WVF.
9. It may recommend to the General Assembly that it confer specific honorary titles or rewards on indicated persons, organizations and/or institutions working for the same causes, ideals and principles as the WVF.
Article 18 Meetings
1. The Executive Board shall meet on the call of the President or on the request of five of its members, but at least once per calendar year.
2. The quorum required for validity of deliberations shall consist of five of its members. If less than five members are present, a second meeting will be convened within three months with the same agenda and the number present at that meeting shall be considered to be the quorum.
3. If a decision requires a vote, it shall be taken by a simple majority of the members present and voting. In the event of equality of votes, the vote cast by the President shall be decisive.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Article 19 The President
1. The President shall convene and preside over the meetings of the Executive Board and over the General Assembly.
2. He shall represent the WVF, as appropriate. In particular, he shall have the authority to represent the WVF in all civil acts and to go to court in the name of the WVF.
3. The President may, within the constraints of the law, concede the delegation of powers necessary for the good functioning of the WVF.
Article 20 The Deputy President
1. The Deputy President shall assist the President in the execution of his duties.
2. He shall deputize for the President in the case of unavailability. In the case of the vacancy of this post, he shall assume the presidency until the next General Assembly.
Article 21 The Vice-Presidents / Chairmen of the Regional Standing Committees
1. Being Chairman of the Regional Standing Committee of his region of origin each Vice- President shall be responsible for the functioning and activities of the relevant Regional Standing Committee. He shall convey to the Executive Board the points of view, concerns, needs and wishes of the Standing Committee and shall ensure their follow-up.
2. Vice-Presidents may represent the WVF and may be given specific tasks by decision of the President or the Executive Board.
Article 22 The Vice-President/Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women
1. The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women shall be responsible for the functioning and activities of the Standing Committee on Women and for coordinating the activities of the Working Groups on Women established by the Regional Standing Committees. The Chairperson shall convey to the Executive Board the points of view, concerns, needs and wishes of the Standing Committee, and shall ensure their follow-up.
2. The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women may represent the WVF, and may be given specific tasks by decision of the President or the Executive Board.
Article 23 The Secretary General
1. The Secretary General shall be responsible for the secretarial function of the WVF, in accordance with the relevant guidelines and decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Board.
2. He shall be responsible for the organization of the Secretariat, for the hiring and firing of personnel, for the administration of the Federation and shall authorize expenditure within the limits of the budget approved by the Executive Board. In connection with such matters he shall make all relevant decisions and sign all administrative documents.
3. He shall be responsible for the Public Relations function of the WVF and to this end, shall have the necessary powers.
4. He shall assist the Treasurer General in the preparation of the budget.
5. The SG should be appointed by the EB and may be remunerated.
Article 24 The Treasurer General
1. The Treasurer General shall be responsible for the financial affairs in accordance with the relevant guidelines and decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Board.
2. He shall be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget and for its presentation to the Executive Board for approval.
3. He shall be responsible for ensuring that statements of accounts of the assets of the WVF are kept. Furthermore, he shall ensure that the accounts are prepared for auditing.
4. In conjunction with the Executive Board, he shall be responsible for the dissemination to all WVF Member Organisations of the Annual Fiscal and Auditor’s Report as soon
as they are approved by the Financial Committee, the EB and the GA.
5. He shall initiate appropriate action upon any recommendations of the Financial Committee.
Article 25 Remuneration
The members of the Executive Board shall not be remunerated by the WVF.
THE REGIONAL STANDING COMMITTEES AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON WOMEN.
Article 26 Composition
1. The Regional Standing Committees and the Standing Committee on Women shall be established and can be dissolved by the Executive Board.
2. Each Regional Standing Committee shall be composed of representatives from the ordinary member organizations from the relevant geographical region. Each Standing Committee will elect its Chairman and a Vice-chairman from among its members.
3. The Standing Committee on Women shall be composed of the designated representatives on women’s affairs from the member organizations and the Chairpersons of the Working Groups on Women established within the Regional Standing Committees. It shall elect its Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson from among its members.
Article 27 Rules of Procedure
The Regional Standing Committees and the Standing Committee on Women shall draw up rules defining the modalities of their operation. The Rules shall be submitted to the Executive Board for approval.
Article 28 Activities of the Regional Standing Committees
1. The Regional Standing Committees shall carry out their activities in their respective regions in conformity with the Constitutional aims of the WVF, their Terms of Reference as defined by the Executive Board and the resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly.
2. The recommendations adopted by the Regional Standing Committees shall be transmitted to the Executive Board for further action.
Article 29 Activities of the Standing Committee on Women
1. The activities of the Standing Committee on Women shall be in accordance with the purpose for which it was established and in conformity with the constitutional aims of the WVF, its Terms of Reference as defined by the Executive Board and the Resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly.
2. The Recommendations adopted by the Standing Committee on Women shall be transmitted to the Executive Board for consideration and further action.
THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
Article 30 Composition
1. The Financial Committee shall consist of three members elected by the General Assembly, which will also elect three alternate members.
2. No member of the Executive Board shall be eligible to serve on the Financial Committee.
Article 31 Functions and activities
1. The Financial Committee shall appoint its own Chairman.
2. It shall meet at least four months in advance of each regular meeting of the General Assembly for the purpose of verifying and examining the audited financial accounts and financial report submitted by the Treasurer General. It shall submit its report to the Secretariat in time for it to be distributed to the member organizations with the agenda at least two months before the meeting of the General Assembly.
APPLICATION AND AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Article 32 Amendments to the Constitution
1. This constitution may be amended by the General Assembly by a majority of at least two- thirds of the votes cast.
2. Any proposed amendment, in formal draft and accompanied by supporting statements, shall be in the hands of the Executive Board at least six months before the opening of the General Assembly, and shall be communicated by the Executive Board to the ordinary members at least three months before the opening of that Assembly.
CONSTITUTIONAL RULES
Article 33 Purpose of and amendments to the Constitutional Rules
1) Rules for carrying out the provisions of this Constitution, called “Constitutional Rules”, shall be established by the Executive Board and submitted to the General Assembly for adoption.
2) The Constitutional Rules may be amended by the General Assembly. All proposed amendments to these Rules shall be submitted to the General Assembly in accordance with the established procedures concerning the submission of resolutions.
DISSOLUTION AND DISPOSITION OF ASSETS
Article 34 Dissolution and disposition of assets
1. Dissolution of the Federation may be proclaimed only by a four-fifths majority of the delegations registered at an Extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly convened for that purpose.
2. The General Assembly will decide on the disposition of the net assets and designate one or more liquidators responsible for carrying out the liquidation.
3. The General Assembly shall make the decisions concerning the disposition of the assets, which shall be transferred to one or more non-profit organizations whose aims are similar to those of the WVF.
GENERAL STIPULATIONS
(Chapter 1 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 2 of the Constitution
1. The WVF recognizes as “veteran” any individual who, according to the laws of the country of which he is a citizen or in which he resides is recognized as “war veteran” or “veteran”.
2. In cases where relevant legislation does not exist the WVF considers as “veteran” any individual who:
– as a member of an organized military body or a duly recognized non- military movement or organization participated in armed hostilities;
– served in United Nations Peace-Support Operations or in similar operations under the auspices of the United Nations, NATO and other similar international political or military treaty organizations.
3. For the purposes of the WVF “victims of war” are:
– all those who, as civilians, were affected by armed conflict, suffer consequential disablement and are recognized as “war victims” or “victims of war” in their national legislation ;
– the dependants of persons killed in acts of war or who die from their service- connected disablement.
MEMBERSHIP
(Chapter 2 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 5 of the Constitution
1. Each application for ordinary membership shall be examined by the Executive Board with particular attention to the following factors:
a) Whether the aims, principles and methods of the applying organization and/or institution are consistent and in agreement with those of the WVF;
b) The organizational structure, method of election of officers, method of admitting members, membership dues, system of representation, availability of permanent headquarters/secretariat;
c) Ability to pay WVF membership dues;
d) The relationship with the national government;
e) Whether non-veterans or persons who are not victims of war are admitted as members, and if so, the percentage of those within the total membership;
f) Whether the applying organization and/or institution, by constitution or practice, is subject to the discipline of another international organization;
g) Whether affiliation of these organizations and/or institutions by or to other bodies is permitted by constitution. If considered necessary for reasons of clarification the Executive Board may decide that an on-the-spot investigation must be instituted, the details of which will be specified on a case-by-case basis.
2. In the case of an application for ordinary membership by an organization and/or institution from a country already represented in the WVF by one or more ordinary members, such application, after a preliminary examination by the Executive Board, shall be submitted to the member organizations and/or institutions of that country for their opinion. This opinion shall be limited to the nature of the applying organization as a veterans’ organization and/or institution and information of an administrative nature. The opinion given shall be only of an advisory nature.
3. Applying organizations, pending their admission to ordinary membership, may, upon a decision of the Executive Board, be included in the relevant mailing list of the Secretariat.
Refers to Article 6 of the Constitution
1. All ordinary members shall notify the Secretariat in writing of any changes in their Constitution or in the nature of their membership.
2. The Secretariat will submit such information to the Executive Board, which will judge whether the changes are of a nature that may call into question the qualification for membership of the WVF of the organization concerned and if they might justify the application of Article 9, paragraph 4.
RESOURCES (Chapter 3 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 10 of the Constitution
1. The Financial Year of the WVF runs from 1st January to 31st December.
2. Each ordinary member organization shall normally contribute to the general funds of the WVF by paying annual dues. The EB shall have the power to fix the dues scales and to vary these from time to time as may be warranted by changing circumstances.
3. The Secretariat shall inform the member organizations in writing no later than early October of each year about the amount of dues for the next year. Ordinary members shall transfer the required amount no later than the 1st of November the year before.
4. In case of an ordinary member being unable to pay its membership dues it shall provide, before the end of November the year before, a written and detailed explanation to the Secretary General, who will consider the situation on the basis of the information and justification provided. Failing this, the organization concerned shall be considered at fault.
5. The Secretary general shall have the authority to request a member organization to pay its outstanding dues by instalments. In exceptional cases it may decide to waive the payment of outstanding dues of a member which, for reasons beyond its control, has been unable to remit the required sum due to the WVF.
ORGANIZATION
(Chapter 4 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 11 of the Constitution
1. The working languages of the WVF and its Secretariat shall be English. All documents and publications of the WVF shall be prepared in English.
2. Members shall not represent the WVF in any executive capacity, unless they have been officially mandated to do so by the President or the Executive Board.
3. Any reference to persons is applicable to both genders
Refers to Article 12 of the Constitution
A member organization of the WVF, which as a result of its affiliation to an international organization belonging to the WVF would be susceptible to be represented at the General Assembly both by its own delegation and in the delegation of the international organization concerned, may be represented only in one of such delegations
Refers to Article 13 of the Constitution
1. All incumbents on the Executive Board and the Financial Committee must announce no later than three months before the opening of a General Assembly in ordinary session whether or not they will be available to continue to serve. This information shall be communicated forthwith to all member organizations.
2. At a General Assembly in ordinary session delegations may submit nominations for the posts of President, Deputy President, Treasurer General and members of the Financial Committee. Such nominations must be submitted in writing, supported by a Curriculum Vitae of the nominee in English and French, to reach the Secretary General no later than midday two working days before the day on which the elections
are scheduled. All nominations and supporting Curriculum Vitae shall be communicated the same day in writing to all delegations. After the deadline no new nominations shall be accepted unless there are not sufficient candidates for the available posts.
The Regional Standing Committees and the Standing Committee on Women shall submit the names of their Chairpersons at the same time.
3. The elections and ratifications shall be conducted as follows and in the given sequence:
a) Executive Board: by secret ballot:
▪ – President;
▪ – Deputy President;
▪ – Treasurer General.
b) Executive Board: ratification of ex officio appointments:
– Chairpersons of the Regional Standing Committees and the Standing Committee on Women as Vice Presidents;
c) Financial Committee: by secret ballot.
• – 3 members
• – 3 alternate members
Candidates are elected by simple majority. In the event of a tie, the election shall be decided by lot.
4. In case the number of nominees does not exceed the number of posts to be filled, the occupant of the Chair of the General Assembly shall, upon the unanimous proposal of the meeting, cast a unanimous vote in favour of the nominee or nominees and no further ballot shall be required.
5. Any candidate not elected for the post to which he was nominated, or any other candidate nominated by the defeated candidate’s delegation, may thereafter be nominated for any other post from the floor of the General Assembly.
Refers to Article 14 of the Constitution
1. Draft resolutions shall be in the hands of the Executive Board at least three months before the General Assembly in ordinary session convenes.
2. Any draft resolution which the Executive Board recommends for withdrawal or amendment shall be returned to the proposers for action. If their reply has not been received at least one month prior to the date of the General Assembly the recommendations of the Executive Board shall be regarded as having been accepted.
3. After the draft resolutions have been examined by a “Resolutions Committee”, the composition and functions of which are determined by the Executive Board, the Board
shall ensure their presentation to the General Assembly. In addition, it shall communicate these draft resolutions to the ordinary members without delay. At the same time it shall send to the ordinary members the documents relevant to the various items of the agenda.
4. A draft resolution which is in the hands of the Executive Board less than three months before the General Assembly shall be presented to the General Assembly only upon approval by a majority vote of the Executive Board and upon the condition that it can be in the hands of the delegations before the opening of the General Assembly.
5. A draft resolution which has not been presented through the prescribed channels may be considered by the General Assembly provided at least a two-thirds majority of the delegations present and voting vote in favour of it being considered..
6. A draft resolution which, in the judgement of the Executive Board, is of such nature that it could cause profound controversy between ordinary members or could be injurious to the best interests of the WVF, shall not be placed on the provisional agenda of the General Assembly, but shall be referred to a special committee appointed by the Executive Board and on which the parties directly concerned shall be represented. This committee shall decide whether the subject is one on which the WVF can properly or usefully take action or which it might properly or usefully consider.
If the committee decides it is not, it shall recommend the withdrawal of the draft resolution.
If however the committee decides it is, the committee shall attempt to draft a resolution on which the parties concerned agree.
Failing such agreement the committee shall submit to the Executive Board a resolution drafted in such a way that it will minimize the risk of controversy. This resolution may be submitted by the Executive Board to the General Assembly concurrently with the initial text if the latter is maintained by its proposers. The Executive Board may indicate that it considers approval of a resolution containing the initial text contrary to the WVF’s principles.
7. The Executive Board shall draw up procedural standing orders for the conduct of the meetings of the General Assembly in ordinary session. These standing orders will be submitted to the General Assembly for approval, as well as proposed amendments.
8. Procedural orders for the conduct of meetings of the General Assembly in extra- ordinary session will be drawn up on a case-by-case basis.
Refers to Article 15 of the Constitution
At the opening of the General Assembly three scrutineers will be appointed from among thedelegates to determine the result of any ballot.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
(Chapter 6 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 16 of the Constitution
1. Being the elected Chairperson of a Regional Standing Committee each Vice-President will come from one of the five regions (Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East).
2. When a Vice-President has to resign from his post as Chairman of a Regional Standing Committee he will automatically lose his post as Vice-President. That post will then be filled by the elected Vice-chairman of the relevant Regional Standing Committee until the next General Assembly. The same applies to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Women.
3. A vacancy on the Executive Board between two meetings of the General Assembly may occur for the following reasons:
• by death; by resignation;
• by modification of statutory relations between the WVF and the ordinary member association to which the incumbent belongs;
• and generally, in all cases where the Executive Board shall find that one of its members no longer has the capacity to exercise his mandate. Should this concern one of the Vice-Presidents the Executive Board shall inform the relevant Standing Committee.
4. When a vacancy occurs on the Executive Board it shall take the necessary measures to ensure the continuity and effective functioning of the Board.
Refers to Article 17 of the Constitution
No public statement on the position of the WVF in respect to any international issue shall be made on behalf of the Executive Board by any of its members without prior consent of the Board.
REGIONAL STANDING COMMITTEES AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON WOMEN
(Chapter 8 of the Constitution)
Refers to Article 27 of the Constitution
1. The rules established by each Committee shall define, amongst other matters, the procedures concerning its functioning and the periodicity of the Committee meetings.
2. A Committee may establish working groups for the study of specific matters.
3. Any matter concerning the functioning of the Committees that is not referred to in the Constitution, the Constitutional Rules or the Rules of the Committee shall be settled in conformity with the usual procedure of the WVF.
THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
(Chapter 9 of the Constitution)
Refers to Articles 30 and 31 of the Constitution
1. The Financial Committee, being composed of the three members, shall be authorized to combine the functions of Chairman and Secretary in one person, who, for practical purposes shall be called the “Rapporteur”.
2. An alternate member shall only be called upon to attend the meeting of the Financial Committee when a member is prevented from attending.