About IWGIAIWGIA's Statutes
The text of IWGIA's Statutes is reproduced below in full
IWGIA STATUTES
General
1. The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) is a politically independent, non-profit international human rights organisation.
2. IWGIA is a membership organisation. Place of registration is Denmark. The Secretariat is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. IWGIA’s financial year follows the calendar year.
Objective
3. The aim of IWGIA is to defend and promote the rights of indigenous peoples in concurrence with their own efforts and aspirations. This is done by:
- documenting and disseminating information about indigenous peoples;
- advocating the rights of indigenous peoples in national and international fora;
- supporting human rights projects and other forms of activities with a view to strengthen indigenous peoples and their organizations at the local, national and international level.
International Membership
4. IWGIA has an international membership base and a broad international network.
5. Any person committed to IWGIA’s objectives and willing to support its work can become a member.
6. Any organisation, institution, association or interest group supporting IWGIA’s objectives and wishing to support the work of IWGIA can, after approval by IWGIA’s board, become an institutional member.
7. Members shall not be held personally liable for debts or liabilities incurred by IWGIA.
8. The Board can establish other types of memberships.
9. Membership fees are determined by the Board and follow the calendar year.
10. Memberships are registered with the Secretariat.
11. The Board can decide to exclude members of the organisation if they are deemed to act in ways contrary to the objectives of the organisation, or do not pay their membership fee.
12. Every second year, all members are called for a Members’ Meeting where members get the opportunity to express their views with regard to the work of the Board and the organization. The Members’ Meeting has consultative status and is an advisory body to the Board.
Governing structure
13. The International Board (the Board) is the highest governing body of the organisation.
14. The Chairperson’s signature binds IWGIA’s activities. In case of the Chairperson’s absence, the Vice-chairperson will take over the Chairperson’s duties.
15. The executive body of the organisation is the International Secretariat (the Secretariat), which is headed by the Executive Director and the Vice-Director who both are accountable to the Board in all matters relating to the day-to-day management of the Secretariat.
The Board
Composition
16. The Board has a membership of 7 and is composed as follows:
- 3 members are elected by and among all registered members.
- 1 member is elected by and among the permanently or contractually employed staff in the Secretariat.
- 3 members are appointed by the Board in order to supplement and strengthen the Board’s expertise on aspects of importance to the organization and its work.
17. The Executive Director of the Secretariat is the secretary of the Board. In the case of his/her absence the Vice Director acts as secretary of the Board.
Responsibilities of the Board
18. The Board is responsible for IWGIA’s overall policy and the financial affairs of the organisation and shall approve transactions of overall importance for the management and development of the organization. Under no circumstances, except when expressly provided by law, shall the members of the Board be held personally liable for debts or liabilities incurred by IWGIA.
19. Members of the Board are expected to provide specialised information and knowledge about their respective fields of expertise and to contribute to the promotion of IWGIA’s mission in relevant fora´.
20. Board members serve in their own personal capacity.
21. The Board meets at least twice a year. The Executive (ref.: Art. 42) may call for additional meetings as needed. Additional meetings are conducted via electronic media. In the interim periods between Board meetings, urgent matters are dealt with by the Executive.
22. The agenda of the Board meetings will include but not be limited to the following items:
- Reports on current work of IWGIA
- Future work programme
- Report on the financial situation
- Other relevant policy issues
- Report from Board members
- Date for the next board meeting
23. The Board approves the annual accounts and the annual budget.
24. The Board appoints the auditor general, who shall be a State-Authorized Public Accountant.
25. The Board appoints the Executive Director and the Vice-Director.
26. Decisions are usually made according to consensus. If consensus is not reached a vote will be taken. Voting is made by simple majority (except in case of dissolution of the organisation) and in case of equal votes the Chairperson’s vote is decisive.
27. The Board forms a quorum when more than half of the Board is present.
28. It is the responsibility of the Board to call for elections and for the biannual Members’ Meeting.
The Secretariat
29. IWGIA's daily work is coordinated by the Secretariat. The Secretariat works on a co-operative basis with the ultimate responsibility and decision-making in the hands of the Management Group composed by the Executive Director and the Vice Director. The financial officer, has, in cooperation with the Vice Director, the responsibility for keeping the accounts, drafting the budget and reporting on financial issues to the Board.
30. All the positions in the Secretariat, with the exception of the Executive Director and the Vice-Director who are employed by the Board, are nominated by the Executive Director.
31. The Secretariat is responsible for communicating with the members.
Election
Time Frame
32. Board members are elected or appointed for a three-year period. Elections take place on staggered terms so that one position is up for election each year. The Board appoints one Board member each year. The Secretariat elects its representative to the Board every three years. Incumbent Board members can be re-elected or re-appointed for a maximum of two more consecutive terms.
33. All appointments and elections to the Board take place in November every year. All elections are made by ballot.
Voting Rights - members
34. All members who are registered when the election is called, can vote.
35. The election is called by the Secretariat. Notice of the election and call for candidates is given via e-mail to all members no later than four weeks before the election is called.
Eligibility
36. All Individual registered members are eligible for election to the Board if they have been recommended by three members.
37. The name of a candidate including his/her signature and that of three recommending members must reach the Secretariat in writing no later than two weeks before the election is called.
38. Each candidate must provide a short CV and the basis for his/her candidature. Guidelines for candidates will stipulate further details.
Election procedures
39. Voting ballots and the names and presentation of the candidates are sent by e-mail to all members no later than one week before election day.
40. Each member has as many votes as the number of positions to be filled in the election. A voting member can only give one vote to one candidate.
41. The candidates with most votes are elected to become Board members.
42. The result of the election is announced by the Chair at the first Board meeting after the election and communicated to the members immediately afterwards.
Constitution of the Board
43. The Board constitutes itself annually during its first meeting. The Chair and Vice-Chair make up the Executive. The position of Chair person or the Vice-Chair person cannot be occupied by the elected staff representative.
44. In the case that a Board member leaves before his/her period expires or that he/she is absent from two (2) consecutive Board meetings, the Board can decide to appoint a replacement member who will serve as a Board member until the next regularly-scheduled election. The Board may also decide to call for an extraordinary election if several positions become vacant.
Amendments
45. Amendments to IWGIA’s statutes can be made provided that they are submitted in writing to the Board one month before a Board meeting and if two thirds of the Board agree to them. The new statutes must be approved by the members in writing. The changes are adopted when a simple majority of the votes cast are in favor.
Dissolution
46. Dissolution of the organisation can only be effected/decided provided that a written warning of three months has been given to the Board and two thirds of the Board are in agreement. Should this be the case, the Board shall decide by simple majority how the organisation’s funds should be used taking into consideration that funds should go to one or more organisations or individuals working on a non-commercial basis for the protection of indigenous peoples’ political, economic and social rights.
Coming into force
47. The present statutes came into force on 01.06.2011 and replace the statutes dated 7 February 2004, 27 May 2000, 28 May 1994, December 1989, 1 June 1985, 20 February 1981 and 10 March 1978, the latter having replaced the rules and directives that had been in force since IWGIA started its activity following its constitution during the International Congress of Americanists in August, 1968.
Signed by the Board
01.06.2011