WFDB

WFDB Constitution

Constitution of the World Federation of the Deafblind

adopted by the Founding General Assembly, in Auckland, New Zealand, 11-12 October, 2001

Download as .rtf file

Article 1: NAME, LEGAL FORM, REGISTERED ADDRESS AND DEFINITION

1.1 This association is called the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB).

It is a non governmental, charitable and non-profit making world wide organisation.

1.2 The association must have at least one legally registered address in a National membership country.

1.3 Deafblindness is a unique disability, caused by a combination of severe auditive and visual impairments.

1.4 WFDB is the legitimate voice of the deafblind population in the world.

Article 2: RELATIONSHIPS:

2.1 WFDB establishes and maintains close relationships with The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), the World Blind Union (WBU), Deafblind International (DbI), The International Disability Alliance (IDA), all relevant United Nations organisations and institutions and with regional offices of international organisations whose aims are in accordance with those of WFDB and its members.

Article 3: AIMS AND FUNCTIONS

3.1 The aim of WFDB is to improve the quality of life of deafblind people world wide, with the objective of achieving their equal rights and equal opportunities in all areas of society, to be a world wide forum for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the area of deafblindness, and to increase international solidarity among deafblind people's organisations.

3.2 Functions of WFDB:

  1. to promote social inclusion and equal participation in all areas of society
  2. to ensure accessibility to all areas of society
  3. to promote improvements in the field of education, rehabilitation and

employment of deafblind people

  1. to combat discrimination of deafblind people
  2. to promote guide interpreters and other services for all deafblind people
  3. to raise awareness of deafblindness as a unique disability
  4. to promote and support the establishment of national deafblind organisations
  5. to support national deafblind organisations
  6. to publish newsletters and other material
  7. to implement necessary measures to achieve the aims of WFDB

Article 4: MEMBERSHIP

4.1 WFDB has two (2) forms of membership:

  1. National Members and
  2. Special Members.

Applications for membership must be made to the Executive Council. In case of rejection the applicant can request a decision by General Assembly.

4.2 National members represent the deafblind population of their country. Each country can only have one national member. Each National member elects one National representative, who must be a deafblind person.

4.3 National members have the right to participate in all WFDB activities. On General Assembly National representatives have the right to speak and the right to vote.

4.4 Special Membership can be divided into four (4) categories of membership: Individual membership, Honorary membership, Associate membership and Sponsoring membership.

Special members have the right to participate in all WFDB activities Unless they are Elected officers, they have no right to vote in General Assembly.

4.5 Individual Members are deafblind people who are not representing the deafblind population of the country, they live in. Individual members have the right to speak in general assembly.

4.6 Honorary Members are chosen by Executive Council in recognition of their contribution to, and support of, the interests of deafblind people and their organisations.

4.7 Associate Membership of WFDB is open to individuals, organisations and institutions, who are in agreement with the aim of WFDB.

4.8 Sponsoring Membership is open to all individuals, organisations and institutions, who want to support WFDB financially.

Article 5: GENERAL ASSEMBLY

5.1 The governance of WFDB consists of the following bodies:

the General Assembly The Executive Council

5.2 The General Assembly is the supreme governing body of WFDB.

5.3 Meetings of General Assembly are open and consist of deafblind representatives representing the National Members.

Each representative has one vote. No proxy voting is allowed. Providing that notification for Meetings of General Assembly is in accordance with this Constitution, General Assembly is quorate regardless of the number of representatives present.

5.4 General Assembly meets at least every four years.

5.5 Meetings of General Assembly are announced in writing by the Secretary General at least eighteen (18) months before the date of the meeting.

Applications and motions to be considered by General Assembly must be received by Executive Council at least twelve (12) months before the date of General Assembly.

The agenda and all relevant documents related to General Assembly are circulated to all members by the Secretary General at least four (4) months before the date of the meeting.

The date of the postmark is taken as the date of dispatch.

5.6 General Assembly has in particular the following responsibilities:

  1. to determine policy
  2. to discuss all recommendations presented by Executive Council and

make the necessary decisions

  1. to receive reports from the President, the Secretary General, the

Executive Council and all the committees and give or withhold approval

  1. to set budget parameters strategically
  2. to receive the Treasurer's report and give or withhold approval
  3. to determine the membership fee
  4. to elect the President, Vice president, Secretary General and Treasurer
  5. to elect the members of Executive Council
  6. to consider all proposals presented to it
  7. to elect two members of General Assembly to act as auditors who examine and report on the management of WFDB finances
  8. to consider resolutions to amend the Constitution
  9. to make decisions concerning the dissolution of WFDB

5.7 Voting is through consensus or through the raising of hands, unless a representative requests a secret ballot. In this case a secret ballot is held.

5.8 All voting, with the exception of amendments to the Constitution and the dissolution of WFDB requires a simple majority of the votes cast.

5.9 Elections are carried out by secret ballot.

Article 6. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

6.1 Executive Council is elected by General Assembly.

6.2 Executive Council consists of the Elected Officers:

President,

Vice president,

Secretary General,

Treasurer,

and six (6) members, representing the following six regions:

  1. Africa
  2. Asia
  3. Europe
  4. Latin America
  5. North America
  6. The Pacific

6.3 The editor of WFDB's newsletter is appointed by Executive Council as co-opted member and has observer status

6.4 The term of office of Executive Council begins at the end of General Assembly and ends at the end of the next General Assembly when a new Executive Council is elected.

If an elected member retires between elections, Executive Council may appoint a replacement, representing the same region, until the next election.

If one of the Elected Officers, except the President, retires, Executive Council may appoint a replacement until the next election.

6.5 The function of Executive Council is to undertake the business of WFDB.

6.6 Executive Council meets at least once a year.

6.7 Meetings of Executive Council are announced in writing by the Secretary General at least six (6) months before the date of the meeting.

The agenda and all relevant documents are circulated to the members of Executive Council at least two (2) months before the date of the meeting. The date of the postmark is taken as the date of dispatch.

6.8 Executive Council has a quorum when at least four (4) elected members and two (2) elected officers are present.

6.9 When it comes to voting in Executive Council and votes turn out to be equal, the President has the final vote.

Article 7: RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS.

7.1 Elected officers are: the President, the Vice president, the Secretary General and the Treasurer.

Elected Officers carry out their tasks under the supervision of Executive Council.

7.2 The President is responsible for:

  1. The presidency of the meetings of General Assembly and Executive Council.
  2. The representation of WFDB.

7.3 The Vice President serves in case of absence of the President or if the President retires before the end of the president's term of office

7.4 The Secretary General is responsible for:

  1. The preparation and the minutes of meetings of General Assembly and Executive Council.
  2. A register of the membership and all relevant relationships
  3. The custody of all relevant documents
  4. The daily correspondence of WFDB, not related to the other Elected Officers.
  5. Annual reports of WFDB.

7.5 The treasurer is responsible for:

  1. The financial matters of WFDB
  2. The preparation and presentation of annual accounts of WFDB
  3. Preparation of annual budgets.

Article 8: DISSOLUTION

8.1 Dissolution of WFDB happens if no meetings of General Assembly have taken place during a period of nine (9) consecutive years or after no meetings of Executive Council have taken place during a period of five (5) consecutive years.

8.2 A resolution containing the dissolution of WFDB must be circulated to all members at least twelve (12) months before the General Assembly at which it is to be discussed. For such a resolution to be carried a two third majority of all votes cast is required.

Article 9: AMENDMENTS AND APPROVAL

9.1 Resolutions to amend the constitution must be received by the executive council at least twelve (12) months before the date of the meeting of General Assembly at which they are to be discussed and must be circulated to all members at least eight ( 8) months before. For such a resolution to be carried a two third majority of all votes cast is required.

9.2 Other rules not mentioned in this constitution are described in the bylaws of WFDB.

9.3 Bylaws of WFDB are prepared by Executive Council and approved by General Assembly

To approve bylaws only a simple majority of all votes cast in General Assembly is required.

9.4 Approval of this constitution requires two third of all votes cast of all deafblind participants meeting in the Founding General Assembly of WFDB.

9.5 The constitution comes into power immediately after approval by the Founding General Assembly.

Auckland, the 12th of October 2001.

President

Vice President

Treasurer

Secretary General

Regional representatives

Africa

Asia

Europe

Latin America

North America

The Pacific

(2006-09-07)