1) Name and Office
1.1. The name of the Organization is "Network for Voluntary Development in
Asia", in the following referred to as "NVDA"
1.2. NVDA in an international non-governmental, non-profit organization (NGO/
NPO).
1.3. NVDA shall have its registered office in one of the full Member countries
in Asia as decided by the Members of NVDA in the General Meeting. "Asia" means
the region of Asia and Oceania.
2) Aims and Objectives
2.1. NVDA aims to create new age of peaceful, fare and sustainable Asia and the
planet earth by developing international voluntary movements in Asia in order;
A)To strengthen environmental/ cultural improvement, agriculture and social
welfare/ justice
B) To support self sufficiency and development of local communities and of non
profit organizations
C) To promote global friendship, understanding and solidarity among world youth
and local people
2.2. For the aims of 2.1., NVDA uses the following approaches;
1) To start international voluntary workcamps in Asia where they are not
organized yet
2) To develop existing workcamps in Asia, their organizations and exchange of
volunteers
3) To promoting any kinds of useful, regional cooperation among voluntary
organizations
2.3. NVDA never aims at very particular political, religious or economic profit
and intention and never becomes exclusive to other regions of the world. NVDA
shall act also as a regional body of CCIVS (Coordinating Committee for
International Voluntary Service) at UNESCO.
3) Activities
3.1. NVDA has the following activities to realize the aims and objectives
mentioned in article 2);
1) Networking Meeting to strengthen cooperation among possible and existing
workcamp organizations
2) Training Program to start or improve international workcamps and other
voluntary service
3) Organizing or cooperating to realize international workcamps where they are
not organized yet
4) Publication of newsletters, books, videos, home pages, etc. to improve
workcamps and cooperation
5) Organizing joint projects of voluntary service, common campaigns, researches,
advocacy, etc.
6) Any other kinds of activities to achieve the aims and objectives mentioned in
article 2)
3.2. International workcamps are voluntary project at which young people come
together for a few weeks and work together with local people for the
preservation of the environment or the cultural heritage, on small development
programmes, and on activities to promote social justice and self-reliance.
4) Membership
4.1. NVDA is formed of independent national or international NGOs/ NPOs from
Asia involved in Voluntary Service. The qualification to become members are;
1) That both the main office and the main activities are located in Asia
2) To organize international workcamps in Asia already. However, only founding
organizations can be exempted from the above qualification of 2).
The number of the full members from the same countries are restricted up to two
in maximum.
4.2. An organizations that does not fulfill the criteria mentioned under 4.1 can
become an associate member of NVDA, regardless of its workcamp experience and
located region.
4.3. Organizations that want to become new members have to fill in the
membership application forms of NVDA that must reach the General Secretary at
least 3 weeks before the date of the Executive Committee meeting.
4.4. New members will be admitted by a simple majority of the members of an
Executive Committee present. The Executive Committee has to inform all the
members of NVDA about new members by the second news letter after the Executive
Committee Meeting.
4.5. Any member may resign from NVDA after having informed the President in
writing and given four weeks' notice. Any member who leaves NVDA forfeits all
rights.
4.6. In the following cases, the dismissal of members shall be decided in a
General Assembly of NVDA by a majority of three quarters of the members present.
The General Assembly has to offer an opportunity for that member to explain the
situation before its decision;
1) That the member does not follow the constitution or any other important rules
of NVDA
2) That the member has damaged liability of NVDA severely
4.7. Each member of NVDA shall have the following rights;
A) To receive the report of NVDA activities (twice a year) and its newsletter (3
times a year)
B) (Only full member) Right to vote at a General Assembly
C) To be invited to all General Meetings and Common Programmes that NVDA
organizes
4.8. Each member of NVDA shall have the following obligation and responsibility;
A) To pay the full amount of the membership fee within a period decided at a
General Assembly
B) To organize international workcamps open to all NVDA members at least once 2
years
C) To try positively to exchange volunteers with the other members of NVDA to
each workcamps
D) To agree with the aims of NVDA, to promote its activities and to keep its
rules
5) General Assembly and Annual Meeting
5.1. The General Assembly consists of the member organizations and shall be held
once 2 years or in any other month which has been decided by the Members.
5.2. An Extraordinary General Assembly may be convened by the Executive
Committee at any time and shall be convened by the Executive Committee on
written demand signed by a half of the full Members of NVDA and stating the
reason for the Assembly.
5.3. The regular General Assembly shall be usually held combined with a training
and networking workcamp.
5.4. The Annual Meeting can be held once a year when the General Assembly is not
held.
5.5. Written notification of the Assemblies and the Meetings shall be sent to
the Members of NVDA at least 8 weeks in advance with the Agenda, the dates, the
place and any other necessary information.
5.6. The President presides over all formal Meetings. All resolutions shall be
passed by a simple majority of the full members present unless otherwise stated
in the constitution. Each full members present shall have one vote only. In the
case of a tie in a General Assembly vote, President shall give the casting vote.
5.7. The regular General Assembly shall treat with the following matters;
A) Election of members of next Executive Committee. Executive Committee will
then vote each position. In the event of a tie for the election of Executive
Committee, voting will be done by a preferential ballot system.
B) The membership fee, the budget and the action plans of NVDA for the next two
years from the beginning of the next accounting year
C) The report of the finance and of the activities for the last two years till
the end of the last accounting year before the Assembly
D) Any other important matters to be proposed by one third of all the members
present
5.8. The Annual Meeting shall treat with the following matters;
A) The additional action plans for the next accounting year within the decided
budget
B) The middle evaluation of the action plans for the last accounting year
C) Any other important matters to be proposed by one third of all the members
present
5.9. The General Assembly and the General Meeting shall form a quorum when at
least two third of the total number of NVDA including the number of the letters
of attorney are present.
6) Executive Committee
6.1. The Executive Committee is composed of five full members; a President, two
Vice President, a General Secretary and a Treasurer, elected by the General
Assembly for a two-year term.
6.2. In case of resignation of one of the Executive Committee members between
two General Assemblies, the executive Committee may nominate a new member to
replace it. This nomination must be confirmed by the following General Assembly.
6.3. The Executive Committee shall be held twice a year convened and presided by
the President and form a quorum when at least its three Members including the
number of the letters of attorney are present. Written notification of the
Assemblies and the Meetings shall be sent to the Members of NVDA at least 4
weeks in advance with the Agenda, the dates, the place and any other necessary
information.
6.4. The Executive Committee shall treat with the following matters all of which
shall be passed by a simple majority of the votes, the President having a second
or casting vote;
A) Admission of new membership
B) To plan the budget, the action plans and the reports handed into the General
Meetings
C) Approval with the report of finance and of activities since the last
Executive Committee
D) To operate and promote the budget and the action plans decided in the General
Assembly
E) To plan any other important proposals that shall be handed into the General
Meetings
F) To manage and operate any other necessary matters and day-to-day work.
6.5. The President represents NVDA and coordinates to run NVDA. The Vice
presidents assist the President, act in the President's place in case of its
absence or disability. The General Secretary manage the day-to-day work of NVDA
in the office followed by the decisions of the General Assembly and the
Executive Committee. The Treasure shall be responsible to the Executive
Committee and NVDA for keeping the account of NVDA and making the budget plan
and the financial report to be discussed in the Executive Committee.
6.6. The duty period of new Executive Committee starts right after the General
Assembly
7) Secretariat
7.1. The executive Committee may appoint a Secretary and other persons as may
from time to time to be necessary for carrying out the work of NVDA and may fix
their duties and their remuneration. The General secretary and the Treasure may
delegate day to business to the Secretary by special arrangement whereas they
are responsible for their each work carried out.
8) Finance
8.1. The Executive Committee shall keep an account into which all sums belonging
to NVDA shall be paid and may make all investments necessary for the achievement
of the objectives of NVDA and shall give an account of such investments at the
following General Assembly.
8.2. The financial year of NVDA shall be the calendar year, and the account of
NVDA shall be presented by the Treasure to NVDA at the following General
Assembly. The accounts shall be certified by an external auditor appointed for
this purpose by the Executive Committee. The President or the Vice Presidents
shall represent NVDA in all legal matters.
8.3. The property of NVDA is composed of the membership fee, contribution,
subsidy, income from the projects and the property and so on. "Tax" from
volunteers of the projects and support from CCIVS can be possible.
8.4. The expenditure of NVDA is composed of the meeting cost, running cost such
as the office management, newsletters and publications and project cost all of
which shall be paid out of the income of NVDA.
8.5. The membership fee for next two years has to be paid before or right after
the General Assembly.
Any member who fails to pay the membership fee in full forfeits her voting
rights and who is two years or more in arrears with his membership payment
automatically forfeits her membership.
8.6. A General Assembly may make exceptions to Article 8.4. above on the
recommendation of the Executive Committee.
9) Dissolution and Amendments
9.1. This Constitution may be amended at a General Assembly of NVDA by a
majority of two third of the members present. Any motion to amend the
Constitution on force must be submitted in writing to the General Secretary in
advance of the General Assembly.
9.2. NVDA may be dissolved of NVDA by a majority of three quarters of the
members present at an Extraordinary General Assembly convened to discuss this
question. On resolution and after all payment of all expenses and debts, the
assets and funds of NVDA may be given to a NGO/ NPO that has similar objectives
to NVDA determined by the Extraordinary General Assembly.
