Committee Constitution

Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs - Constitution 

 

AIMS:

The aims of the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs (hereafter: the Committee) are:

  • to facilitate the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) represented at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), which are interested in problems relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;
  • to convene meetings and to act as a forum for the exchange of information and views on matters of common interest;
  • to liaise with the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) {both now known as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime}, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and other relevant UN Agencies and Offices in Vienna;
  • to promote the continued development of the network of NGOs initiated at international NGO Fora in Stockholm 1986, Vienna 1987, Bangkok 1994 and New York 1998.

 

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Committee is open to:

  • NGOs having consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), in accordance with the rules established by ECOSOC in Resolution 1996/31 (categories general, special or roster), and which have a permanent representative accredited to the UNOV;
  • NGOs on the Roster by action of the Secretary-General, and which have a permanent representative accredited to the UNOV;
  • NGOs placed on the Roster by virtue of their consultative status with Specialized Agencies or other United Nations bodies, and which have a permanent representative accredited to the UNOV;
  • National associations and international NGOs, being not-for-profit organizations, and not having consultative status with ECOSOC but having expertise and interest in the field of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

 

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES AND ADMISSION

Membership of the Committee will have two categories:

  • Full Member (ordinary member), and
  • Associate Member (corresponding member);

Admission to the Committee will be based upon an application form submitted to and assessed by the Board and, upon approval, payment of the membership for at least one year.

 

STRUCTURE

The structure of the Committee consists of:

  • the Committee, and
  • the Board

THE COMMITTEE shall meet regularly, at least three times a year.  The Committee shall determine the date and place of meetings.  The Board may however convene the Committee sooner or may postpone convening the Committee.  However, at the request of one-third of the member organizations of the Committee, the Board shall convene the Committee within two weeks after such a request is received.

THE COMMITTEE shall elect a Chairman, First Vice-Chairman, Second Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Treasurer.  The Committee shall appoint the Chairman of any Sub- or Ad Hoc Committee or Working Group as necessary.

THE COMMITTEE shall receive, consider and approve the budget of the Committee, including proposals concerning the membership fees, etc.

OBSERVERS at the Committee may be invited by the Board from:

  • NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC which are not member organizations of the Committee;
  • National associations and international NGOs not having consultative status with ECOSOC, and not being member organizations of the Committee, being not-for-profit organizations and having expertise and interest in the field of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;
  • Representatives of the UN system;
  • Representatives of governments';
  • Any other person having relevance to subjects of specific interest to the Committee.

 

BOARD

In accordance with Rule 6, the following shall be the Board of the Committee:

  • Chairman
  • First Vice-Chairman
  • Second Vice-Chairman
  • Secretary
  • Deputy Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Chairman of any Sub- or Ad Hoc Committee, on the invitation of the Chairman.

 

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD

  • The CHAIRMAN shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Committee; he or she shall convene and preside at all meetings of the Board and the Committee; he or she shall maintain communication with other NGO Committees and competent groups interested in the problems of drug abuse, and with the representatives of the UN system; he or she shall represent the Committee as or when required.
  • The FIRST and SECOND VICE-CHAIRMEN shall, in the absence of the Chairman, act on his or her behalf, and perform his or her duties with the same authority as the Chairman.
  • The SECRETARY shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Committee, a record of membership, records of attendance at meetings, Committee appointments, elections, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and email addresses of members, etc.  He or she shall arrange for the distribution of the minutes of each meeting and other written material to the member organizations and to such persons or organizations as the Committee may decide upon; 
  • The DEPUTY SECRETARY shall, in the absence of the Secretary, act upon his or her behalf.

 

CONDUCT OF MEETINGS AND VOTING

  •  Decisions shall normally be by consensus, except at the request for a vote on specific questions by any member;
  • A quorum shall consist of at least one-third of the member organizations;
  • Where it is necessary to vote, each Full Member Organization having fully met its financial obligations, shall have one vote; Associate Member Organizations will have no voting rights; there shall be no provision for absentee voting; voting shall usually be by raising hands.

 

MATTERS OF SUBSTANCE

Any statement of the Committee on matters of substance must be signed by each Member Organization 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, by the Committee.

 

ELECTIONS

  • A Nominations Sub-Committee shall invite nominations for election to the Board of the Committee; the Nominations Sub-Committee shall prepare a list of candidates who have been nominated; the report of the Nominations Sub-Committee shall be circulated to all Member Organizations of the Committee at least four weeks prior to the election date;
  • The members of the Board shall be elected for a term of two years;
  • The election to the Board of the Committee shall be by a majority of Member Organizations present and voting; abstentions are not considered as votes.

 

AMENDMENTS

  • A proposal to amend these Rules may be made by a Full Member Organization; only the Committee can decide upon any such proposal;
  • Proposed amendments shall be notified to the Chairman and shall be circulated to all Member Organizations 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-thirds majority of those present and voting in the Committee.

 

The above Rules of Procedure – except Article 13 – entered into force on 8February1999 upon a decision taken by the Committee.  Article 13 entered into force on 15 March 1999.

The present Rules of Procedure replace the previous version adopted on 27 June 1988,
and amended on 4 November 1991, by the Committee.