The full list of eligible candidates for the VNGOC Board Election as well as details on the voting procedures are now available.
The below information is also available as a .pdf
Dear Members of the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC),
We are writing to report on nominations for the Board positions of Chairperson, Deputy Treasurer, and Deputy Secretary. The VNGOC Nominating Committee is charged with examining nominations for the VNGOC Board that are up for a vote, which this year includes the positions of Chairperson, Deputy Treasurer, and Deputy Secretary. We review all applications to ensure eligibility to serve on the board, based on the support of a VNGOC member organization, and that organization’s good standing in VNGOC.
We also provide a slate of our recommended candidates. In considering who from among these candidates to recommend on our slate, we considered a range of objectives for the VNGOC Board, including geographic representation, gender balance, representation of key global drug policy objectives of the UN and civil society, lived experience as part of a population impacted by drugs or drug policies, and applicants’ experience and record of service. With just three positions being filled this year, this of course involved difficult choices and leaving out many qualified applicants with compelling backgrounds and expertise.
Note that while VNGOC members have the option of voting based on the slate, there is absolutely no obligation to do so, neither official nor implied. All VNGOC members are free to vote for any eligible candidate they feel would best serve the Board.
We also note that one of the candidates we are recommending in the slate, currently holds an office on our board that he would vacating early if elected to the new position. This would leave the original position vacant. In this situation, the new board will have the option of filling that position by appointment until the next election.
The following candidates are eligible for the upcoming elections:
Chairperson:
| Candidate | Organisation | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Ganna Dovbakh video message | Eurasian harm reduction association (EHRA) | Ukraine |
| Matej Košir video message | Institute for Research and Development “Utrip” | Slovenia |
Deputy Treasurer:
| Candidate | Organisation | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandre Kieslich da Silva video message | Conectados pela Vida | Brazil |
| Arumugam Sankar | Empower India | India |
| Augusto Paulo Valenta Nogueira video message | ARTM – ASSOCIATION OF REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS OF MACAU | Macau |
| Balqis Binti Muhamad Kasim video message | Persatuan Bulan Sabit Hijau Malaysia (Green Crescent) | Malaysia |
| Barbara Hastie video message | Walther Global Palliative Care & Supportive Oncology at Indiana University | International/ United States |
| Heloisa Broggiato Matter video message | International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) | International/ Brazil |
| Memory Usaman video message | Rwanda Youth Impact | Rwanda |
| Raquel P. Tolentino video message | Association of Anti Drug Abuse Coalition of the Philippines, Inc. | Philippines |
Deputy Secretary:
| Candidate | Organisation | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Arumugam Sankar | Empower India | India |
| Balqis Binti Muhamad Kasim video message | Persatuan Bulan Sabit Hijau Malaysia (Green Crescent) | Malaysia |
| Barbara Hastie video message | Walther Global Palliative Care & Supportive Oncology at Indiana University | International / United States |
| Memory Usaman video message | Rwanda Youth Impact | Rwanda |
| Penny Hill video message | Harm Reduction Australia | Australia |
| Raquel P. Tolentino video message | Association of Anti Drug Abuse Coalition of the Philippines, Inc. | Philippines |
The following candidates are our recommended slate:
Chairperson: Matej Košir, Institute for Research and Development “Utrip”
Deputy Treasurer: Heloisa Broggiato Matter, International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
Deputy Secretary: Penny Hill, Harm Reduction Australia
Statements from the nominees on their rationale for seeking election and the contribution they can offer to the work of the VNGOC are available at the links above and as a complete PDF. Short videos from the candidates can be viewed on our website.
A separate vote for each of the Board positions will be conducted at the Annual General Meeting on 16th March in the following order: Chairperson, Deputy Treasurer, and Deputy Secretary. A simple majority of those voting will be required to elect the Board.
Only VNGOC member organizations in good standing (i.e., paid the 2022 & 2023 membership fee or, if exempt, submitted the annual commitment forms) may cast one vote for each of the Board positions. Members can participate by voting in real-time (i.e., in person, remotely, or by proxy) or in advance (by completing an online ballot). Detailed instructions on how to vote are available here.
