Members’ rights and obligations at the Members' Assembly

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In this presentation

The Members’ Assembly

Delegations - Accreditation

Voting rights - Speaking rights

Voting on Motions

Nominations

Elections

Sponsored delegates

Voting results and records

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Voting Statistics

At the Barcelona Congress, in 2008:

978 Members could potentially vote

593 were accredited to vote

On average, each motion was voted by 282 Members

274 Members sponsored or co-sponsored motions.

138 motions were discussed - 136 were adopted.

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Voting Statistics

“36. Any decision of the World Congress taken in circumstances where: 

(a) fewer than half of the total votes in either Category A or B were represented at that session of the World Congress, or

(b) the matter was not on the agenda distributed to Members before the World Congress,

 

shall be subject to confirmation by mail ballot if, not later than ninety days after the distribution of the decisions of the World Congress, so requested by a minimum of forty Members eligible to vote from at least three Regions. Pending such confirmation the decision of the World Congress shall be suspended.”(IUCN Statutes, Article 36)

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Voting Statistics

Potential voting power

Actual voting power

Total n° votes 31.95% 50.36%

Total n° votes Cat. A (Gov)

30.58% 60.29%

Total n° votes Cat. B (NGO)

32.59% 49.69%

Motion with the highest number of votes in Barcelona:

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Voting Statistics

“The relatively low rates of participation and high levels of abstentions in the voting processes represent a concern for the democratic health of the Union.”(Evaluation of the Barcelona World Conservation Congress)

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Why such a low rate of participation?

What can be done?

Perceived lack of relevance of the Members' Assembly

Lack of interest by the Members

Lack of understanding of the motions and voting processes

Absence from the plenary room.

The Forum must serve to better inform the Assembly

Revision of the motion process

Governance reforms proposed by Council

Members to be encouraged to pay their dues

If unable to attend, encourage Members to vote by proxy

Strict rules for sponsored delegates

Improved information and training

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What is the Members' Assembly?

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What is the Members' Assembly?

IUCN’s highest level decision-making body of IUCN

o Motions

o IUCN Programme

o Financial Plan

o Dues of Members

o Number of Commissions and their mandates

o Elections: President, Treasurer, Regional Councillors and Chairs of Commissions.

 

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Delegations

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Delegations

Member delegations

Observer delegations

Credentials

o The names of the delegation’s memberso The name of the Head of delegation.

Important

Member need to have paid their dues up to and including 2011 in full

to be accredited to vote and speak

Credentials to be submitted before the opening of the Assembly (Rules of Procedure, Rule 12)

Only the Heads of accredited delegations will receive voting/speaking cards and ballot papers

 

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Voting rights

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Voting rights

Members in category A States: 3 votes / 2 votes

(1 vote => government agencies) Government agencies: 1 shared vote

Members in category B International NGO Members: 2 votes NGO Members: 1 vote

  Members in category C – Affiliates No voting rights Have speaking rights

Give proxy to another Member if you cannot attend the Members' Assembly

The Membership Unit will contact the Government Agencies sharing 1 vote to make arrangements

ahead of Congress.

 

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Voting on motions

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What is a motion?

A draft of any decision which the World Conservation Congress is requested to take.

Motions become Resolutions or Recommendation

Resolutions are directed to IUCN itself. Recommendations are directed to third parties, and may deal with any matter of importance to the objectives of IUCN.

Adopted by a simple majority of votes cast in each Category

Quorum? Majority requirement?

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Need to be consistent with the objectives of IUCN

Must relate to new issues or a new aspect of issues addressed at previous congresses

The main sponsor and co-sponsors must be in good standing (dues paid up to and including 2011)

The motion must be supported by at least 5 co-sponsors

Motions must be submitted before 8 May 2012

Motions may also be submitted at the Congress if the subject is new, urgent, could not have been foreseen, arises out of the deliberations at the Congress, or responds to matters of the agenda

Submit motions before Congress

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Established by Council in November 2010

Composed of:

Zuleika Pinzón (Chair), Ali Darwish, Brahim Haddane, Brendan Mackey, Grace Mwaura, Mahfuz Ullah, Robin Yarrow, Jon Paul Rodriguez

Terms of Reference:

o Establish procedures and principleso Ensure that the statutory requirements are appliedo Advise sponsors of motions to revise, amend or withdraw a

draft motiono Prepare motions for tabling at Congresso Facilitate discussion between Members on motions in

advance of the Congress

Resolutions Working Group

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Issues that need to be addressed in the motions process:

1. Lack of written procedure

2. Large number of motions – limited time to discuss them

3. Scope (national, regional and local)

4. Perceived lack of transparency in the processing of motions

5. Unclear relationship between the motions and the draft Programme

6. Unclear relationship between the motions process and the Forum

7. Lack of legitimacy – low voting rates

8. Motions from Council – need for better procedure

9. Motions submitted at the Congress - limited time for consultation

10.Motions on issues where IUCN acts as technical advisor

11.Duplication

IMPROVING THE MOTIONS PROCESS

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Dates and Deadlines

Opening of the electronic forum for discussion on motions: December 2011 (tbc)

Opening of the submission of motions: 15 February 2012

Deadline for submitting motions: 8 May 2012

Publication and dissemination of motions: 7 July 2012

CONTACT DETAILSConstanza Martinezmotions@iucn.org

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Nomination of candidates and elections

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Nominations

The President and the Treasurer:

Nominations made by the Council to the Members' Assembly

Not more than two nominations for President and for Treasurer made by the Council after considering the proposals made by Members

After the candidates proposed by Council are known: nominations may also be made by forty Members eligible to vote

o from at least three Regions o not less than sixty days prior to the opening of the

Assembly

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Nominations

Chairs of the Commissions:

Nomination made by the Council to the Members' Assembly

After considering proposals made

o by IUCN Members

o by members of the Commissions

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Nominations

For the election of the Regional Councillors:

Nominations made by Members to the Election Officer

Nominations by

o Five members eligible to vote

o From more than one State

Candidates for election

o Must be nationals of a State in the Region concerned

o Must be a resident in that Region

o Must not have held the same office consecutively for two full terms

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Deadlines for nominations

12 August 2011 Call for nominations sent to Members by the Secretariat (Statutory deadline)

16 January 2012 Deadline for Members to send the nominations for Regional Councillors and Commission Chairs

7 July 2012 Deadline for additional nominations from Members for President

 

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Sponsored Delegates

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What is the IUCN Sponsored Delegates Programme?

Objective 

To increase attendance to the Members’ Assembly from Members in countries with low and middle income economies.

Funding  Government of Republic of Korea has agreed to support

the participation of 470 delegates (cash and in-kind):

o For 300 delegates, accommodation and per diem or meals will be provided (half in kind and half in cash).

o For 170 delegates, travel will also be sponsored in addition to per diem or meals (half will be provided in kind and half in cash).

Additional funding is being sought by the Secretariat

 

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Selection criteria

Delegates from Member organizations / institutions that: 

have paid their dues up to and including 2011 by 31 October

are based in countries with low and middle income economies according to the World Bank list of economies

1 delegate per Member organisation/institution

Gender balance as well as country/regional balance will also be taken into account

 

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Level of assistance provided

Provided sufficient funds are available:

Free registration to the World Conservation Congress (Forum and Assembly)

Travel from the country of residence to Jeju

Accommodation for the duration of the World Conservation Congress

Local transportation in Jeju

Per-diem and / or meals for the duration of the stay in Jeju

Travel insurance

Carbon offsetting

 

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Responsibilities of the Sponsored Delegate

Reporting after Congress

Participation in the Forum

Attendance at the Members’ Assembly

Voting in person during the Members’ Assembly – No proxy vote

 

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Voting results and records

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Voting results

Motions: the results are projected on the screen during the Assembly session.

  Voted this motion:

= approx 30-40 Members in Category A= approx. 100-120 Members in Category B

Reminder:

Potential voting power= 978 MembersActual voting power = 593 Members

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Voting Records

Each Member can have access to its own voting records

Voting records of other Members not communicated by the Secretariat

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Help and contacts

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Help and contacts

• Membership Focal Point in your region

• Membership Unit at Headquarters

• National and Regional Committees

• IUCN Regional Councillors

http://www.iucn.org/about/union/members/contacts/

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Membership Unithttp://www.iucn.org/about/union/members/

Thank you!¡Gracias!Merci!

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