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1. Name and
Registered Office 2. Objectives 2.2. FICE observes strict political and religious neutrality. It rejects all forms of racial discrimination. It accepts within its Membership all ideological and religious orientations as long as these are inline with the objectives defined in the present statutes. 2.3. FICE promotes the international exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of childcare. FICE endeavours to improve extra-familial care and to represent institutions in which children and adolescents live for shorter or longer periods of time. At the same time FICE encourages the family as the original system. lt encourages reform and development in all types of childcare. 2.4. To realize these objectives FICE organizes congresses, seminars, and symposia which promote the exchange of experience and the further education of experts in the childcare field. It encourages and carries out scientific studies and research. It disseminates and publishes findings mainly through FICE-Press. 2.5. FICE informs the general public and political decision-makers of its work and its findings. 2.6. In the spirit of international understanding and global solidarity FICE supports within its means meetings and exchanges of child care professionals as well as children and young people. 2.7. In unusual circumstances and in cases of war and catastrophes FICE may participate in limited relief efforts. In particular, it coordinates, in cooperation with its Members, their activities, and concentrates its assistance on children without families or those whose families are only able to partially carry out their social, educational, or health care responsibilities. 3. Membership
FICE also keeps "Supporters" and "Correspondents" informed on a regular basis. 3.2 Full Membership is open to non-governmental organizations of national standing which are engaged in practical and theoretical work in the field of socio-pedagogical assistance. for children and youths. Full Members must select their executive bodies and representatives in free democratic elections. Full Members must themselves be open to Membership by private individuals, and/or educational and training institutions, universities and colleges, public authorities and other associations engaged in childcare. As a general rule only one Full Member per country will be accepted. If good reasons exist for several organizations- from one and the same country to become Members, the General Assembly may, upon written request, approve one or more Full Members from a single country, contingent on the prospective Full Members from the same country having first deposited a written agreement governing their mode for sharing voting rights. Likewise supranational bodies may also be accepted as Full Members under exceptional circumstances, in which cases the General Assembly will determine voting rights. 3.3 Acceptance into Full Membership is generally preceded by a limited period of Associate Membership. Associate Membership shall be for a period of one to two years. In exceptional situations the Federal Council may extend Associate Membership for one additional period. Associate Members are invited to all events open to Full Members. They have no voting rights but may submit motions. Associate Members may use the name FICE and the FICE logo only in exceptional cases and only together with a reference to their Associate Membership. In exceptional cases an Associate Membership period may be waived and immediate acceptance as a Full Member is possible 3.4 Honorary Membership may be awarded to persons or institutions who over many years have been engaged in an exceptional manner in the work of FICE. Honorary Members are kept abreast of the activities of FICE and invited to all events. They have no voting rights, are ineligibie for election, and pay no dues. 3.5 Cancellation of Membership must be in writing, with six months' notice, and is effective at the end of a calendar year. Full and Associate Members who cancel their Membership lose the right to use the FICE logo or the designation FICE in any manner whatsoever. 3.6 Anyone interested in questions of childcare who pays the required fee may be accepted as a Correspondent. Correspondents will be kept abreast of the activities of FICE in the same way as Members and will receive invitations to selected events. 4. Constituent
Bodies - The General Assembly, 5. General
Assembly The General Assembly meets in ordinary session every two years. The President calls and presides over each session. The Federal Council, the Executive Committee, or a third of the Full Members may request an extraordinary session of the General Assembly. 5.2 The functions of the General
Assembly include: 5.3 Invitations to the General
Assembly require two months' notice and must be accompanied by
an agenda. Motions to amend the Statutes require that the proposed
amendments be distributed with the invitation. The President votes only in the case of les; in such cases helshe has the casting vote. The Secretary General and
the Treasurer have no vote. They mäy propose 5.5 Amendments of the Statutes require the approval of two-thirds of the Full Members present and voting. 6. Federal
Council The Federal Council is composed of representatives of all Full and Associate Members. Full and Associate Members will normally be represented by their President and/or one other Member of their executive bodies. Honorary Members of FICE International may also attend Federal Council meetings. The Federal Council meets in ordinary session once or twice per year. The President calls and presides over each session. 6.2 The functions of the Federal Council include: - the preparation and evaluation
of activities in the execution of the work plan of FICE; o The Federal Council may establish work groups. The tasks, composition, duration and competencies are to be defined- in writing. The Federal Council may adopt rules of procedure äid ~financial ruies which regulate the, points above and ottier matters. 6.3 lnvitations to meetings of the Federal Council require six weeks notice and must be accompanied by an agenda. 6.4 Every Full Member has two votes at the Federal Council. The President votes only in the case of ties,- in such cases he/she has the casting vote. The Secretary General and
the Treasurer have no vote. They may propose motions on all items
on the agenda. The Executive Committee consists
of the President, the Secretary-General and the Treasurer. It
meets in ordinary session two to four times. 7.2 The President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms of office. The maximum period a President may remain in office is limited to six years. No maximum is set for the periods in office of the Secretary General and the Treasurer. In the event of a resignation between two General Assembly sessions the Federal Council shall select a replacement for the remaining duration of the current term. 7.3 The functions of the Executive
Committee include especially: 7.4 The Executive Committee coopts the Vice Presidents to parts of those of its meetings held immediately adjacent to and during Federal Council meetings. It may assign duties to Vice Presidents and delegate functions. 8. General
Secretariat 8.2 The General Secretariat is responsible for the timely preparation and distribution of documentation to all Members. It processes Membership applications in line with the statutes and rules of procedure. 8.3 The General-Secretariat maintains a list of Correspondents. In cases of doubt the Executive Committee decides on the inclusion of addresses on the list. 9. Audit Committee 9.2 The Audit Comnmittee reports to the General Assembly every two years. 10. Finances 10.2 All obligations incurred by FICE must be covered by its assets. Recourse to the assets of its Members is excluded. 10.3 Members who for two consecutive years fail to meet their financial obligations, even after being reminded, are automatically excluded. The Executive Committee shall inform the Federal Council and the General Assembly of such cases. 11. Miscellaneous
Provisions 11.2 The dissolution of FICE requires the support of two-thirds of those present and voting, representing at least half of all Members. In case of dissolution all assets shall, as determined by the General Assembly be assigned to an organization pursuing similar goals. 11.3 The original of these statutes is in the German language. In case of dispute the German text shall prevail. 11.4 Until new rules of Procedure are established the prevailing rules shall, remain in force, as applicable. 11.5 In the event of the resignation of a Member of the Executive Committee, the individual shall remain in Office until a replacement has been elected by the respective responsible body. 11.6 These statutes shall enter into force immediately upon their acceptance. These Statutes were accepted
by the General Assembly on June 19, 1994 in Signed by: Robert Soisson, President Thomas Machler, General Secretary Zürich, 04.07.94 |
