Statutes

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NATURE

Section 1       Nature

The Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Americas brings together the women members of the parliamentary assemblies of the unitary, federal, federated and associated States, regional Parliaments and interparliamentary organizations of the Americas. It fosters dialogue on issues related to the advancement of women in order to promote gender equity as well as peace and human development in societies, as well as the involvement of women in the decision-making processes of our societies.

Although the Network acts in close connection with the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas, it is ruled by its own Statutes and remains autonomous in its decision-making process.

OBJECTIVES

Section 2       Objectives

The aims of the Network are:

  • to encourage the representation and action of women in the Parliaments of the Americas, to foster the sharing of experience among them, and to promote solidarity among women in general;
  • to ensure that both men and women parliamentarians take into consideration the rights and demands of women, from the viewpoint of the respect of human rights and a better distribution of wealth;
  • to support the participation of women in the Parliaments of the Americas and to create communication mechanisms for the activities of women parliamentarians.

To this end, the Network takes positions on matters of interest concerning which it adopts recommendations to be presented at the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas, as well as to the governments, organizations and all other actors concerned.

MEMBERS

Section 3       Members

The Network is composed of women parliamentarians of the Americas interested in the issues of the advancement of women, who either participate on an individual basis or are designated by the Presiding Officers of their respective assemblies on the principle of political pluralism.

ANNUAL MEETING

Section 4       Annual Meeting

The members of the Network shall meet at the Annual Meeting, which shall be held in conjunction with the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas.

The members of the Network gathered at the Annual Meeting shall:

  • define the orientations and actions of the Network;
  • debate matters of interest to the Network, in accordance with its objectives;
  • adopt recommendations that express the positions of the Network;
  • rule on the choice of themes to be studied, on a proposal by the Executive Committee;
  • elect the members of the Executive Committee;
  • amend the Statutes of the Network, in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 15 of the Statutes;
  • perform any other duty assigned by these Statutes.

The Network may also gather at any other time, whenever necessary.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 5       Presidency

The presidency of the Network shall be held by a congress or parliamentary assembly of a unitary, federal, federated or associated State, regional Parliament or interparliamentary organization of the Americas. The President of Network shall assume the presidency of the Executive Committee.

The President shall be elected by all the women parliamentarians in attendance at the Annual Meeting. The President’s term of office shall begin at the end of the Annual Meeting during which her appointment is confirmed, and end at the end of the second Annual Meeting following the meeting at which she was appointed. The President shall serve for a maximum term of two years, and her term may not be renewed consecutively. The alternation between the different member States will be favoured.

The President shall:

  • convene, prepare and chair the work of the Annual Meeting and the meetings of the Network’s Executive Committee;
  • ointly with the Vice-President and the rapporteurs, ensure that the themes chosen by the members at the Annual Meeting are studied;
  • ensure compliance with the Statutes of the Network, and rule on any case that is not provided for in the Statutes;
  • supervise the work of the Network’s Secretariat;
  • represent the Network on the COPA Executive Committee, jointly with the Vice-President;
  • represent the Network to national and international authorities.

Section 6       Vice-presidency

The Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Americas shall have a Vice-President. The Vice-President shall be elected by the participants at the Annual Meeting, taking into account the principle of regional political inclusion and the candidate’s commitment and responsibility, in accordance with the Network’s objectives.

The duties of the Vice-President must be approved by the members of the Network’s Executive Committee and confirmed by the President.

The Vice-President shall:

  • support the President in the performance of her duties and replace her during any temporary or permanent absence, in agreement with the congress or parliamentary assembly holding the presidency;
  • prepare the work of the Annual Meeting and the meetings of the Executive Committee, in accordance with and under the direction of the President;
  • take part in the meetings of the COPA Executive Committee, jointly with the President;
  • jointly with the President and the rapporteurs, ensure that the themes chosen by the members at the Annual Meeting are studied.

The Vice-President’s term of office shall end at the end of the second Annual Meeting following the meeting at which she was appointed, and may not be renewed consecutively. If the Vice-President dies, resigns, is prevented from acting or ceases her parliamentary functions,  the provisions of Article 9 of this document shall apply.

The Vice-President cannot hold two positions simultaneously on the Network’s Executive Committee.

Section 7       Composition

The Network is supported by an Executive Committee composed of a President, a Vice-President and of two representatives from each of the five major regions of the Americas, namely North America, Central America, the Caribbean, the Andean Region and the Southern Cone, as well as four women representatives from the regional parliaments and interparliamentary organizations of the Americas.

A women parliamentarian from the National Assembly of Quebec, the founding assembly of the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the Americas as well as the host institution of the Network Secretariat, shall also have a seat on the Executive Committee.

Two representatives of the host assembly of the next General Assembly of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas shall join the Executive Committee of the Network in order to contribute to the organization of the Network’s Annual Meeting.

At the end of her term of office, if she continues to hold parliamentary office, the ex-President sits as a member of the Network Executive Committee for the duration of one additional term.

Section 8       Term of office

The members of the Executive Committee of the Network shall be elected by the participants at the Annual Meeting. Their term of office shall begin at the end of the Annual Meeting during which their appointment is confirmed, and end at the end of the second Annual Meeting following the meeting at which they were appointed. They shall serve for a maximum term of two years, and their term may not be renewed.

The representative of the National Assembly of Québec and the representatives of the host assembly of the next General Assembly of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas shall be designated by the authorities having jurisdiction at their respective assemblies.

Section 9       Vacancies

In the event that a representative elected to the Executive Committee dies, resigns, is unable to act or ceases her parliamentary functions, the authorities having jurisdiction at the congress or parliamentary assembly she represents shall designate a person to replace her until the end of her current term of office.

Section 10     Attributions

In addition to taking charge of executing the decisions of the Network adopted during its Annual Meetings, the Executive Committee shall meet at intervals that it considers appropriate in order to decide upon the organizational details of the Annual Meetings.

Section 11     Meetings

The ordinary meetings of the Executive Committee shall take place, preferably, once immediately prior to the Annual Meeting and once between two Annual Meetings.

The quorum at meetings of the Executive Committee is one-third of its members, representing at least three regions.

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY
CONFEDERATION OF THE
AMERICAS

Section 12     Relationship with the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas

The President of the Network shall assume one of the 6 vice-presidencies of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas. The Vice-President shall also sit on the Confederation Executive Committee, as second representative of the Network on the COPA Executive Committee, as provided in the Statutes of the Confederation.

Observers

Section 13     Observers

The Executive Committee approves the list of organizations or persons invited to attend the Annual Meeting and the Executive Committee Meetings as observers.

Secretariat

Section 14     Secretariat

The Secretariat of the Network is established at the National Assembly of Quebec.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

Section 15     Official languages

The official languages of the Network are: Spanish, English, Portuguese and French.

Modification of the statutes

Section 16     Modification of the Statutes

Any motion to amend the Statutes must be submitted in writing at least two months before an Annual Meeting, to the Secretariat of the Network, which will transmit it immediately to the Executive Committee members. The examination of such a motion to amend shall be entered automatically on the agenda of the next Executive Committee Meeting.

After having studied the recommendation issued by the Executive Committee, the participants at the Annual Meeting shall pronounce themselves on these motions by a majority vote of two-thirds of the delegates present.

Section 17     Entry into force of the Statutes

The Statutes come into force immediately after being approved by the members of the Network gathered at the Annual Meeting.

The Statutes of the Network were adopted on July 20, 2000 and were modified on November 18, 2001 , November 24, 2003 and November 16, 2010 .

© Assemblée nationale du Québec