Bylaws of Al-Haq

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Bylaws of Al-Haq

16، Oct 2010

Chapter I

Name of the Organisation, its Office, Goals and Resources

Establishment
Article One:
The Name
In accordance with Law No. (1) of 2000 Concerning the Charitable Societies and Civil Society Organisations, a nongovernmental civil society organisation by the name of Al-HAQ “Law in the Service of Man”, which enjoys an independent judicial personality, has been founded in Palestine. Members of the Organisation shall abide by its objectives and goals that are established in pursuance of the provisions and principles of this Bylaw.

Article Two:
The Office
A. The office of Al-HAQ Organisation shall be located in the city of Ramallah; Main Road; Deir Al-Latin Building (The Latin Convent Building); third floor.
B. The Organisation shall be entitled to inaugurate as many branches as it wishes throughout Palestinian cities, provided that it notifies the Ministry of Interior of the location and address of the branch.

Article Three:
Al-HAQ “Law in the Service of Man” is a non-profit, civil society organisation which shall not intervene in the activities of any political party, as well as all other activities that lie beyond the scope of the objectives and goals established thereto in pursuance of the provisions and principles of this Bylaw.

Article Four:
Mandate
A. AL-HAQ shall be active throughout all the Palestinian governorates.B. AL-HAQ’s scope of work shall be in the field of human rights and freedoms in addition to protecting the rights of civilians in times of war and under occupation.

Chapter II

Article Five:
Goals and objectives of the Organisation
AL-HAQ “Law in the Service of Man” seeks to achieve the following goals:

• Promote the rule of law and respect of human rights and liberties in the Palestinian society.
• Protect the rights and freedoms of the Palestinians in the Palestinian society.
• Enhance human rights concepts in the Palestinian society.
• Develop Palestinians' concepts and awareness of public rights and freedoms.
• Lay the foundation to and epitomise the international principles of human rights and freedoms throughout the Palestinian society.
• Strengthen governmental as well as nongovernmental international official for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights to self-determination and the creation of their independent state.
• Defend the rights of Palestinians through various legitimate means in accordance with the national and international laws and treaties.
• Coordinate and cooperate on an ongoing basis with the Palestinian Legislative Council and the various relevant Palestinian ministries and departments to activate their roles in promoting human rights and freedoms.
• Cooperate and liaise with all Palestinian nongovernmental organisations with similar goals.
• Coordinate with international and regional organisations that share the same goals to foster and activate their roles in the state of Palestine.
• Strengthen the position and the role of “AL-HAQ” in the field of promoting human rights and freedoms internationally through its continuous participation in the activities of the United Nations related to human rights and freedoms.

Chapter III

Membership

Article Six:
Membership in the Organisation is divided as follows:

A- Working member; a member who abides by the goals and the principles of the Organisation and who participates in its different activities and pays his/her subscription fees regularly and is entitled to electing, voting and candidacy.
B- Honorary member; any person or body providing venerable, material or non-material services to the Organisation and is nominated as such by the Organisation’s Board of Directors. Such a member shall not be entitled to electing, voting or candidature.

Article Seven:
Conditions of Membership
A. Any Palestinian is entitled to be a working member in the Organisation, provided that he/she meets the following conditions:

1. To be active and to have interests that are attested in the field of defending human rights and freedoms and to be an expert or academic personality with advanced academic degrees in the field of human rights and freedoms.
2. To have reached 30 years of age.
3. Not to have been charged with a crime or a misdemeanour involving moral turpitude.

4. To abide by the Organisation’s goals and principles as decreed by the provisions of this Bylaw.

B. Membership applications to AL-HAQ Organisation shall be submitted to the Board of Directors.
C. The member shall pay an annual subscription fee of ten Jordanian Dinars or its equivalent. In all cases, the annual subscription fee must be paid before the 31st of December every year.

Article Eight:
Termination of Membership
A. Membership shall be terminated in the following cases and circumstances:

1. Voluntary withdrawal from the Organisation.
2. Loss of any of the membership conditions provided in this Bylaw.
3. Dismissal from the Organisation.

4. Death.

B. A member shall be dismissed by a decision to be taken by the Board of Directors with the approval of two thirds of the members in the following cases:

1. If he/she commits a fundamental contravention of the objectives and goals of the organisation.
2. If he/she commits any offence or misbehaviour which may negatively affect the Organisation and damage its reputation.

C. A member against whom a decision of dismissal is issued forth shall have the right to appeal the decision before the General Assembly.

Article Nine
Restoring Membership

The Board of Directors shall have the right to restore membership to a member dismissed for not having paid the specified subscription fee in case he/she pays off all due financial liabilities to the Organisation.

Chapter IV
Panels of the Organisation

Article Ten:
The Organisation shall consist of the following panels:

1. The General Assembly.
2. The Board of Directors.

Article Eleven:
A. The General Assembly

1. The General Assembly is composed of all working members who have paid all their subscription fees in accordance with the provisions and principles of this Bylaw.
2. The General Assembly shall convene at least once a year. It may also convene when occasion so requires.
3. In the case that more than two thirds of the members of the General Assembly demand that an irregular meeting be held, the Board of Directors shall call the General Assembly to convene at the Organisation’s office or any other place specified for this purpose. A prior notification shall be sent by the Board to all members who have the right to attend the meeting at least 15 days prior to the date of the meeting. The call for the meeting shall be announced in at least one local newspaper. In such cases, the meeting agenda of the Assembly as well as a list of the names of the members who have the right to attend the meeting shall be attached to the notification.
4. The meeting of the General Assembly shall be legal in case it is attended by 51% of the working members who are entitled to vote. Should the stated quorum not be complete for the meeting, a meeting called for a second time for the same purpose shall be legal with the attending members on the condition that the number of the present members is not less than one third of the Assembly members and that the meeting is held at least 15 days after the date allotted for the previous meeting.
5. In its annual meeting , the General Assembly shall discuss the following issues:

• The report of the Board of Directors about the various functions and activities of the Assembly during the previous year.
• Elect the members of the Board of Directors by secret ballot.
• Approve the establishment of one or more branches for the Organisation.
• Appoint an auditor.
• Certify the final accounts.
• Discuss and resolve grievances and appeals submitted to the assembly by members of the Organisation.

6. Decisions of the General Assembly shall be issued forth by the absolute majority by means of raising hands. Should the cast votes be equal, ruling shall be in favour of the party who has the vote of the Chairperson, though decisions of the General Assembly have to be taken by a majority of two thirds of its members in the following cases:

• When the meeting is intended to amend the Bylaw of the Organisation.
• When the meeting is intended to dissolve the Organisation.
• When the meeting is to hold a vote of no confidence against the Board of Directors.

7. A member of the General Assembly may not vote should the related decision pertains to a case related to him/her personally.
8. Decisions taken by the General Assembly shall be recorded in a special notebook that is designated for the minutes of its meetings in particular. It shall be co-signed by the Chairperson and the secretary. Names of the General Assembly members entitled to attend shall be mentioned in the minutes in addition to the decisions taken and the number of votes cast for each.

Article Twelve:
The Board of Directors

1. The Board of Directors shall consist of nine elected members from the General Assembly for a period of three years.
2. The members of the General Assembly may run for candidacy to membership on the Board of Directors of the Organisation more than once.
3. The elected Board of Directors shall convene within a maximum period of ten days effective from the date of elections to distribute the administrative positions amongst the elected members.
4. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Chairperson, a deputy chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer.
5. The Board of Directors shall hold its regular meetings at least once every three months upon a call by the Chairperson or the secretary. The quorum shall be complete with the presence of the majority of two thirds of the members and its decisions shall be taken with the majority of those present. In the event of equal cast votes, the decision is taken in favour of the party who has the Chairperson’s vote.
6. Should the consequence of the resignation of some members of the Board of Directors be the Board’s loss of the minimum of the required number to form a Board in accordance with Law No. (1) of 2000 Concerning the Charitable Societies and Civil Society Organisations, the members remaining on the Board shall be in charge of the tasks of the Board as an a provisional committee for a maximum period of one month. During this period, the General Assembly shall be called to hold an irregular meeting to elect a new Board of Directors for the Organisation.
7. Should the provisional committee be unable to carry out its duties or in the event of collective resignation of the members of the Board of Directors, the Minister of the Interior shall appoint a provisional committee from among the members of the General Assembly in order to carry out the tasks of the Board for a maximum period of one month, in accordance with Law No. (1) of 2000 Concerning the Charitable Societies and Civil Society Organisations. During this period, the General Assembly shall be called to hold an irregular meeting to elect a new Board of Directors for the Organisation.
8. A member of the Board of Directors may not absent him/herself from the meetings unless he/she provides an acceptable excuse. In the event of failure to attend three consecutive meetings without an acceptable excuse, or seven consecutive meetings with an excuse, a member of the Board of Directors shall be denied membership.
9. The Board of Directors may delegate one of its members to carry out the tasks and responsibilities of the Deputy Chairperson, the secretary or the treasurer in the event any of them is absent.

Article Thirteen:
Powers of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall exercise all the powers pertaining to managing the affairs of the Organisation, including:

• Calling for and organising the meetings of the General Assembly.
• Approving the Organisation’s annual activities report and its future plans.
• Approving the draft budget of the previous fiscal year.
• Following up on the proper management of the Organisation.
• Concluding agreements on behalf of and for the benefit of the Organisation.
• Representing the Organisation.
• Appointing employees at the Organisation and accepting their resignations.
• Approving the salary scale and increments for the staff members of the Organisation.
• Approving attendance and leaves policy.

Article Fourteen:
Powers of the Chairperson

• Preside over meetings of the Board and steers discussions therein.
• Represent the Board nationally and internationally.
• Follow up on the operations of the Organisation and its committees.
• Follow up on proper management of the Organisation.

Article Fifteen:
Powers of the Deputy Chairperson
The Deputy Chair shall exercise the powers of the Chairperson upon the latter’s apology or absence.

Article Sixteen:
Powers of the Secretary

• Write invitations for the meetings of the Board of Directors.
• Prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Board of Directors and notifying the Board thereof at least one week prior to the designated dates of the meetings.
• Take minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly and following up on their implementation.
• Keep records of the Organisation in addition to all documents and stamps related to the Organisation at the Organisation’s office.
• Participate in the preparation of the Organisation’s Annual Activity Report.

Article Seventeen:
Powers of the Treasurer

• Receive the Organisation’s income through vouchers stamped with the stamp of the Organisation and signed by him/her.
• Deposit the Organisation’s funds and all income that it receives at certified banks defined by the Board of Directors. Should the treasurer keep some of these amounts at the Organisation’s office, the amount should not exceed the value of the expenditures approved for the Organisation during a period of one month only.
• Supervise all financial transactions at the Organisation’s office.
• Supervise the annual inventory.
• Prepare the Organisation’s annual budget.
• Implement the Board of Directors’ decisions related to the financial matters of the Organisation.

Chapter V

The Resources of the Organisation, their Utilization and Management

Article Eighteen:
Financial resources of the Organisation include the following:

1. Annual subscription fees.
2. Donations and unconditional aid.
3. Proceeds of activities held by the Organisation such as parties and exhibitions.
4. Wills.
5. Returns of the Organisation’s investments and the income earned from the Organisation’s production projects, should they exist.

Article Nineteen:
Managing the funds of the Organisation

• The Organisation’s fiscal year commences on the first day of January and expires on the last day of December.
• The Board of Directors shall be the party disposes of, collects and keeps the Organisation’s funds. It shall also be in charge of the manner of approving disbursing expenditures needed for the functions of the Board of Directors and the rest of the Organisation’s activities.
• All funds, documents and records related to the Organisation shall be deposited at local banks.
• To withdraw any amount of money from the Organisation’s funds which are deposited in banks, withdrawal vouchers have to be co-signed by the Chairperson, the treasurer and the Deputy Chairperson.

Chapter VI
Final Provisions

Article Twenty:
• The Organisation shall be entitled to own property and lands as well as other current assets, production projects and services in conformity with the goals and objectives of the Organisation. Should any of the above mentioned be sold, leased or mortgaged, the consent of the General Assembly has to be taken with a majority of two thirds of the votes.

Chapter VII

Dissolution of the Organisation

Article Twenty One:

• In addition to the cases whereby an organisation is dissolved as stated in Law No. (1) of 2000 Concerning the Charitable Societies and Civil Society Organisations, the Organisation shall be dissolved by a decision taken by a majority of two thirds of the members of the General Assembly who have the right to vote.
• In the event the Organisation dissolves itself, the Chairperson or his/her deputy must immediately notify the Ministry of Interior of the Organisation’s decision of dissolution.
• In the event the Organisation is dissolved for any reason whatsoever, its fixed and current assets shall devolve – following the liquidation of its financial liabilities and disbursement of all of its commitments as well as the salaries and all financial entitlements of its staff members – to a Palestinian organisation or all of the Palestinian organisations working in the same field.

Article Twenty Two:
The provisions of Law No. (1) of 2000 Concerning the Charitable Societies and Civil Society Organisations shall apply to all matters not mentioned, provided or regulated in this Bylaw.
Article Twenty Three:
The founding members of this Organisation are the following citizens: (This list of names is attached to the Bylaw).

Selected Subjects

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