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Rule 1
(a) In addition to Members and persons as specified under Article 7 of the Constitution of the Federation, the Secretary-General shall invite as observers to each session of the Plenary Assembly:
1. the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Heads of its Related Agencies;
2. The organizations as referred to in Article 1(c) of the Constitution of the Federation;
3. the governments of countries where there is no Member United Nations Association;
4. Liberation Movements recognized by the United Nations.
(b) The Secretary-General shall also invite the representatives of governments to the opening plenary meeting of the Plenary Assembly.
Rule 2
The duration of an ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly shall be decided by the Executive Committee.
Rule 3
(a) The Executive Committee shall prepare a preliminary agenda for the Plenary Assembly. In drawing up this preliminary agenda, which may include a central theme, the Executive Committee shall take into account proposals referred to the Plenary Assembly by previous sessions and proposals by Members as well as by Officers of the Federation, Honorary Presidents and members of the Executive Committee.
(b) The preliminary agenda of the Plenary Assembly shall be circulated to the Members and all those entitled to attend the Plenary Assembly under Article 7 of the Constitution of the Federation, not later than five months before the opening of an ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly.
(c) Members and WFUNA-youth shall be invited to submit to the Secretary-General, not later than ten weeks before the opening of an ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly, their comments on the preliminary agenda, including suggestions for additions to or delegations from, that agenda.
(d) The Secretary-General shall, on the basis of the preliminary agenda and of the comments received, prepare a provisional agenda to be circulated at least four weeks in advance of the opening of an ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly.
(e) Any proposals to add a new item to the provisional agenda shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General at least three days before the session of the Executive Committee immediately preceding an ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly. Any such item may be added to the provisional agenda only after the Executive Committee has commented thereon and by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the Plenary Assembly.
(f) At formal meetings, e.g. the opening and closing plenary meetings, the programme to be followed and the names of speakers shall be determined by the Executive Committee and shall not be altered except at the discretion of the President of the Plenary Assembly.
Rule 4
(a) Reports from Members and WFUNA-youth on their activities since the previous session of the Plenary Assembly shall be forwarded to the Secretary-General in either English or French at least three months prior to the opening of the Plenary Assembly.
(b) Members and WFUNA-youth invited to prepare basic documents for the Plenary Assembly shall be required to submit them to the Secretary-General at least three months prior to the opening of the Plenary Assembly. Basic documents shall be circulated to Members and WFUNA-youth at least four weeks before the opening of the Plenary Assembly.
(c) Basic documents referred to in this Rule shall not be read at the Plenary Assembly, or in a Commission, but a delegate from a Member submitting such a basic document may address the Plenary Assembly or a Commission for the purpose of introducing it.
Rule 5
(a) Each Member as well as International Associate and WFUNA-youth shall furnish the Secretary-General with a list of its delegates signed by a responsible Officer. This list should reach the Secretariat not less than two weeks before the beginning of any ordinary session of the Plenary Assembly.
(b) A Credentials Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee shall examine and report to the Plenary Assembly on the credentials of each delegation and on its voting rights. The Plenary Assembly shall be called upon to adopt this report.
Rule 6
Registration fees as determined by the Executive Committee shall be payable by delegates and alternate delegates.
Rule 7
If the President and the Vice-Presidents are absent from a session of the Plenary Assembly, this session shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee.
Rule 8
(a) The Plenary Assembly may establish such Commissions as recommended by the Executive Committee. The Plenary Assembly shall elect the Chairperson, Vice- Chairpersons and one or more Rapporteurs of each Commission so established, taking into consideration the recommendations of the Executive Committee.
(b) When a Commission of the Plenary Assembly considers any item, it should decide, during the course of the debate, whether it will conclude its debate on that item with a draft of a resolution or decision, and an oral report to the Plenary Assembly, or without a draft of a resolution or decision, but a written report presenting the principal views put forth during that discussion.
(c) Drafting groups may be established by a Commission in order to facilitate the formulation of drafts of resolutions and decisions. Such drafts shall be handed to the Chairperson of the Commission for further consideration by the Commission, which shall recommend final drafts to the Plenary Assembly for adoption.
(d) The provisions of Article 15 of the Constitution of the Federation and of Rules 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of these By-Laws apply to Commissions.
Rule 9
The President of the Plenary Assembly shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Plenary Assembly, accord the right to speak, direct the discussions, put the questions to the vote, announce the results of the vote and ensure the observance of the provisions governing the proceedings of the Plenary Assembly. S/he shall rule on the points of order and, subject to these provisions, shall have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting and over the maintenance of order thereat. S/he may, in the course of the discussion of an item, propose to the Plenary Assembly the closure of the list of speakers or the closure of the debate. S/he may also propose the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion.
Rule 10
(a) No delegate may address the Plenary Assembly without having previously obtained the permission of its President who shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak. The President of the Plenary Assembly may call a speaker to order if his/her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.
(b) Unless the President of the Plenary Assembly decides otherwise in special cases, speeches shall not exceed fifteen minutes in duration, with the exception of addresses referred to in Rule 4(c) of these By-Laws, which shall not exceed ten minutes in duration. Any delegation may move that this time be reduced and, subject to the discretion of the President of the Plenary Assembly, this motion shall be submitted to the Plenary Assembly to be voted on immediately without debate.
(c) During the discussion of any item, only one member of any delegation shall speak and such delegate shall not speak more than once, except:
1. to reply to questions raised in debates;
2. in the case of the mover of a motion, to reply to the debate immediately before the vote is taken;
3. when, in the opinion of the President of the Plenary Assembly, it is in the interest of the debate that a delegate shall be allowed to speak again.
Rule 11
During the discussion of any matter, a delegation may rise to a point of order, and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the President of the Plenary Assembly. A delegation may appeal against the ruling of the President of the Plenary Assembly. The appeal shall be immediately put to the vote. A member of a delegation rising to a point of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.
Rule 12
(a) Except for a point of order, the motions indicated below shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the meeting:
1. to suspend the meeting;
2. to adjourn the meeting;
3. to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;
4. to close the debate on the item under discussion.
(b) Such motions may be moved by any delegation during the discussion of any matter; they shall not be debated but shall be immediately put to the vote.
Rule 13
(a) A motion of suspension of the provisions governing the proceedings of the Plenary Assembly may be proposed by three Members on a matter of paramount importance to the Federation.
(b) Such a motion shall have precedence over motions under Rules 11 and 12 of these By-Laws.
Rule 14
(a) Drafts of resolutions and decisions can be submitted only on matters included in the agenda of the session. They shall be submitted to the appropriate Commission, as established according to Rule 8 of these By-Laws. Drafts of resolutions and decisions not considered by a Commission may be submitted at the plenary meeting only exceptionally, if the Plenary Assembly decides so by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
(b) No drafts of resolutions and decisions or amendments thereto except when related to procedural matters or drafting changes, shall be discussed until the text is in the hands of delegates present, in at least one of the working languages of the Federation.
(c) When an amendment to a draft of a resolution or decision is moved, it shall be voted on first.
(d) When two or more amendments are moved, the one furthest removed in substance from the original draft shall be voted on first; and then the next furthest removed there from, and so on, until all amendments have been put to the vote.
(e) If the adoption of an amendment implies the rejection of another, the latter shall not be put to the vote.
(f) The amended draft may be voted on section by section and shall in any case be voted on as a whole.
Rule 15
(a) The voting is valid only if the total number of those present and voting is at least equal to half the number of the delegations participating in the Plenary Assembly.
(b) For the purpose of the Constitution of the Federation and these By-Laws, the expression "those present and voting" shall mean the delegations of Members and WFUNA-youth casting an affirmative or a negative vote. Delegations which abstain from voting shall be considered as not voting.
(c) No vote by proxy shall be authorized.
(d) No vote can be cast in advance.
(e) The President of the Plenary Assembly shall grant a request by any delegation for a vote by roll call, provided this request is seconded by two other delegations.
(f) If the President of the Plenary Assembly is appointed by his/her United Nations Association as a member of its delegation to the Plenary Assembly, s/he shall not be authorized to exercise the voting rights of his/her delegation.
Rule 16
(a) There shall be an Elections Committee of the Plenary Assembly, responsible for controlling the elections process. The Elections Committee shall be appointed by the Plenary Assembly on the recommendation of the Executive Committee. It shall consist of five delegates, each from a different Member, none of whose delegates are standing for election. It shall appoint its own Chairperson.
(b) The Elections Committee shall decide on the validity of the nominations submitted, draw up a list of candidates, distribute the ballot papers to the delegations qualified to vote, supervise the ballot, count the votes and report to the Plenary Assembly on the results of the voting. If the results of the elections are not contested within twenty-four hours, it shall destroy the ballot papers.
Rule 17
(a) All nominations shall be seconded by at least one Member qualified to submit nominations and be accompanied by a typewritten curriculum vita.
(b) Nominations for the offices of the President, the Vice-Presidents and the Treasurer shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General at least twelve hours before the commencement of the plenary meeting during which elections for these offices are scheduled to be held.
(c) Nominations to the Executive Committee shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General at least twenty-four hours before the commencement of the plenary meeting during which elections are scheduled to be held.
(d) A list of candidates for each office as drawn up by the Elections Committee shall be distributed to all delegations prior to the voting and the curriculum vitae shall be placarded at an appropriate place.
Rule 18
(a) All elections shall be held by secret ballot, except when the number of candidates equals the number of vacancies, in which case secret ballot may be waived by the Plenary Assembly.
(b) The President of the Plenary Assembly shall declare the opening and closing of the voting.
(c) A candidate is elected when securing at least half of the number of those present and voting.
(d) The election of the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary-General shall take place in any case before the closing of the deadline for submission of the other candidates.
(e) The following shall be considered null and void
1. for the elections to the Executive Committee, ballot papers in which less than five votes are cast;
2. ballot papers in which the voters have revealed their identity, in particular by apposing their signature or mentioning the name of their delegation;
3. ballot papers bearing other names than those of the candidates nominated in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federation and these By-Laws.
(f) The Chairperson of the Elections Committee shall, in plenary meeting, announce the results of the elections in the following order : number of delegations entitled to vote; number absent; number of abstentions; number of ballot papers null and void; number of those present and voting; number required for a majority; names of candidates and the number of votes secured by each of them, in descending order of the number of votes.
(g) For the purpose of the provisions of paragraph (f) above, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Absent"- delegations entitled to vote but whose members are not present at the meeting at which the secret ballot takes place;
2. "Number of those present and voting" -- the difference between the number of the delegations with the right to vote and the total number of absentees, abstentions and invalid ballot papers.
(h) The President of the Plenary Assembly shall declare elected candidates who have obtained the required majority.
Rule 19
(a) The Executive Committee may convene during the Plenary Assembly a meeting of the heads of delegations in order to hold consultations aimed at facilitating the decision-making process of the Plenary Assembly.
(b) Those taking part in the meeting shall be:
1. the heads of delegations of Members or wfuna-youth, members of delegations duly appointed by the head of their delegation;
2. the Officers of the Federation;
3. the Honorary Presidents;
4. the members of the Executive Committee.
(c) The meeting shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The President of the Federation or, if not available, the President of the Plenary Assembly may preside on the invitation of the Executive Committee.
(d) Opinions expressed during the meeting shall not be formally binding on the delegations to the Plenary Assembly and no deciding vote shall be taken.
(e) The meeting shall be private and shall not be minuted.
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Rule 20
If a member of the Executive Committee is unable to attend a session thereof s/he may, with the approval of his/her United Nations Association, designate a member of a Member United Nations Association as a substitute to attend that session.
OFFICERS
Rule 21
(a) A vacancy in the post of Secretary-General shall be brought without delay to the knowledge of all the Members of the Federation.
(b) The President, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, shall invite all Members to submit applications for the post within a fixed deadline. The vacancy may also be publicized outside the Federation.
(c) A list of applications, providing basic information on the candidates, shall be circulated to all members of the Executive Committee and persons entitled to attend its sessions under Article 17(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Federation.
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Rule 22
(a) The title of Honorary President is the highest distinction the Federation may confer, in accordance with Article 34 of its Constitution.
(b) Any Member may submit a nomination for the title of Honorary President. Such a nomination shall be presented to the Executive Committee in writing together with a brief description of the nominee's merits for this distinction. The nomination shall be seconded by at least two other Members.
(c) The Executive Committee shall, in private meeting, review the nomination submitted and decide on a recommendation to the Plenary Assembly. The vote shall be taken by secret ballot and the secrecy of the ballot shall not be waived.
(d) In exceptional circumstances, the Plenary Assembly may, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, withdraw the title of Honorary President of the Federation. Such action shall be proposed in writing to the Executive Committee by at least five Members and shall require, both in the Executive Committee and in the Plenary Assembly, a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting. The vote shall be taken by secret ballot and the secrecy of the ballot shall not be waived.
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Rule 23
The Finance Committee shall meet on the day preceding every session of the Executive Committee except the session immediately following a session of the Plenary Assembly.
Rule 24
(a) There shall be minimum dues fixed by the Plenary Assembly on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.
(b) Dues of Members shall be payable in such currency as the Plenary Assembly shall specify. In case of necessity, special provisions can be authorized by the Executive Committee.
(c) Any payment of dues shall automatically be applied to the furthest remoted arrears.
Rule 25
(a) The Treasurer, in consultation with the Secretary-General, shall submit to the Finance Committee and the Executive Committee the draft annual budget of the Federation for each of the following two years.
(b) The draft annual budget shall consist of an estimate of expenditure and income as well as, if necessary, explanatory notes.
(c) The draft annual budget shall in the first instance be examined by the Finance Committee on the day preceding the penultimate session of the Executive Committee before a session of the Plenary Assembly, and be submitted with the Finance Committee's comments to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consider the draft annual budget and the Finance Committee's comments and send them, with any further observations, to all Members and wfuna-youth for consideration, not later than four weeks before the session of the Plenary Assembly which is to adopt them.
(d) On the day before the session of the Executive Committee which precedes a session of the Plenary Assembly, the Finance Committee shall review the draft annual budget in the light of any comments received from Members or wfuna-youth and of any developments, and forward it with a report to the Executive Committee.
(e) The Executive Committee shall, after considering the report of the Finance Committee and the draft annual budget, forward them with or without comments and with an appropriate recommendation to the Plenary Assembly (or any relevant Commission thereof).
(f) Before the end of the session the Plenary Assembly must adopt the annual budget for each of the following two years.
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Rule 26
(a) The By-Laws referred to in Article 9 of the Constitution of the Federation may be amended by any session of the Plenary Assembly but shall come into effect only at the next ordinary session after their adoption.
(b) Amendments to the By-Laws may be proposed by a Member or by the Executive Committee.
(c) Any proposals from Members to amend the By-Laws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General.
(d) Amendments to the By-Laws can be made by the Plenary Assembly by a simple majority of the vote of those present and voting.
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