Members’ rights and obligations at the Members' Assembly

1. Members’ rights and obligations at the Members' Assembly

2. In this presentationThe Members’ AssemblyDelegations - AccreditationVoting rights - Speaking rightsVoting on MotionsNominationsElectionsSponsored delegatesVoting results and records

3. 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.

4. Voting Statistics “36. Any decision of the World Congress taken in circumstances where: fewer than half of the total votes in either Category A or B were represented at that session of the World Congress, or 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, sorequested 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)

5. Voting Statistics Motion with the highestnumber of votes in Barcelona:

6. 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)

7. Why such a low rate of participation? • 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. What can be done? • 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

8. What is the Members' Assembly?

9. What is the Members' Assembly? • IUCN’s highest level decision-making body of IUCN • Motions • IUCN Programme • Financial Plan • Dues of Members • Number of Commissions and their mandates • Elections: President, Treasurer, Regional Councillors and Chairs of Commissions.

10. Delegations

11. Delegations • Member delegations • Observer delegations • Credentials • The names of the delegation’s members • 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

12. Voting rights

13. 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.

14. Voting on motions

15. 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?

16. Submit motions before Congress • 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

17. Resolutions Working Group • Established by Council in November 2010 • Composed of: • Zuleika Pinzón (Chair), Ali Darwish, BrahimHaddane, Brendan Mackey, Grace Mwaura, MahfuzUllah, Robin Yarrow, Jon Paul Rodriguez • Terms of Reference: • Establish procedures and principles • Ensure that the statutory requirements are applied • Advise sponsors of motions to revise, amend or withdraw a draft motion • Prepare motions for tabling at Congress • Facilitate discussion between Members on motions in advance of the Congress

18. IMPROVING THE MOTIONS PROCESS Issues that need to be addressed in the motions process: Lack of written procedure Large number of motions – limited time to discuss them Scope (national, regional and local) Perceived lack of transparency in the processing of motions Unclear relationship between the motions and the draft Programme Unclear relationship between the motions process and the Forum Lack of legitimacy – low voting rates Motions from Council – need for better procedure Motions submitted at the Congress - limited time for consultation Motions on issues where IUCN acts as technical advisor Duplication

19. 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 DETAILS Constanza Martinez motions@iucn.org

20. Nomination of candidates and elections

21. 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 • from at least three Regions • not less than sixty days prior to the opening of the Assembly

22. Nominations • Chairs of the Commissions: • Nomination made by the Council to the Members' Assembly • After considering proposals made • by IUCN Members • by members of the Commissions

23. Nominations • For the election of the Regional Councillors: • Nominations made by Members to the Election Officer • Nominations by • Five members eligible to vote • From more than one State • Candidates for election • Must be nationals of a State in the Region concerned • Must be a resident in that Region • Must not have held the same office consecutively for two full terms

24. 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 RegionalCouncillors and Commission Chairs • 7 July 2012Deadline for additional nominations from Members for President

25. Sponsored Delegates

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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. Voting results and records

31. Voting results • Motions: the results are projected on the screen during the Assembly session. Votedthis motion: = approx 30-40 Members in Category A = approx. 100-120 Members in Category B Reminder: Potentialvoting power= 978 Members Actualvoting power = 593 Members

32. Voting Records • Each Member can have access to its own voting records • Voting records of other Members not communicated by the Secretariat

33. Help and contacts

34. 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/

35. Thank you! ¡Gracias! Merci! شكرا لك! Kamsahamnida! 감사합니다 • Membership Unit • http://www.iucn.org/about/union/members/