International Federation of<br> Social Science Organizations

I. NAME AND DOMICILE

1. “The International Federation of Social Science Organizations” (IFSSO), hereinafter called “the Federation”, is an international nongovernment social science organization.

2. The legal domicile of the Federation is in such a place as the Federation may from time to time decide.

II. OBJECTIVES

3. The principal objectives of the Federation are:
a. To encourage international scientific activities and international cooperation in the social sciences for the benefit of mankind;
b. To facilitate the coordination of the international scientific activities of its Members;
c. To foster concern about contemporary social problems and to encourage the application of the social sciences in the search for solutions;
d. To contribute to the development social sciences at the national and regional levels, particularly in developing countries and countries in transition;
e. To further the exchange of information, experience and ideas among its Members;
f. To foster cooperative ventures and mutual assistance in the planning and implementation of programmes of major importance to Members; and
g. To promote the free international movement of social scientists in the conduct of their research and other professional activities.

4. In furthering the attainment of these objectives, the Federation may:
a. Establish and maintain relations with the United Nations and its specialized and related agencies, particularly with UNESCO;
b. Assist Members, at their request, in developing social science capability in their countries or regions;
c. Make such mutual arrangements as are appropriate with other international organizations where common interests exist; and
d. Undertake such other activities as may be consistent with its objectives.

5. In pursuing these objectives the Federation shall observe the basic policy of non-discrimination and affirm the rights of social scientists throughout the world to adhere to or to participate in international scientific activities without regard to race, religion, political persuasion, ideology, ethnic origin, citizenship, language or sex.

6. The Federation shall recognize and respect the independence of the internal planning and operation of the Members.

III. MEMBERSHIP

7. The Members of the Federation are:
a. Full members;
b. Associate members; and
c. Individual members.

8. To be eligible for full membership or associated membership an organization must meet one or more of the following criteria:
a. Have as one of its purpose to further the development of the social sciences on the national, regional or international level;
b. Support research, training and/or other activities in the social sciences from resources put as its disposal by public or private bodies; and
c. Support the objectives of the Federation and accept the obligations of full membership or associated membership.

9. Applications for membership are discussed and decided upon by the Executive Board. The decision of the Executive has to be approved by the General Assembly which votes on the matter with ordinary majority.

10. Individual members are elected by the General Assembly of IFSSO from the number of those scientific workers who have been active as officers of IFSSO for some considerable time as well as from the number of internationally recognized scientists from the field of social sciences.
The election of individual members is based on the proposal of the Executive Board of IFSSO.

11. Each full member and individual member shall pay annual fee based on a rate determined by the General Assembly. Associate members pay one half of full membership fee.

12. Any member may withdraw from the Federation by written notice to the President, which will take effect at the end of the Federation’s current fiscal year.

13. The General Assembly may cancel the membership of any Member who has failed to pay its membership fee in spite of two (2) reminders without requesting extension of credit, or has otherwise failed to fulfill its obligations.

IV. ORGANIZATION

14. The organization of the Federation shall consist of:
a. The General Assembly
b. The Executive Board
c. The Officers.

15. In the absence of any special provision to the contrary in these Statutes, decisions of these bodies shall be by a simple majority of the positive or negative votes of those present and taking part in the vote.

V. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

16. a) The General Assembly consists of one representative of each full and Associate Member plus individual Members and the Officers of the Federation. Each full Member may designate up to two alternates who may attend sessions as observers, any one of whom may act in place of the representative in his/her absence or at his/her request;
b) The General Assembly may also include one representative of each organization granted Observer Status, as well as Special Guests.

17. Members of the General Assembly shall represent four regions: African, American, Asian and European region.

18. a) The General Assembly could be organized if at least two regions shall be represented by Full Members, Associate Members or individual Members in the ordinary session of the General Assembly.
b) Decisions of a session of the General Assembly are valid if at least five Full Members, Associate Members or Individual Members shall be presented and participate in the voting.

19. At the General Assembly each representative of Full Member has three votes, each representative of Associate Member has one vote. Individual members have one vote each.

20. An ordinary session of the General Assembly is normally held every two (2) years, at a place and date determined by the General Assembly at its previous ordinary session, or failing that, by the Executive Board.

21. The President, with the consent of the Executive Board, may summon an extraordinary session of the General Assembly. The President is obliged to do so at the written request of at least one-third of the Members. At least six (6) months written notice shall be given of such sessions.

22. The General Assembly is the highest authority of the Federation and shall determine its general policies. Its particular powers and responsibilities shall be detailed in the By-Laws.

VI. EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE OFFICERS

23. The Executive Board shall consist of:
a. The Officers;
b. The Ordinary Members.

24. There shall be the following four regions for the purpose of effecting proper representation of the Executive Board: African, American, Asian and European region.

25. The General Assembly shall elect officers and four ordinary members to the Executive Board according to the following formula:
a. The General Assembly shall elect to the Executive Board individual persons (representatives of full member organizations, or associate organizations or individual members);
b. The General Assembly shall effect equitable representation among any distinct regions in electing officers and Ordinary Members to the Executive Board.

26. Members of the Executive Board shall hold office until the end of the next ordinary session of the General Assembly following their election.

27. Each of the Executive Board has one vote: the President or presiding Officer has, in addition, a casting vote. A quorum of the Executive Board is one half of its Members including the Officers.

28. The Executive Board shall have the general responsibility to direct the day to day affairs of the Federation between sessions of the General Assembly, shall perform such specific tasks as are detailed in the By-Laws and shall report to the General Assembly at each session. The Executive Board shall meet as often as necessary.

29. The Officers of the Federation shall be the President, the First Vice-president, Second Vice-president, the Secretary General and the Treasurer.

30. a) The Officers shall be elected in separate secret ballots by the General Assembly and shall hold office until the end of the ordinary session of the General Assembly next following their election;
b) The Officers shall be elected from the representatives of full Member organizations or Associate Member organizations. Individual Members are eligible too;
c) The President, First Vice-president, Second Vice-president, Secretary General, Treasurer and four of the other ordinary members of the Executive Board are the representatives of regions;
d) The President, two Vice-presidents, Secretary General and Treasurer shall be elected on a proportional basis from the Regions;
e) The candidates for the offices of the President, First Vice-president, Second Vice-president, Secretary General and Treasurer must be personally presented in the ordinary session of the General Assembly. All nominations of candidates must be accompanied by the evidence of the willingness f the candidate to serve, if elected;
f) In the situation that only two regions shall be represented in the ordinary session of the General Assembly, the officers shall be elected from these two regions according to the proportional representation in the General Assembly (member of the representatives – Full Members, Associate Members and Idividual Members from the concrete region presented in the ordinary session of the General Assembly).

31. The other Ordinary Members of the Executive Board are eligible in absentia. 32. The President shall preside at the sessions of the General Assembly and the Executive Board, is the legal representative of the Federation in relations with other organizations but may delegate such representation to other Officers when necessary. The President shall provide leadership in the Federation and shall be generally responsible for the implementation of the policies of the Federation.

33. The First Vice-president shall fulfill the duties of the President at his/her request should he/she be unable to discharge them. The Vice-president shall encourage preparation of Members from their respective region in the programme of the Federation.

34. The Secretary-General shall be responsible for all matters concerning the administration of the Federation, the contracts of the Federation and, in particular, for the conduct or correspondence.

35. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the accounts and finances of the Federation in accordance with Statutes and By-Laws.

36. With the approval of the Executive Board, responsibility for a particular duty normally discharged by the President, the Secretary-General or the Treasurer, may be delegated to other persons according to the written decision of the concrete officer.

37. The Officers shall perform such other duties as the General Assembly or the Executive Board may assign to them.

VII. FINANCES

38. The revenues of the Federation shall be obtained from:
a. Annual membership fees according to rates established by the General Assembly;
b. Grants, donations or bequests;
c. Subsidies and subventions;
d. Special contributions by Members and other organizations for specific purposes;
e. Publications and capital investment.

39. The rate of membership fees shall be set to cover only the costs of the Secretariat and the administration of the Federation, including Officers meetings and meetings of the Executive Board, and shall not be applied to special projects without specific approval of the General Assembly.

40. a) Donations and bequests accepted by the Federation shall be used in accordance with the purposes, in any, specified by the donors. A donation shall not be accepted if its acceptance would interfere with the independence of the Federation’s policies or with the achievement of its objectives;
b) The Executive Board shall approve the acceptance of all donations and bequests on recommendation from the Treasurer.

41. The Federation’s Finances shall be controlled by means of a biennial budget prepared by the Executive Board and approved by the General Assembly.

42. The Federation’s fiscal year shall coincide with the calendar year.

43. The General Assembly shall indemnify, by a special motion at each session, the Treasurer and other Officers of any liability in handling the Federation’s finances during each fiscal year.

44. The financial liability of each Full Member, Associate Member and Individual Member is limited to the amount of the Member’s annual membership fee.

45. The organs of the Federation may not incur expenditures in excess of the funds put at their disposal in the biennial budget approved by the General Assembly.

VIII. SIGNING AUTHORITY

46. Unless otherwise delegated by the Executive Board on proposal of the President, all contracts, documents, cheques or any other instruments in writing requiring the signature of the Federation shall be signed by the President or the Secretary –General or the Treasurer, and all contracts, documents, cheques and other instruments in writing so signed shall be binding upon the Federation without any further authorization or formality.

IX. BY-LAWS

47. By-Laws for the implementation of these Statutes shall be established by the General Assembly upon the proposal of the Executive Board, by a simple majority of those present and taking part in the vote.

X. SECRETARIAT

48. a) The Executive Board and Officers shall be assisted by an Executive Secretary and such other staff may be approved by the Executive Board;
b) Executive Secretary is a member of the Executive Board. He/she may participate in the discussion; has the right to move motions or amendments, but do not have the right to vote.

49. The Executive Board shall appoint the Executive Secretary and determine the salaries and terms of appointment of all staff. The Executive Secretary shall report to the Executive Board on all staff appointments.

XI. AMENDMENT

50. These Statutes may be amended at any session of the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority of those present and taking part in the vote.

XII. DISSOLUTION

51. A decision to dissolve the Federation shall require a two-thirds majority of the Members taking part in the vote by either mail ballot or present at a session of the General Assembly called in writing for this purpose at least three (3) months in advance.

52. In case of dissolution any remaining assets of the Federation shall be transferred to one or more non-governmental or regional social science organizations with objectives similar to those of the Federation.

XIII. INTERPRETATION

53. Unless the context otherwise requires, in these Statutes the singular shall include the plural and the plural the singular, the masculine the feminine and the feminine the masculine.