Network
Membership guidelines
Our network of members have a shared set of values, goals and ways of working.
Member guidelines
By working together in a transparent and positive way we can change the world for communities most at risk.
Our member guidelines cover:
- Our shared values
- Member responsibilities
- Voting and elections
- Data regulation
- Secretariat responsibilities
- Complaints
- Termination of membership
Our shared values
As part of a global network, GNDR members are expected to respect and support our shared values:
- Joint action: we can achieve more by working collaboratively, inclusively and in a participatory and mutually supportive manner; together we can achieve common goals
- Trust and openness to listen, share and learn from one another will enable us to build consensus and mutual understanding
- Transparency and mutual accountability: equity, respect and inclusion for diverse identities, needs and perspectives
Member responsibilities
Organisations join GNDR because they actively want to further our mission and strategy and be active participants in the network. All members should promote GNDR, both internally and externally, in a positive manner.
Members should not act in a way that endangers the reputation or legitimacy of the GNDR network or the secretariat. When a member is considered to have acted in a way that brings the network into disrepute, the case may be referred to the global board and membership may be terminated.
By signing up to the network, members commit to communicate respectfully with other members and the Secretariat, both in person, by email, and on the Community Platform. Any language that is deemed to be disrespectful of another member or staff in any way will be removed, and the member may be temporarily barred from the platform or asked to leave a meeting. The case will be referred to our board to make a decision as to the appropriate course of action, which may include termination of membership.
Active representation and participation
When GNDR has funded the participation of a member in a workshop, conference or at the Global Summit or other event, members are expected to be full participants and to attend the entirety of the event.
If the GNDR Secretariat receives evidence to the contrary, members may be asked to refund the cost of their participation. Likewise, members who miss flights that have been purchased by the secretariat for reasons within their control will be asked to refund the cost of those flights.
Members are expected to uphold our values at all times when representing GNDR at external events, as well as conveying our messaging in advocacy opportunities, and consulting with staff when appropriate.
When members are involved in projects on behalf of the network, the secretariat will often be obliged to fulfil donor requirements by carrying out due diligence checks on the member. These may include checking the accounts, financial authorities, safeguarding procedures, anti-bribery commitments and other areas of the organisation. Irrespective of donor requirements, GNDR expects all of its members to have robust safeguarding procedures for staff and beneficiaries in place, including a code of conduct.
Members voting rights
Our global board, regional representatives and steering groups are selected in regional elections. At these elections, only the focal point (ie the main contact) at member organisations are allowed to cast a vote, and this will be limited to one vote per member organisation.
Only staff from member organisations (or someone associated with their organisation or network who they have registered with GNDR) are eligible to stand in elections. They also qualify to vote on strategic issues that concern member organisations, such as the introduction of subscription fees. Read more about the global board.
Data regulation
Members commit to providing accurate data about their organisations and the staff working there in order to ensure that the secretariat can keep membership databases accurate and up-to-date, and so that other members can be in touch with them.
With regard to the protection of data, GNDR has an openly accessible privacy policy in place. All communications will conform to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires members to ‘opt in’. Members can amend their mailing preferences in the Community Platform.
Maintaining up to date information
All members will be asked to review their contact details regularly via the Community Platform. This will ensure that the database of members is kept up-to-date and accurate.
Every five years, member organisations will be asked to resubmit the documentation provided upon application.
Secretariat responsibilities
The secretariat is registered in the UK (subject to English and Welsh charity law), with offices in London, Guatemala, Dakar, Nairobi, New Delhi, the Hague and Yogyakarta.
The main responsibility of the secretariat is to support the development, coordination and implementation of our strategy, as defined by the global board and the broader membership.
This involves the development of internal institutional and operational capacities, including effective internal management functions and procedures (e.g. human resources; administration; finance and accounting; fundraising; membership support; operations; communications and reporting; policy and advocacy), together with the mobilisation of adequate human and financial resources.
GNDR has six principles which guide our programmatic work, and ensure that programmes coordinated by the secretariat are inclusive, collaborative and sensitive to the needs of local communities.
In addition, the secretariat commits to:
Ensure that our actions, growth and activities are driven by our membership
The Secretariat is a coordinating body for the network as a whole. Our strategies, policies and programmes should be driven by our membership. Whenever possible, documents will be drafted by members themselves. When this is not possible, the Secretariat will consult with members to ensure that their views are captured.
Be fair and inclusive in all of its activities
The secretariat will ensure that people from all backgrounds receive fair and equal treatment within the network. This includes secretariat-led events, workshops and programmatic work. At events and workshops, we will proactively seek a diverse representation from people of different backgrounds, including gender, disability, race and regions, both as participants and as speakers.
Protect the data of members
We will act in line with UK data protection laws. Registering on the Community Platform provides a member’s approval to be contacted by the secretariat or other members, via the platform, for information-sharing purposes. However, the Secretariat will not share the data of members with any other third parties without the prior consent of members.
Complaints
Members that wish to make a complaint about the behaviour or effectiveness of staff should contact the executive director by email: bijay.kumar@gndr.org. The email will be treated in complete confidence.
If the complaint is about the executive director, the member should ask info@gndr.org for the email address of the chair of the global board, noting that the email concerns a complaint about the executive director. The complaint will be handled according to procedures set out in our whistleblowing and grievance policies. Read the full complaints procedure.
Termination of membership
Member organisations can terminate their membership voluntarily at any point via the Community Platform or by contacting: registration@gndr.org. They will be removed from our databases within 30 days of the request.
The main point of contact at a member organisation will be notified if one of their staff requests to be removed from our network.
The secretariat will terminate membership in the following circumstances:
- A member fails to provide GNDR with up-to-date, accurate data, following a request from staff
- A member communicates disrespectfully with another member either in person, by email or on the community platform
In the case of termination of membership the following procedures will apply:
Notice
The secretariat will send a written notice of the resolution for termination of membership to the member concerned, setting forth the reasons for the proposed termination, the date on which the proposed termination will become effective, and the date, time, and place (if any) of the board meeting at which the resolution will be considered.
Such notice will be sent at least two weeks before the date of the board meeting at which the resolution will be discussed, by email, to the last email address provided by the member or via the direct messaging service of the Community Platform.
Consideration by the global board
The membership working group will consider both the resolution for the termination of membership and any response received by the member concerned and will come to a unanimous decision. In any case where a unanimous decision cannot be reached, a two-thirds majority will prevail.
Determination
In cases where the board decides in favour of terminating membership, the member will be notified by email within a week of the decision date, and will be removed from our membership databases and Community Platform immediately. In cases where the board rejects the proposal to terminate membership, the member will be sent an email within a week, with a polite reminder of the expectations of members.
Any members removed from the network will be added to a list kept by the secretariat. In cases where the membership has been terminated for reason two above, applications for membership from the individual and/or organisation concerned will not be considered for a five-year period from the termination date.
Members whose membership has been terminated for one above will qualify for re-registration to the network as soon as they send the information requested with a polite reminder of the expectations of members.
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