Notice to Section Chairs regarding Membership of Standing Committees and SDC (AI index: ORG 82/03/97) Underlag till styrelsemöte 1-2 augusti 1997




INTERNAL (for AI members only) AI Index: ORG 82/02/97
Distr: SC
-------------------------
Amnesty International
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 8DJ
United Kingdom

To: Section Chairs

From: Organization Liaison Unit

Date: 26 August 1997



Notice to Section Chairs regarding Membership of Standing Committees and the Section Development Committee




Summary

This is a formal invitation notice to Sections to nominate interested persons for positions on the Standing Committees for Mandate (SCM), Research and Action (SCRA), Organization and Development (SCOD), Human, Information and Financial Matters (SCHIFM) and the Section Development Committee (SDC).


Keywords

AI COMMITTEES1 / SECTIONS / IEC /


Distribution

This is an internal, organizational circular which is being sent to all Sections.


Recommended actions

Please bring this document to the attention of relevant persons in your section. Sections should send nominations for all five committees to the IEC c/o OLU by 1 November 1997.




MEMBERSHIP OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND SECTION DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE



The International Executive Committee (IEC) will be appointing members to the four Standing Committees and to the Section Development Committee in Capetown, before the close of the 1997 ICM.

This notice is a formal invitation for Sections to nominate interested persons to the following committees:

1. Standing Committee on the Mandate
2. Standing Committee on Research and Action
3. Standing Committee on Organisation and Development
4. Standing Committee on Human, Information and Financial Matters
5. Section Development Committee

The terms of reference of the respective committees are contained in the document entitled: "Decision making structures: Implementation of Decision 63 of the 1991 ICM decisions of the April 1992 meeting of the IEC", AI Index: ORG 82/02/92.

Please note the attached list of current members. The maximum term of service for all committees is six years.


STANDING COMMITTEES

The four Standing Committees were established by Decision 63 of the 1991 ICM and charged with the responsibility of assisting and advising the IEC in matters relating to policy, as agreed in the committee work-plans. In brief;

The Standing Committee on the Mandate (SCM) considers matters dealt with in Working Party A of the ICM, and conducts analysis of the Mandate with an emphasis on potential changes. SCM advises the IEC on borderline cases.

The Standing Committee on Research and Action (SCRA) considers matters dealt with in
Working Party B of the ICM, and research and action program areas. SCRA conducts evaluations of AI’s principal research and action techniques.

The Standing Committee for Organisation and Development (SCOD) considers matters dealt with in Working Party C of the ICM, and development and organisation program areas. SCOD conducts evaluations of development strategies and international organisational systems.

The Standing Committee on Human, Information, and Financial Matters (SCHIFM) considers matters dealt with in Working Party D of the ICM, and planning, resource management and information management program areas. SCHIFM conducts evaluations of the effectiveness of human, financial, and information management systems.

Functioning of the Standing Committees
Committee members are expected to attend two meetings annually (two/three days each) and possibly one other international meeting. The work of the committee is implemented between meetings and this often requires a time commitment to write papers, consult with sections, and respond to correspondence. While this commitment varies throughout the year it should not be underestimated.

Basic skills, knowledge and experience required of Standing Committee Members
Nominations, in any core language, should be supported by a short curriculum vitae listing relevant experience, especially the following;
  • AI responsibilities current and past
  • Areas of interest and expertise related to the work of the committee
  • Evaluation skills
  • Committee experience
  • Language skills
  • International meetings attended
  • Related experience with other organisations
  • Knowledge of computer skills or willingness to be trained

In the past it has been difficult to analyse some of the nominations because the appropriate information was not supplied. Sections should further note that there have been shortages of suitable nominees in the past. Thus sections are requested to conduct a search, and to nominate members accordingly to ensure that the high standard of work conducted by the Standing Committees can continue.



SECTION DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The Section Development Committee was created by Decision 30 of the 1989 ICM. It is an international membership committee which consists of 7 regular members (with one alternate) and which has delegated authority from the IEC for making decisions on the allocation of grants to Amnesty International structures for development purposes and for overseeing and approving forms of inter-section cooperation . Decisions 55 and 62 of the 1991 ICM also called on the SDC to allocate funds earmarked for fundraising and multilingualism grants.

Functioning of the SDC
The SDC meets in London twice a year (in June and in November) to review grant applications from Amnesty International structures. In between meetings, SDC members also attend to emergency requests, which are addressed to the Committee almost throughout the year. The nature and the amount of the work undertaken by the SDC is such that the Committee is serviced by a full time Coordinator based at the IS.

Nominations, in any core language, should be supported by a short curriculum vitae listing relevant experience, especially the following;

Basic skills, knowledge and experience required of SDC Members
      • Candidates must show keen interest in development issues and an understanding of the challenges faced by the movement in this area;
      • Candidates must have experience / knowledge of financial and budgetary matters and ideally of grant review processes;
      • Candidates must be familiar with Amnesty International’s guidelines on intersection development cooperation.



Language skills and knowledge of regions required
      • At least 2 members of the SDC :
      • must read, write, and speak Spanish and be familiar with Latin America;
      • must read, write, and speak French and be familiar with the Francophone world, specially in Africa and the Maghreb ;
      • must read, write, and speak English and be familiar with the Anglophone world, specially in Africa.
      • At least one member must be familiar with Eastern and Central Europe.
      • It is desirable for the Committee to have an Arab-speaking member who is also fluent in French or English.



Further information
Sections wishing to obtain information about the work of the respective committees are asked to contact the relevant Chairpersons.

The current Chairpersons of the Committees are:

Koen de Feyter, SCOD
Frans van Dijk, SCHIFM
Joan Fitzpatrick, SCM
Colm O'Cuanachain, SCRA
Kavi Pyneeandy, SDC

The Committee Chairs can be contacted via the Standing Commitees’ Assistant, OLU, International Secretariat (address below).

The IEC's role on the Standing Committees is confined exclusively to representing the IEC.

The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees and the Section Development Committee have been asked to make recommendations relating to the continuance of current members.

The IEC will conduct an interim review on the membership of Standing Committees in December 1998. It is expected that those persons appointed for the first time in December 1997 would be prepared to serve for a period of 2 years.

Nominations should be received by 1 November 1997 . Nominations submitted after that date may not receive full consideraton. Send to:

Standing Committees' Assistant
Organization Liaison Unit
OSG, International Secretariat

Anyone requiring any further information about the process may contact Robin Rickard or Susan Waltz, IEC, c/o Anna Hewitt, OLU.




STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

NAME APPOINTMENT 6 YEAR TERM
SCM
Pepe Zalaquet December 1992 December 1998
Hanny Megally December 1995 December 2001
Joan Fitzpatrick December 1992 December 1998
Karsten Luthke December 1992 December 1998
Menno Kaminga December 1995 December 2001
Michel Fournier December 1993 December 1999
David Matas December 1993 December 1999
Celia Jimenez December 1993 December 1999
SCRA
Colm O Cuanachain December 1992 December 1998
Curt Goering December 1995 December 2001
Judit Arenas December 1995 December 2001
Krishna Pahadi December 1995 December 2001
Jacqueline Follana December 1993 Resigned
Robyn Kilpatrick December 1993 December 1999
Marjolin van Anken December 1993 December 1999
Fatiha Aid December 1995 December 2001
SCOD
Koen de Feyter December 1992 December 1998
Paula Benevene December 1992 December 1998
Anna-Carin Kandimaa December 1995 December 2001
Hans Landolt December 1995 December 2001
Peter Perfecto December 1995 December 2001
Pieter van Reenen December 1995 December 2001
Samia Bel Hadj Ali December 1993 December 2001
Samuel Zan Akologo December 1995 December 2001
SDC
Ian Heide December 1995 December 2001
Ehud Paporisch December 1995 December 2001
Kavi Pyneeandy December 1992 December 1998
Rose-Marie Asker December 1993 December 1999
Carol Rask December 1993 December 1999
Anelyn De Luna December 1993 December 1999


\...\OLU\STANDCOM.GEN\NOMINATE.97



Please note that the list of present members of committees appended to the earlier version of this document did not include the present members of SCHIFM, as set out below. We aplogise for any inconvenience caused.(ORG 82/002/97/cor )


NAME
APPOINTMENT 6 YEAR TERM
SCHIFM
Simeon Abiodun Aina December 1995 December 2001
Frans van Dijk December 1995 December 2001
Guadaloupe Rivas December 1992 December 1998
Franke Sidensticker December 1995 December 2001
Nigel Wright December 1995 December 2001
Francesca Zagini December 1992 December 1998


Source: Amnesty International, International Secretariat,
1 Easton Street, WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom